Evening star., 1934-09-16
Local Referendums.

Local Referendums.
The Commissioners decision by a
two-to-one vote, Mr. Allen dissenting,
b drop the Takoma Park liquor refer
endum case without seeking further
tlarifcation of their rights to order
6 referendum, was presumably die
tated by the practical consideration
that further litigation would indefi-
fitely delay final decision on the ap-
rlications for liquor licenses in the
.'akoma Park neighborhood, applica-
ons that have been before the Alco-
olic Beverage Board for several
xionths.
The desirable outcome of the court
t,st-regardless of whether the refer
endum in Takoma was or was not up
teld-would have been clarif1cation
CT the Commissioners right to order
Taferendums on local matters. The
memorandum opinion of Justice Let's,
granting the temporary restraining
order, placed emphasis on what many
viii regard as technicality, and the
real issue was to some extent avoided.
II bygones in this case are now
10 be accepted as bygones and no
further effort is made by the Commis-
soners to obtain clarification of their
rights, there is additional emphasis on
the fact that the fundamental, basic
c1ange needed in the District to give
residents voice in their government,
Including the levying and expenditure
q. taxes, is passage by Congress of the
resolution submitting to the States
TIE constitutional amendment grant,
Ing to Congress the right to give the
district representation in Congress
nd the electoral college and access to
the Federal courts.
Beside this bestowal of the funda-
flental rights of citizenship on the
clsfranchised District of Columbia,
t;her expedients and short cuts
tDward partial self-government are
al minor Importance. None of them.
III the opinion Of many, will succeed
in correcting the basic inequity faced
t,y the District, which is the denial of
the right of its residents to partici-
nate as Americans in the American
Government.
Pending this grant of real suffrage
to the District, however, Mr.. Aliens
discrimination to seek legislation from
Congress specifically empowering the
Commissioners to conduct reteren-
Clms on local matters, should prove
beneficial. If he is successful there
should be linked with the referendum
the sometimes kindred powers of
Initiative and recall. One argument
e counsel in the Takoma Park case
1as that the Commissioners are re-
sponsible to Congress, and not to the
leople of the District. As matter of
fact, the Commissioners are not now
responsible in any way to the local
community. Along with the power Of
participating in local government
through referendum votes, with the
added power Of initiating such tests
the power of recall over all or any of
the Commissioners, based on the petit
ton of specified percentage of quail
LIED voters, would give to the local
community some control over the
Commissioners and make the latter
responsible to its members.
In the discussion of adding to the
rowers of the Commissioners there is
always to be borne in mind the con-
fusion cast by former court decisions
ever the extent of the Legislative
powers" that may be delegated to the
Commissioners under the Constitu-
lion. The efforts of the Commission
frs to obtain legislation granting them
the right to conduct local referen-
Gums, and the efforts of interested
members of Congress to broaden the
POWERS Of the Commissioners, will, of
course, be directed in part to serious
study of this question.