Evening star., 1934-12-04
D. c. PRIMARY LAW
. SEENPROPERSTEP
"Long"Measure Favored in
Set-up Looking to Ma
tionaI Voice.

A public hearing yesterday on three
proposed primary laws for the Dis.
trict developed the view that setting
up of officially controlled election ma
chinery would be stepping stone to
national representation.
The hearing was held in the Office
of Corporation Counsel E. Barrett
Prettyman to crvstalize public senti-
ment as a basis of future recommen.
dations by the District Commissioners
to Congress. The bills considered
were the measure drawn by John P
Mullen, local attorney, which was
introduced in the last Congress by
Representative Norton, chairman Of
the House District Committee, and
the so-called long" and short" bills
both prepared in the Office of the
corporation counsel.
Three Plans Discussed.
The Mullen bill would put the first
primary election in the hands of an
election board chosen by the District
Commissions, but would allow sub
sequent primaries to be run by the
secretary-t treasurer of each party. The
short" bill would put conduct of the
primaries almost entirely in the
hands of the local party organizations
while the long" bill would set up a
regular official machinery, controlled
by the Commissioners, which would
function in every primary.
The question of national repre-
sentation was brought up by quota
ton of a remark credited to Senator
King of Utah, chairman of the Senate
District Committee
A. S. Dulin, an interested citizen,
said Senator King had told him "he
was afraid of the Mullen bill because
it might prove stepping stone to
local suffrage"
Mullen, author of the measure, i'm
mediately replied that it would be a
stepping stone to suffrage by giving
citizens of the District a chance to
show they can exercise the ballot
properly.
"Other Purposes" Seen.
William A. Roberts, peoples coun-
sci, said the most important feature
of the long" bill is that it would set
up machinery which later might be
used for "other political purposes"
Il am one of the many who want
to see the ballot box set up in the
District" said William NICK Clayton
veteran civic leader. Congress would
be glad to be guided in many of its
decisions on local legislative matters
by the opinion of the Districts people
expressed through referenda."
Raymond ]. Walter, local N. r. A
compliance official, said: IF you
don't have national representation in
mind, you might as well shelve the
whole matter"
Long" Bill Favored.
The hearing ended in a vote by
the witnesses to favor the essentials
of the 'long" bill. A central election
board was said to be the best method
of primary control. It was decided
this board and its employees should
be supported by a poll tax, and that
a five-year residence rule be enforced
for both candidates and voters.
The short" bill was generally con-
demned as permitting continuance
of the allegedly autocratic rule of the
present party organizations.
Prettyman opposed the Mullen bill
also on this ground, saying it would
result in a shake-up at the first cleo
ton, but that future primary votes
could be controlled by the secretary
treasurer of each party. He asked
those present to think of the confusion
which would result from the secretary
treasurer of the various parties naming
different precincts for each group.