Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-04
NYE BACKS VOTE
FOR D. c. OVER AIR.
North Dakotan Holds Citizens
Cannot Be Long Denied
Rights of Americans.

Unequivocally indorsing the basic
governmental principles which motivatf
the growing movement for granting rep
reSentation in Congress and the cleo
toral college to residents of the National
capital, Senator Gerald P. Nye of North
Dakota, in a radio address last night
from Station WRC, declared there can
not long be continued denial of those
rights and privileges TO which all
americans are entitled and which all
americans are receiving excepting only
of Columbia.
1T is difficult for me to understand
why such a resolution shoul6 not quick
~ De made law" he said in reference to
the JOINT resolution now pending before
congress which would pave the way for
an amendment to the Constitution of
the United States giving the District
the right to representatives In the
House and Senate, the right to vote in
presidential elections and access to Fed
eral courts in civil suits.
Would Give City Spokesman.
Senator Nye emphasized that the
granting OF representation under the
resolution now before Congress would in
no wise deprive Congress of its exclu-
sive jurisdiction over the National Capt.
tai nor otherwise disturb the control
which it was intended that the Federal
Government should maintain over the
Federal City. It would, however, give
to the city spokesman in the law-mak-
ing body which controls it's deStinies
and taxes its people, he said.
The fact that the District be well
governed or benevolently governed under
the present system does not set aside
the plea for the abolition of system
under which there exists taxation with
out representation, governmental
principle repugnant to the founders OF
this Nation, Senator Nye pointed out.
Speaking under auspices of the Cit
liens Joint Committee on National
Representation for the District, Sena-
tor Nye declared:
1.-THE principle involved in this CAM
paign for Federal suffrage for the Dis
trict of Columbia is as old as the
Nation. In fact, it was this principle
that Jefferson had in mind when draft
ing the Declaration of independence.
He had in mind the imposition upon
the American people of laws passed
by Parliament in which those people
had no representation. Indeed, it was
this principle of lack of representation
and voice in the levying and spending
OF taxes that led to a revolution which
gave us our birth as q Nation.
People Have Not Shown Temper.
'Let it be said, however, that the
people Of the District Of Columbia have
not at any time shown such temper
as led men to express choice Of death
In preference to continued absence of
liberty. This is perhaps because liberty
and opportunity have not been molested
by a Government which held quite
absolute control over the government
and affairs OF that community known
as the District of Columbia.
But that does not fully satisfy and
certainly it does not wipe away the
cause for such demands as are now
being made by a large part Of the
people OF the District. The cause of
these people Is quite natural and quite
to be expected, especially Ia America,
where people have been taught for
generations to expect right to q voice
in the affairs of their Government.
cannot help but feel that the pres
ent status OF the people of the Dis
trict OF Columbia is sin of omis-
sion rather than of commission. Ger
tainly Washington does not remain
wholly voiceless In government as a
result OF generalization on the part
Of the people of the United States or
the Congress elected by those people.
Instead, I am sure that the present
Is quite completely the result
Of indifference as to the rights of the
people Of the District, in which indif-
ference Congress, the people of the
United States and the people of the
District have participated"
The apparent indifference on the
part Of the people of the country at
large, Senator Nye suggested, may be
to large degree by the lack
OF knowledge as to how Washington
Is governed.
To illustrate this point he recalled
having listened In years ago on a wager
made by men in connection with a
presidential election.
During that campaign one man
onered to bet that there was one city
quarter million which would not cast
a single vote for the Democratic candi-
date. The wager was taken up and
paid when 1t was shown that residents
OF Washington, D. c., had no chance
to vote.
Taxation without Representation"
This situation" Senator Nye con-
tnueo, is unchanged today. Here is
a city OF well over half a million people
without q chance to vote for President.
without chance to elect any oficiai
OF government, Federal or local, vet
city OF people as much or more con-
cerned in that government as are the
people Of any other city in the land.
without a voice or a direct represent
alive in those legislative bodies which
govern it. And let it be added that the
people Of this City of Washington are
owners OF property upon which they
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS