Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-17

| JESSE C. SUTER.
| is none the less tyranny in December
| 1929, in this beautiful Capital of these
! United States.
1T is not our purpose to propose that
our fellow citizens of the District make
| their protest through any overt acts
such as the famous Boston Tea Party,
but we do insist upon the curing OF
| these politically unwholeSome condi-
tions. under which more than a half
| million intelligent, loyal, patriotic and
public-spirited Americans of the Capt.
tai community live. 1t seems absurd
that it should be necessary humbly to
basic rights for men and women at the
very heart of the great Republic which,
in certain sense, was born out of the
Boston Tea Party.
1.-The District of Columbia has pop
ulation greater than eight or possibly
nine of the State. We may in Federal
taxes more than each of IS States and
greater than those paid by an entire
group of 10 States. In time Of war our
boys are compelled to fight and per-
haps to die at the country'S call. We
must obey all national laws. In other
words, we are required and have always
Loyalty and cheerfully borne all the OBJ
legations of citizenship, but are not per-
mitted representation in the Congress
, which taxes us and expends the result
ing tax money. which makes the laws
that we must obey and which sends us
to war.
I'VE are not permitted to vote for
the President and Vice President, and
before the Federal courts our rights are
less than those of an alien.
Congress POwerless.
And, strange as it may seem, Con-
gress in itself is powerless to cure this
degrading condition. The only remedy
is through an amendment to the Con-
stitution which will empower Congress
to grant unto the residents of the Dis
trict of Columbia voting representation
in the Senate and House of Representa-
tives the vote for President and Vice
President and status before the courts
of the United States equal to that of
the citizen of the States. To apply this
remedy it is necessary that congress
sional joint resolution now pending in
both houses of Congress and sponsored
by our Citizens Joint Committee on
National Representation for the District
of Columbia be passed by both houses
by two-thirds vote and ratified by the
/
States.
"This is a great national question
one of extending the rights of national
citizenship to the more than half
million residents of the Capital COM
munity. This proposition does not in
any way disturb the complete national
control by Congress over the National
Capital, but simply would give voice
and vote to District residents in the
~ fok, Cd
control.
LET me make perfectly clear what
our proposed constitutional amendment
Is and what it does, as well as what 1t
is not and does not.
What it is and does:
81. Permits making Americans of half
a million people-Soon to be a million
whose present political prospects are
less than those of aliens elsewhere in
America.
80. Puts into force Though tardily)
the principle of no taxation without
representation at the center of the
American republic.
"3. Adds representative participation
in government, now denied, to the duty,
always borne, of supporting that Gov
eminent by paying taxes and fighting
u. Removes the present stigma,
humiliation and moral and political en-
feeblement resulting from permanent
| political impotence of a people more
numerous than the population in each
of eight, or possibly nine, American
States.
IS. Makes the heart of our own
Nation safe for democracy having
recently engaged In world crusade
to that end; and
"6. Makes 1t no longer possible to
say that the American Capital City
Is the only national capital that has
no voice in its national government.
What it is not and does not:
"Our constitutional amendment
II. Does not propose the admission
of the District of Columbia as a
sovereign. State.
% Does not propose the destruction
| Of the Ten mile-souare' provision Of
the Constitution or lessen in the slight
! est degree the complete control of the
Nation over the District.
| IS. Is not measure for local self
! government; and
"a. Does not disturb in any way the
financial relation of the Nation and
Capital.
Need Outsiders.
ITO put this program through Con.
gress end the State Legislatures the
| citizens Joint committee requires the
active aid of every patriotic American
who believes in fair play. Especially dc
! we need the aid of our fellow Ameri-
| cans who are so fortunate as to pos
sess the ballot and consequently are
represented in Congress.
ITO you who are voters do We mos
earnestly appeal to bring this matter
to the attention of your Senators anc
Representatives and urge them to give
promptly favorable consideration to thi'
resolution which will grant politica
equity to the residents of the Distric
of Columbia.
with you, our vote1ess fellow citi
zens OF the Capital community, WI
earnestly plead that you absorb thu
inspiring spirit of those Boston pa
triots of December, 1878, and determin
to battle without ceasing until our ef
forts shall be crowned with success"