Evening star., 1934-01-03
"SEL[!NC" DC. VOTE
PLAN TO j. s. URGED
Representative JenCkes Is
Speaker at Columbia
Heights Meeting.
Washingtonians must consolidate their

WaShingtOnianS must consolidate their
efforts and sell to the Nation a plan
for representation Of the District III
Congress if they are to get results, Rep
reSentatiVe Virginia Z. JenckeS, member
Of the House District Committee, told
| the Columbia Heights Citizens Asso-
| citation last night.
| She urged the city's various civic and
commercial organizations to set to-
gether in the fight for other civic ad-
| vantageS. including restoration OF the
! Is per cent Government pay cut, COM
pletion of the George Washington
Memorial Parkway, pay to policemen
and firemen for overtime work and
restoration of their annual leave and an
adequate school-building program.
Regarding national representation the
| Indiana member Of Congress said: L
have often wondered why the citizens
| of the District of Columbia were con-
| tent to pay taxes and not have repre-
! sentation in the Congress. Many rea-
| sons were advanced, some OF them
| seemed interesting, but none OF them
! seemed reasonable.
I hope that the new deal will pro-
vide representation in the Congress for
the citizens of the District of Colum-
bia. But merely hoping for it won't
produce results. The citizens OF the
district must consolidate all efforts,
adopt a plan. Nationwide in scope, and
sell it to the Nation.
Cure For Ailments.
"All of the civic ailments with which
the District of Columbia Is suffering
| would be cured Immediately if the Dis
trict of Columbia had adequate repre-
sentation in the Congress. If your plan
is properly prepared, no doubt the
Seventy-third Congress would want the
! honor of emancipating the citizens of
! the District of Columbia. No doubt the
| lack of a consolidated civic interest can
| be attributed to the lack OF representa-
ton in Congress.
Congress convenes tomorrow. Why
| cannot the second session of the Seventy
| third Congress distinguish itself by Civ
| ing the District of Columbia the prlvl-
| lege of voting? 1t is a neW-deal duty
! which I am sure Congress will not
evade"
Mrs. Jenckes said the rank and file
of Federal employees are underpald, and
| the pay cut has caused an added re-
| duction in their buying power.
| Leaders in civic and commercial en-
| terpriSe in every city in America. she
! said "are devoting much thought 10
! developing greater buying power among
/ all classes Oh CIlZeISIllEJ- e. IlS III llCl
| in Washington where practically all the
bUying power comes from Federal en-
ployes. little interest is displayed in haV-
| ing the IS per cent pay cut restored
| This is so important that every citizen
of washington should become actively
interested and urge Congress to put
| that Is per cent back into the buying
power of our Federal employees.
Our Federal employes-that is, the
rank and file-are underpald Few OF
! them can get ahead on the wages palo
them. and when IS per cent IS eilml-
mated from the buying power Of a large
portion of the earning class in any city,
that city suffers So urge the Colum-
bia Heights Citizens Association TO
arouse all citizens of the District to get
behind the movement to ask Congress
| to restore the 5 per cent pay cut 10 our
Federal employees. and while we are
doing it. We should advocate the ellml-
nation of inefficiency and waste OF the
| taxpayers money. wherever 1t eXlStS'
and ask our loyal Federal employees TO
point it out. so that taxpayers money
might be saved
Police and Fire Interest.
The speaker urged the citizens to
| manifest an interest in the conduct
of the Police and Fire Departments.
She invited the associations attention
to what she termed the injuStices to
members of both departments in the
matter of overtime work and curtail-
ment of annual leave.
While the National Recovery Ad-
ministration and other new deal de-
partmentS are seeking out ways and
means of increasing earning power.
| shortening hours and improving working
conditions" said the woman Represent
ative. 1--WE find our Nations Capital
policemen and firemen still working
overtime without compensation, When
ever an emergency arises.
This service these men willingly give
with a loyalty which should be ap-
plauded by every civic-minded citizen.
| But 1 regret to have to inform the Co.
lunlbia Heights Citizens Association
that the annual vacation and leave of
absence of the members of the Police
and Fire Departments has been cur
tailed as an economy measure, notwith-
standing the fact that these men are
not given extra pay for the overtime
| they are called upon to give in emer-
| gencies.'
Due to curtailed building program,
children here are studying under a dis
| tinct disadvantage, Mrs. Jenckes de-
! clared She urged the citizens to study