Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-04-20
CAPPER DENOUNCES.
LACK or D. c. vOTE|
Senator Declares Injustice
Violates Basic U. S.
Principles.

Failure to give District citzenS the
Yight to vote was termed real 1nJustlce
and violation Of fundamental Ameri-
can principles" by Senator Arthur Cap
ner Of kansas. at q special meeting OF
the Petworth Citizens Association last
nirat on National representation for
TIE District OF Columbia. Speaking
before the association In the Barnard
school, Senator Capper, long q member
Of the Senate District Committee. cham
pioned the cause OF giving residents
here an active voice in the government
Of the county.
have q voice in the government through
the right to elect representatives IN
Congress also were given by Paul Z.
Lesh. chairman, Committee on Speakers.
and by Jesse c. Suter, vice chairman OF
the Citizens Joint Committee on Ma
tional representation for the District
and an honorary member OF the as
ISOLATION.
Senator Capper. m the course OF his
address, announced he was going to go
10 President Roosevelt to put before
him all the facts in the Washington
rental situation. I think I can con-
vince him that rents In the Capital are
high he said
The Senator previously had asserted
that rents here have not been reduced
enough" and quoted statistics to show
they had been reduced by greater per-
centages In other cities.
Points to Territories.
Deploring taxation without represen-
tation Senator Capper said even Terri
tories and insular possessions have
certain degree Of representation IN Con:
gress" which Is lacking In the National
Capital. Continuing, he said In part:
''Throughout the world today there
Is scarcely a nation Of any consequence
In which the people themselves do not
have some form Of representation and
some voice.
This desire Of the people throughout
the world for q voice and q part IN
the making and administration OF laws
Il not q mere whim or emotion. the
mass Of people everywhere want an ef-
fective voice IN their own government
lack of representation spells for them
hardship, want, and suffering.
Throughout our own Declaration OF
Independence we find the one thought
emphasized above all others.
THE people of Washington, the Capt.
tai of the worlds greatest democracy.
have neither vote nor voice IN the Gov
eminent which rules them. After l40
years Of American independence, they
ton. They must obey laws which they
have no part in enacting. When war
is declared, their services and their
lives are at the absolute disposal OF
Government In which they have no
part. They can fight and they can die
for their country, they can buy its
bonds and pay its taxes. but they can
not cast a single vote in the legislative
body which decides what their destiny
shall be-"
Cites War Record.
Elsewhere in his address, Senator
Capper said: /
"The voteless, voiceless District OF
Columbia sent more soldiers and SAIL |
Its population Of voting age Is more
than that Of nine Of the States.
Even territories and insular pos
sessions, such as Alaska, the Hawaiian
Islands. the Philippines, and Puerto !
Rico. have q certain degree OF repre-
sentation in Congress. Yet the Capital
Of our own Nation, one Of the worlds
greatest cities. and populated by the
no representation whatever In Con- !
gress.
1.-THE fact Is that there is less
democratic form Of government in the
National Capital today than at the be-
ginning Of our national history. For |
many years the people Of Washington /
elected a mayor and city council and
for three years had representation by . !
voteless delegate in Congress. Since |
1873. however the laws Of the District !
of Columbia have been made solely by !
Congress and administered by three |
Commissioners appointed by the Presi- !
dent Of the United States.
THE people Of Washington each year !
pay nearly 80 millions Of dollars of
taxes for municipal purposes. But they |
have no control whatever over the way |
in which their money Is spent. They |
cannot even designate, through elected |
representatives. what streets they de-
sire to have paved, what schools they |
desire built, what hospital facilities !
they wish to provide.
Can Only Petition.
THE only right these soc, 900 people !
have Is the right to petition Congress. |
They have no authorized. elected
spokesman, directly representing their
sentiments and interests. and only !
theirs, on the floor Of either the House !
Of Representatives or the Senate.
1T is true there are many members |
Of Congress earnestly, sincerely in