Evening star., 1934-11-09
League of Women Voters
Will Carry Compaign
to Legislatures.
BELIEVE TIME is RIPE
TO STIMULATE PUBLIC
Previous Efforts Have Been Made
Direct to Congress for Ma.
tional Representation.

Through the National League Of
Women Voters, State Legislatures
throughout the country are to be ap-
pealed to in behalf of national repre-
sentation for the District of Columbia.
Carrying on its 12-year fight for
Federal suffrage here, without which
the Districts population of nearly a
half million people is disfranchised,
the league now, for the first time, is
preparing to carry the fight TO the
State Legislatures through its branch
member organizations in the various
States.
The Legislatures are to be asked to
memorabilia Congress in behalf of a
vote for District residents.
This announcement was made
through Miss Marguerite M. Wells,
president Of the league, who said a
suggestion to State Leagues of Woman
Voters to initiate appeals to State Leg
islatures for memorials to Congress in
behalf of District suffrage has been
issued by the national leagues Board
of Directors.
Forty-three of the forty-eight State
Legislatures will be in session in 1885,
the announcement points out.
Time to Stimulate Support.
Discussing the leagues tireless edu-
cational campaign and appeals 10
Congress in behalf of Federal suf-
frage, through which District resi-
dents would be given the right to
cast their ballots for President, Vice
President and for representation in
Congress, Miss Wells declares it time
to initiate other methods to stimu-
late and obtain public support
Since 1922 the League of Women
Voters has supported Federal suffrage
for the District of Columbia" Miss
Wells said 1T has questionnaired
and interviewed Congressman repeat
edly. The time has now come to in
itiate other methods to stimulate and
obtain public support. Therefore, the
National Board suggests that each
State league endeavor to secure State
legislative resolution urging Congress
| to submit the constitutional amend
ment necessary to bring about Federal
suffrage for the District of Columbia.
If large proportion of the State Leg
| islatures should memorialize Congress
! this Winter, believe that Federal suf-
frage for District residents will be
brought within the immediate possi-
bilitieS.
THE equal suffrage battle can never
be considered won until suffrage for
men and women of the District is an
actuality The question of giving
these longtime disfranchised citizens
the right to vote for President and to
have some representation in Congress
is fundamentally one Of simple
justice"
Cites Public Indifference.
Heretofore, it is pointed out, in
terest always has focused on getting
Congress to act through direct appeal.
The greatest opposition to the move
ment for Federal suffrage here, said
Miss Katherine A. Frederic. secretary
of the league department of gov
ernment and its operation, has come
from indifference or lack of interest
by the public in the States.
First, at its national convention in
| 1922, the league went on record as
| favoring Federal suffrage for the Dis
| trict and has repeatedly reiterated this
! stand at its biennial meetings since.
The VoteleSs District of Columbia
| League of Women Voters. the local
branch of the national body, has long
worked in behalf of national repre-
sentation. Several times in past years
| on national election days the local
organization has set up voting booths
around Washington to emphe-
size the plight of District residents
| who cannot vote The local league
| branch is headed by Mrs Richard
Hogue, president. Last Tuesday, elec-
ton night, the members of the Vote
| less District Branch met at the Wom-
ems University Club, having chosen
| the time to emphasize again the help
| leSSness of local citizens at voting
, time.
The National League Of Women
Voters is organized in one-half Of
the congressional districts Of the
Nation, having member branches in
| 80 States, the District of Columbia
and Hawaii.
1t is hoped by the organization that
| taking up the question of granting
Federal suffrage to the District with
the various State Legislatures will
bring results.
Besides being deprived of the right
to vote, the citizens here are now
denied the right to sue and be sued
in the Federal courts. it is pointed
out in pamphlet by Miss Frederic
and published by the department of
efficiency in government of the Ma
tional League of Women Voters.
In the pamphlet Miss Frederic de-
clareS 'the United States is the
only nation in the world where resi-
dents Of its Capital are completely
disfranchised."
Cannot Qualify to Vote.
As a further argument against dis
franchisement of citizens here, Miss
Frederic says:
Most people in the District of
Columbia cannot maintain a voting
residence in the States. In the first
place, 1t Is difficult and frequently
impossible to maintain a residence in
q State with strict registration laws
when not living there. Only a third
! OF the States permit absentee regis
tration and it is not always possible
to return at the specified time to
register IN person. Furthermore,
| there are some States which do not
| allow absentee voting. and MANY
which limit the privilege in different
ways; and it might well be impossible
for q qualified voter to return 70
cast ballot. Even were these OBJ
stacles not insurmountable, and ig-
noring the question as to whether
a person out of touch with his COM
munity and State for years should
be permitted voice in determining
its policies, there is no solution to
the problem for the second genera
ton. Born in the District and with
out claims upon any State, they are