Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-03-12
D. c. Representation Cannot
Free Congress From Duty
as Exclusive Legislature.
D. c. SHUTTLECOCK AND
HOSTILE BATTLED0REs
Congress Could Not if It Would and
Would Not if It Could Evade
Obligation to District.
Editorial Correspondence of The Star.
THEODORE w. MOVES.

representatives, whereas with direct
representation of its own 1t will have
only one or two in each house.
or course, the Representatives Of the
States in the House do not represent
| the District in the American sense
since they are not chosen by the Dis
trict to voice its opinions, and are not
subject to withdrawal by the District
II they fail to express those opinions
Such representation does not reflect the
consent of the governed" in which lust
government Is rooted. Any OF these
Representatives may despise the com.
munity and It's opinions, and may vilify
and injure it with impunity, an incon-
ceivable condition If they were real rep
resentatives under our American sys-
tenn of representative government.
But the grant to the District OF frac-
tional representation in the National
Legislature will not reduce the obliga-
ton and power Of Congress as the Dis
trict's State and municipal legislature
to exercise thoughtfully. wisely and
justly the power of exclusive legis-
lation in respect to the District con-
ferred by the Constitution, and this OBJ
legation is inescapable.
Congress, as a whole, Is the Districts
local legislature. whether the District Is
represented In it or not. and Congress
can neither delegate nor surrender Its
exclusive power nor shirk It's obligation
and responsibility.
Congress Is Jealous of It's exclusive
control of the District and would not
turn over this control TO the few d.
rect representatives of the District OF
Columbia under national representation.
even II the Constitution permitted.
One or two District representatives
in the Senate could not control that
body with 96 representatives Of the
States, One or two District represent
atives in the House could not control
between 400 and 500 Representatives oi
the States in the House. So small a
| tail could never wag so large q dog
| The unfriends of the District in Con-
grcss would attack 1t and It's friends
would loyalty defend 1t and legislate
justly for 1t in accordance with their
oath OF Office and the Constitution, re-
gardless OF the presence or absence OF
| handful OF direct District representa-
| tives.
Thus Congress has neither power nor
| inclination to escape from or to abdi-
| cate its exclusive control OF the Dis
trict. with its inseparabiy connected OBJ
legation and responsibility.
Obligation Follows Power.
National representation for the Dis
trict would not reduce the obligation
toward the District of any individual
Representative of State, and would
| add to the Districts prestige and power
the strength and influence OF the direct
representation in Congress, which seven
States smaller than the District now
| enjoy. Participation by the District In
the National legislature. Congress, would
not diminish the exclusive power oi
legislation OF Congress In respect to the
District, and would not lessen the OBJ
legation and responsibility OF the indi-
vidual Congressman or Of Congress as
| a whole TO legislate considerably. Justly
and faithfully In the exercise of this ex-
elusive power. Congress could not alb
and would not II II could.
With national representation the
| District would be entitled TO demand
| OF every Senator and every Representa-
| tive the same thoughtful. sound and
| helpful legislation as It's faithful friends
| In performance of their constitutional
duty have always accorded 1t. No Con-
gresham on this pretext could shirk
his constitutional duty in legislation
concerning the District. The District
would be entitled 10 faithful Legislative
service Of every Congressman as nj
present and would be subjected to the
tender merices Of Its unfriends In Con-
grcss. as at present. with representa-
ton the District would have. In add
tiOn, It's full measure Of national SOW
ereignty and u fraction Of the power oi
Congress as local legislature. In add
ton 10 the help. collectively and indi-
viduaiiy, Of all COngressmen, II will have
the special service Of It's Senator 0I
| Senators and It's Representatives 10
voice Its opinions on National issues and
AZ u tiny fraction Of Its local Iegisla
ture IL safeguard It's welfare as u mu-
nicipaiity.
Prestige and Power for Small States.
| Who viii depreciate the honor and
power which have come to the small
States through this representations
How much greater strength for
every good end would Washington pos
sess II II had. like Wyoming "a less
popul0us community. Warren to
| represent 1t and fight for itP Or like
Idaho, "a Bornh2 Or like Utah. u HmoOt
or "A KingF Or like Delaware. u Bay
ard or du pontp Or like New Iiamp-
shire. a Moses 0r a Reyes? Or of the
past. a Salisbury. a dailinger or atl
Edmundap
These names are merely samples oi
| the long list of sound, torcible legisla-
tors IN both houses Ut Congress- valu-
able both 10 State and Nation. which
States nearly AS small as or smaller
than the District have supplied and are
now supplying
And yet some men suggest that the
power which comes from their repre-.
sentation III negligible. worthless and
should not be desired
Suppose one ot thesn small States
were told that National emergency
required II 10 surrender Ia Congress
representing The Nation. exclusive CON
trol 0f II for National plirpuses. And
snpp0he Congress should say; "You
must surrender also participation IL
Congress. tha National Legislature
which is hereaftef tn control y0i mn-
niGipallYi" WDuN not the small states
say nfInka II LAFi nliiht an "A ha.piHea