Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-12

portion to their numbers. they might,
let us suppose, have two members of the
House. Would the power which those
two members might WELD endanger in
any degree the complete control of the
District by Congress? OF course not
They would constitute only an insignif1-
cant fraction of the whole number of
the House. They would have no more
power than any other two of the ABS
members. They might indeed be expect
ed to know rather more about the Dis
trict and its needs than members from
other localities; but it will hardly be
contended that that fact would con-
stitute an objection. Even If both should
be members of the committee on the
District Of Columbia; could anything
but good result therefrom? Could they
control the committee or the Congress?
District Is Not a State.
Regarding representation in the Sem
ate, objections might be raised that
would deserve at the hands of Con-
gress more careful consideration. I
for one would not favor the allowing
of two Senators to the population re-
siding here, because to do so would be
to put the District on a parity with
State so far as national legislation Is
concerned The States as States ere
trict of Columbia Is not State, and, in
my Judgment, ought not to be made
State. The proposition is not TO make
it State in any sense. If 1t were made
a State it would naturally have the
power to legislate for itself in all such
matters as those in which State leg
islates for itself That Is an entirely
different proposition from the one now
put forward. What ! contend for IS
the right of representation, especially
in the House of Representatives, and
have never been able to see any sub
stantial objection to the recognition OF
this right.
at IS not difficult, however, to point
out positive advantages that might be
expected from the grant. The country
as a whole should be benefited by hav-
ing in the body that must legislate
for the District members from that
District That is the theory OF repre-
sentative government, Is it not? 1t is
not only right that those who are leg
islated for should have some voice in
choosing their legislators, but 1t has
always been thought by Americans to
be expedient as well as right.
'"There is another good that would
be gained, and one which as it seems
to me is more important still. BY
recognizing the body of people residing
here as entitled to representation like
other citizens we should remove a re-
proach to American institutions which
has existed for too many years. 1t is
a blot on the escutcheon. 1t is a
denial of the American creed in the
very heart of America. 1t is impossible
to justify it. 1t is q reputation of
American principles not tolerated else
where. If it does exist elsewhere, 1t
exists as a plain violation Of constitu-
tional right, which no doubt will disap-
pear in the course of time. But for
the District of Columbia there is no
ground for hope unless Congress shall
be given the explicit and unquestionable
power to recognize this right in your
fellow citizens residing here.
Ask People to Consider.
what we are asking of you now is
that you consider the proposal in all
fairness, and If you favor it that you
let that fact be known by your repre-
SentativeS in the National Senate and
House. Some directors to the proposal
seem to think that this is an effort to
put into the hands of the people who
live in Washington the power to con-
troll the city as other cities are con-
trolled by their inhabitants. That is
not the proposal at all. The affairs of
the District would still be as much
under the control of Congress as they
are now. Washington is a national
city, and ought not to be controlled by
the half million. people residing here
1t ought to be controlled, as it is, by