Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-14
Unsound Objections.

OF the Jones-Dyer constitutional amend
ment are full of inaccuracies and ir-
ccnsistencies and cannot endure close
analysis.
An antagonist who opposes the
amendment on the ground that WASH
ington has now the best municipal
government of all American cities,
which should not be overthrown, either
N the national or the local interest, and
who SCOTS at the thought that the Ma
ton should transfer its control over the
District to Washington residents, white
and colored. transient, semitransient or
permanent, simply sets up and then
tears down man of straw of his own
construction. His attack does not touch
our amendment at all. His argument,
ike the flowers that bloom in the
Spring. has nothing to do with the case.
For our amendment empowering Con-
gress to grant national representation
does not touch In any respect the mu-
nicipal local government, and does not
transfer an atom OF power or control
over the District from the Nation to
District residents or anybody else. The
effect Of the amendment is to add a
new power to Congress and not to SUBJ
tract particle from any which Con-
greSs now possesses The District Is not
striving to wrest anything from Con-
gress or TO reduce its power. The Dis
trict would magnify and increase the
powers Of Congress, for what 1t seeks
Il representation In that Congress, what
II seeks is to become part of the Ma
ton politically. its present status being
that Of political alien.
Then. there is the man who opposes
our amendment on the ground that 1t
proposes statehood for the District
This attack is the most discouraging
Of all. because 1t ignores completely the
infinite pains that the trainers Of the
amendment have taken TO avoid the
slightest disturbance Of that national
control Of the Federal district which
District statehood would absolutely de-
stroy.
There are two ways OF doing away
with the evil Of non-representative gov
eminent in the District. First, repeal
the exclusive legislation clause of the
Constitution. and then either grant
statehood to the District or retrocede 1t
70 Maryland; or. second. retain the ex-
elusive legislation provision, and make
consistent with that exclusive national
control grant Of national representa-
ton 70 the people Of the District. And
THAI Is what Is done, OF course, by our
amendment. To grant 70 District resi-
dents certain expressly enumerated
powers OF statehood, of course. implied
~ denies 20 them all other powers Of
statehood The fact that statehood Is
not proposed is emphasized by the pro-
vision Of our amendment which gives TO
Congress In SIS discretion the power to
limit the Districts representation in
the Senate TO one.
Not q new State. but new political
status IL 10 be created or evolved. Our
amendment, instead Of destroying the
10 miles square provision, Is supple
mental 70 1t, empowering Congress TO
define explicitly. in view Of the changes
Of more than a century, the political
and judicial status Of the District. The
law Of congressional representation and
Of Electoral College representation IL
altered. A new American voting con-
sfituency Is created, controlled excIu-
EfyeIy by Congress, yet with representa-
ton In that Congress and In the Flee
torai College; not q new State. mot an
ordinary Territory, but politically up
lifted District Of Columbia; an enfran-
ekise6 seat Of government, already ere
ated ana made unique By the Constitu-
ton. This new factor In our scheme Of
national government representation MAJ
be peculiar. unusual, extraordinary; but
Il Ia not 90 peculiar, so unusual, or "a
extraordinary az the original creation
and present-dzy retention by the great
representative Republic Of an unrepre'
sented seat u government, totally un'
pepSe4entad area al its very heart
physieaHy within the United States
even containing It's Capital, but poiiti'
ealIy outside Of the United States.
The States uniting under the Consn'
tuition had the power, which they exer'
cagd, Of creating this unique, unrepre'
Sented, CapitaI-c0ntaining, .ation-con'
trolled District. Two-thiros 0f Congress
and ti9ree~fouFtEls OF the States hay'
similar power today. which they ough
10 exercise. and which We appeal u
them 70 exercise, 70 give 70 The mai
million Americans In this unique poilti
cal District an equally unique poiitics
status
90 - s=~~~e~@e-r7s