Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
VOTE FOR DISTRICT
URGED BY SMALL
Attorney Says Citizens Here
Are Entitled to Birthright
Of EnfranChiSement.

Five hundred thousand good Ameri-
can citizens" In the District of Columbus
are entitled to the birthright of en-
franchisenaent, and should have repre-
sentation In Congress. the right to vote
for electors In the electoral college and
equal rights in the United States courts
John H. Small, former Representative
from North Carolina, now an attorney
In Washington, so declared In q radio
address last night from Station WNdAL
under auspices of the Citizens Joint
Committee on National Representation
for the District of Columbia. The ad-
the committee and broadcast through
WNALA
Mr. SmallS address follows:
1T is privilege to present to citi-
Gems Of the District a brief discussion
Of what IS now termed national repre-
sentati0n. Some press comments and
discussions among citizens indicate that
the purpose is not clearly understood.
shall avoid legal technicalities and
present in simple language the real is
sue. The Constitution was adopted
before the seat of the National Govern
ment was established and 1t provided
that when established the Congress
should have power to exercise ex-
elusive legislation in all cases whatso-
ever over such District Constitution,
article I. section 8, clause I'D. When
the District was laid out as the seat
Of Government Congress assumed this
power Of exclusive legislation. which it
has ever since exercised. This means
that Congress enacts all laws for the
government Of the District and that the
President appoints all chief executive
ofi1cials. There is no purpose to change
or to modify in any respect this power
1sR GNS,vae r-,s-
lation' over the District. Congress will
continue to make all laws for the gov
eminent Of the District and the Presi-
dent will appoint such officials as the
Congress authorizes.
Cites striking Anomaly"
However, there is one striking anom-
ally in this exclusive power Of Con-
gresS to legiSlate for the District and
that Is that the District has no repre-
Sentation in the legislative body which
governs its affairs. Congress legislates
about the most vital phases of civic
life. The rights Of persons and prop
erty, the regulation of public health,
the laying out of streets, the levying of
taxes and appropriation of revenue col
lected from the District are all within
the exclusive power of Congress and
will so continue. It is not proposed
that the citizens of the District shall
have local self government: It is
simply proposed that the citizens Of the
District shall have Senators and Repre-
sentatives in the legislative body which
governs them and shall have the priv
1ege of voting for electors in the cleo
toral college which chooses their PreSi-
dent.
Ask Equal Rights In Courts.
that Is to give citizens of the District
the same rights in the courts of the
United States as are possessed by citi-
zens of the States It is proposed to
amend the Constitution of the United
States so as to confer upon the District
these three simple privileges. To secure
this amendment the Senate and House
must pass an appropriate resolution by
two-thirds majority. and this resolu-
ton embodying the amendment must
be approved by Legislatures of three
fourths of the States. To summarize,
IL Is proposed to amend the Constitution
so as to give the citizens of the District
representation in Congress which gov
ems them, to give them the right 10
vote for electors and to participate in
the election of President and TO con-
fer upon its citizens equal rights in the
courts. Is there a single intelligent
citizen who does not wish and deserve
this privilege? Can any valid objec-
ton be urged against such an amend
ment? ~ Z.
Let me illustrate by assuming a SIM
liar condition as existing in any city
In any State. Suppose the city of
Alexandria was totally deprived of local
government; that it was governed by
the General Assembly of Virginia, and
further was denied representation in
such General Assembly. Apply the
same condition to any city in the
United States with half a million popu-
lation. Would any such city supinely
submit to be exclusively governed by
the Legislature of It's State without
representation in such Legislatures? The
query implies its own answer and yet
that Is percisely the situation which ex-
lists in Washington. For the first so
years when the seat of government was
only q beautiful plan and derided as
the city of magnificent distances, such
government without representation may
have been tolerated. but in considera-
ton Of the complexities of modern COM
munity life such a condition should not
be tolerated.
Analyses Board of Aldermen"
'"The distinguished Senator from
New York, Senator Copeland, in a re-
cert address before the Chamber of
Commerce referred to Congress as the
common council of the District and
referred to himself in the capacity of a
member of the board of aldermen of
Washington. While this statement is
correct, 1t may be well to inquire who
constitutes this board of aldermen.
Are they residents Of the District, ia
miliar with its needs and sympathetic
with all its aspirations? Are they tax
payers in the District? Not at all.
The House of Representatives is COM
posed Of 435 members from AZ States.
There are So Senators. Most of them
are strangers to the City of Washington
until they assume their legislative
duties. Each of these must be nomi-
mated and elected by their respective
congressional districts and States
Each district and State occupies more
or less distinct relationship to the Fed
eral Government.
Their minds are, OF necessity, fully
occupied with their official duties and
their political future. Only in excep-
tlonal instances does any Senator or
member devote any reasonable propor-
ton OF his time to the complex admin
lstratlon OF municipal government in
the City of Washington. There is rarely
any Senator or Representative TO whom
a citizen or any committee of the Dis
trict may appeal with the assurance of
sympathetic consideration or whom
they feei entertains any obligation of
service to the District. The exceptions
are conspicuous. Is it not, therefore.
eminently desirable and essential that
the citizens of the District have the
privilege Of electing Senators and Rep
reSentatives who will occupy the same
relationship to the District which mem
bers OF Congress occupy to their respec-