The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-01-16
lNEA Service Writcrl


 Washington - Those backward states" that Senator Joe Grundy of Pennsylvania used to talk about are going to clash sooner or later with what Grundy considers states which aren't ackward-because they have bigger populations and pay most of the taxes--in a battle over the question of alien reapportionment.
 It will be one of the various phases of the rather clearly defined struggle between the agricultural and industrial states, most apparent through the policies of their sen- ators and representatives. The only thing that keeps this cleavage from being more obvious to everyone, 1t might be suggested, is the fact that and industrial to an important ex- tent. Some observers believe it is more accurate to say that senators from the west and south usually vote one way while those from east of the Mississippi and north of the Mason-Dixon line vote the other way.
 GrundX Aroused
 Anyway, it is the expressed theory of each groups difficult as it may be to classify them with exactitude, that the other is continually getting something in Washington or else where at it's own expense. Grundy, for instance, Writhes at the thought that two senators from Nebraska, Montana. Idaho. Nevada Iowa or some other western state have just as much voice as a couple of sena- tors from Pennsylvania or New York, which are so much more im- portant in wealth, tax payments and population.
 Senator Arthur Capper of Kan sas. on the other hand, admits that the west may get the best break in the senate but says that. because of the present system which permits representation of aliens in the house of representatives and conse- quently in the electoral college, it is being cheated in those bodies. Cap per is q publisher of many publica- tions with wide rural circulations and has long devoted himself to agricultural interests.
 Thus far he is the most conspicu- ous figure in the ranks of those who would amend the constitution so that representation in the house would be based on the number of citizens rather than the number Of persons in any state. He is the au- thor of such an amendment, now pending before the senate judiciary committee.
 "If ever there was just cause for constitutional amendment, we have it now" Capper says. "I don't see how anyone can contend that unnaturalized citizens are entitled to representation in the house at the expense of American citizens in other states who are thereby de- prived of their proper share of it. The large cities. with alien spopula- tions, have thus far shown opposi- ton of course. but the states-most- ly agricultural states. such as Kan sas, which loses one-who lose representation through reapportion- ment on the basis of the 1880 cen- sus simply because of those aliens seem to me to have very clear case.
 States Bar Alien Voters
 q don't think the amendment will receive much consideration a: this session, but it is going to be a very live subject. The people are just beginning to catch on. Most of the various states with large alien populations limit representation to citizenship. New York state. for in- stance. explicitly excludes aliens from it's inhabitants who are to be .hree or four more congressman than it should have, taking them from other states, because it has so many aliens.