Evening star., 1933-04-02
"TRY ITON THE DISTRICT
OLD PLEA TO CONGRESS
Many Attempts Made by Special Interests
to Inflict Capricious Legislation,
but Lawmakers Are Wary.
BY SENATOR ARTHUR CAPPER.

b1 SENAIOh AhlHOh CAfPEh.
w YHEN Mr.. Jones goes out to
buy a suit of clothes, it is
wv unlikely that he will give his
trade and goodwill to a
merchant who refuses to let
him examine fabrics or choose between
colors and designs.
And when Mrs. Jones fares forth to
market, you may be sure that she does
not intend to allow any dealer to force
her to buy goods she cannot use and
does not want.
The American citizen wants to know
beforehand what he is getting for his
moneJ Moreover, he prefers that the
decision - buy or not to buy shall
rest with him and not with some per-
son who may have other interests at
heart
Want to Crack Whip.
Yet Congress is conSt--ltly being
urged to take the position of tyrant
toward the District Of Columbia, by
persons who seek to advance their in
terests. or the prestige Of their faction,
through enactment Of laws for the
people of Washington.
These attempts to persuade Congress
to crack the whip of legislative power
over the District are frequnetly cloaked
as altruistic endeavors in behalf of
model laws for our National Capital
But Congress patiently refuses to abuse
its sweeping authority over the seat of
National government. Congress permits
Mr.. and Mrs. Jones, the people of
Washington, to examine proposed Dis
trict laws, and does not force upon them
obnoxious and unfair enactments.
How effectively Congress provides
against capricious or arbitrary action in
this respect is best shown by its record
in iegislating for the District. Wash
ingtonians may well take pride in know
ing that, although they have not yet
attained Their rightful goal of repre-
sentation in Congress. the laws gov
erning the District are enacted only
after studious deliberation and after
consideration of the wishes of the Dis
trict.
Visited by Many Lobbyists.
The relations of Congress with the
District should be well known to all the
people But, in my eight years as chair
man of the Senate Committee on the
District of Columbia, was frequently
visited by lobbying committees from
other cities in the interest of ready-to-
use laws for the National Capital. Many
of whom were not only meagerly in
formed as to the interest of Congress
in the District; they were entirely un-
familiar with existing District laws and
with administrative set-up of the Dis
trict government.
The mental attitude of this type of
lobbyist, who Is often as overbearing as
he Is ill-advised, is somewhat difficult
to understand, because his mental pro-
cesses are utterly devoid Of the Amer
ican idea of government by the consent
of the governed. To illustrate, permit
me to cite an imaginary conversation
between Senator and a lobbyist of this
stamp
Senator-Why do you want this bill
introduced?
Lobbyist-Because it represents the
ideals of our organization and carries
them into practical effect We want
the bill enacted into law for the District
of Columbia, so it may be a model for
the State Legislatures to follow.
Wants to Try it Out.
Senator-Is there a similar law in
your own State, or in any other State?
LobbyiSt-No, Senator. This is a
model bill. We want to have it enacted
by Congress for the benefit of the Ma
tional Capital, which belongs to all the
people. Then we will seek the enact
ment of similar laws in the States.
Senator-Have you consulted the Dis
trict government or any of the repre-
sentative organizations here about this
bill?
Lobbyist-We have not attempted to
do that, except among our own men,
bers here, who are in favor of it. We
understand he oiee;
unfavorably on similar bill year or
so ago. But frankly, Senator, we are
not particularly interested in their
opinion. The people of this country
want this law passed for their own
Capital City. The District people are
not supposed to make laws for them
selves. Congress must act for them,
and judge what is best for them"
We may leave the conversation at
that point, for the lobbyist has fully
shown his hand. He has disclosed the
utterly selfish and intolerant attitude
representative of his class. He also has
revealed his ignorance of how District
legislation is handled in Congress. While
the dialogue is entirely imaginary, the
arguments of the lobbyist are the same
that are presented to members of Con-
gress year after year.
Members Of Congress realize, how
ever, that the prime reason for these
lobbying endeavors is the fact the
Congress of the United States legislates
for the District. Organizations pri-
marily interested in obtaining enact
ment of laws in the States are aware
of the weight lent to their arguments
by congressional approval of their pet
legislation.
Fortunately, not all District bills
emanating from sources outside of
Washington are the products of self
seeking organizations. I have had the
pleasure of assisting to enactment bills
concerning the District which had been
recommended to me by persons and Or
ganizations remote from this city.
In these cases. however. the persons