Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-08
VOTE FOR DISTRICT
URGED BY CAPPER
Kansan Tells Association of
Oldest Inhabitants of
Capital Problems.
Continued From First Page0

dent Noyes of the association and urged
the people of the United States TO
ask their representatives in Congress
to push for national representation for
the District.
Gen. Anton Stephan, president of
the Merchants and Manufacturers
Association, declared National repre-
Sentation must come. 1t will come"
B. A. Bowles, vice president of the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
characterized National representation
as 1.-The most important thing in the
District of Columbia"
Senator Capper was mentioned for
even higher honors in National life.
ToastmaSter Moves in praising the
Senator, characterized him as an "able,
conservative, progressive statesman,
and asked the question, why should
he not in the future rise still higher?"
The text of Senator Capper's speech
follows:
1T is with genuine pleasure that 1
greet you tonight on your siXty-fourth
birthday anniversary May you gather
many years to come! And may those
years be happy and prosperous for you
all!
Your president. Mr.. Noyes. tells - e
that the average age of your member
ship is over seventy, and that one of
you has passed the century mark. !
can only say that 1 can scarcely be-
lieve 1t. You are not at all the patri-
archs of common tradition.
so many city patriarchs are accTs-
toned to spend their time only in living
over the days of the past. But hap
pen to know that you are interested in
the present. There is about you an
aura of alertness that betokens your
lively sympathy with your city's prog
resS And it is better so. We need
seasoned minds to study the problems
OF a great community such as Wash
ington. Besides, by your active partici-
patton in civic affairs. you set good
example for younger generations.
Signal Service to District.
"Ry YOUR fine exemplification of true
civic spirit you have rendered a signal
service to the District. Under the OPP
pressive burden of voteleSSness, you
have not faltered in your duty to the
Nation and to your city. 1 wonder if
others would have found taxation with
out representation too heavy handi-
cap? Would they have felt they should
not work for a community inaSmuch
as they had no voice in the Govern
ment? I do not know. l know only
that you have done your share, by i'm
pressing upon the national conscious
ness your slogan of Financial Equity
and Political Equity for the Washing
tonian.'
1T is my fervent hope that this cur
rent session of Congress will see full
justice done to the voteleSS District OF
Columbia. I hope fer the adoption of
the resolution introduced by my COL
league, Senator Wesley Jones, providing
national representation for the District.
believe that great benefits will accrue
to this city and to the Nation as a
whole by granting the people OF the
District voice in their National Gov
eminent.
You hear it said that Washington
has gone far without the vote. You hear
that well enough should be let alone
The latter is sheer SophiStry. With the
first argument 1 am willing to agree
to a certain extent. l will agree that
Washington, although voteless, has
made remarkable progress in its 1923
years as the seat Of National Govern
ment.
Mud and Dust Disappear.
'Tiber Creek is now but Pigment of
local history. There is no more shoot
ing of ducks in the ugly and unhealthy
swamp which now is part of the Mall.
The Infamous mud and dust of Penn
sylvania avenue no longer veXeS pa
raiders. And I am sure that some Of
you will have difficulty in remembering
Washington's birthday in 1871, when
President Grant opened the famous
million dollar wood = block pavement
from the Capitol to the Treasury.
Where are the tumbledown ShackS
and lettering taverns OF ancient Wash
ington? And where the farmlands of
Mount Pleasant, Columbia Heights and
Woodbridge?
1T is true, indeed that the city has
grown great. But in spite of disfran-
chisement, not because Of it. The fact
that Washington has proSpered is nc
excuse for withholding from 100000
people the most sacred right OF an
American citizen.
You have frequently heard visitors
say Washington is perfect! What
more could you want?'
Want Great Deal More.
1.-THE answer IS that we want great
deal more. For it is not sufficient that
We study the citys requirements
through the wonder-fi filled eyes of the
tourist. When we look backward
washington's present glory seems daz-
zlingly bright But We must look
ahead. We should plan for the future
so let us consider some of the city's
immediate pressing needs Congress
will be asked TO legislate upon number
of these during the present session.
First and foremost place the para
mount problem of law enforcement. A
few DAYS ago, in his message to Con-
gress, President Hoover made this as
sertion: The District of Columbia
should be the model of city law en-
forcement in the Nation
Il am with the President, heart and
soul, in that sentiment. You may build
the finest city in the world, but il its
laws are not properly administered. that
city is doomed. Its beautiful buildings
are besmirched by evil associations It's
commerce is undermined and its Cit
liens are diverted from good cndeavorS.
Good laws. well observed and en-
forced, are the lifeblood Of a city. II
they are not enforced by those who are
sworn TO carry out their provisions, We
may look for a general diSrnSpect for
law. Since President Hoover delivered
his message. the eyes Of the Nation are
upon the District of Columbia. The
good name of Washington is at stake
And at this time of crisis, every good
citizen of the Nations Capital should
pledge anew his loyalty to the Consti-
tuition and to the laws of our country
Quotes From Message.
But what has brought about con-
dition in the District which calls fol
comment by the President of the United
States? The answer lies in this add
tional excerpt from the Presidents mes
sage to Congress: While conditions
here are much better than in many
other cities, they are far from perfect
and this is due in part TO the conges-
ton of criminal cases in the Supreme
Court CT the District, resulting in lont
delays
THAT is tragically true. Procrastina-
ton is the worst enemy Of justice. A