Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-22
Fair Orators Win
Vote for District
Debate at Y.W.C.A.
Defeat Group From Y. M.
C.. A.-SenatOr Caraway
Master of Ceremonies.

Exhibiting convincing logic in sup
port of votes for Washington" cou-
pied with a charming brand of oratory
three fair forensic representatives oil
the Y. w. c. A. defeated a capable trio
of orators from the Y. M. c. A. in q
lively debate last night on the question
of national suffrage for the District be-
fore large audience in Barker Hall, at
Seventeenth and X streets.
Senator Caraway of Arkansas, who
was master of ceremonies, announced
that sides in the contest were allotted
under collegiate debating rules and
were not to be considered as placing
either association on record in favor OF
or opposed to the question at issue.
The victorious team was composed OF
Miss Margaret Fisher, Miss ESSie
the Y. M. C. A. debaters were Herbert
p. Haley, Herbert H. Weinreb and Paul
Keen. The judges were DR.. Lucius c.
Clark, chancellor of American Univer-
sity; Judge Mary O'Toole of the Mu-
nicipal Court and DR.. d. A. Robertson
president of the Washington Federation
of Churches. The vote was two to one
in favor of the girls.
The affirmative side opened and closed
the arguments. Each side was given
five minutes for rebuttal
The girls based their contentious on
what they termed basic principles I'M
DERIVING American democracy and
quoted the familiar slogan, HTaxation
without representation Is tyranny. =
They cited taxes paid by local residents
into the Federal Treasury, the patriotic
response OF District citizens to the pleas
for men and money in time of war and
the political intelligence of the local
population as reason why they should
be given the right to vote for theil
President and for representatives In
Congress. they answered, also. charges
that a large portion or Washington
citizens are not qualified to vote. The
present voteless plight OF the Capital
they declared, violates fundamental
principles of the Magma Charta. the
Declaration of Independence and the
Constitution.
The opponents argued that Washing
ton Is prosperous under present con-
ditions, asserted that George Washing
ton and Madison did not intend fol-
Washington to have national repre-
sentation, expressed fears of political
corruption that might follow suffrage
and call attention to the Back to-tht
District" movement in nearby Virgins
as indicative of the fact that Wash.
ington without the vote is more at.
tractive than other places which are
enfranchised
BY agreement both sides restricted
their argument to national representa-.
ton and the right to vote for Presi.
dent and Vice President, without touch.
ing on collateral proposals to change
Washingtons present form of Govern.
ment.
| A reception followed the debate. with
Senator Caraway and officials of boti
associations greeting the guests. Many
persons prominent in public and pri.
vate life of the Capital were present
A musical program was presented b,
Miss Katherine Moritz, violinist, accom-
panied by Miss Edith Dawson, and DR.
Carson P. Frailey, tenor, assisted a
the piano, by Ervine Stenson. Invoca
ton was offered by Mrs. Irving Ket
chum of the Y. w. C. A.