Evening star., 1935-02-15
WOMEN SUGGEST
FRANCHISE. STUDY
General Federation of Clubs
Asked to Consider
Amendment.

Anxious to enlist the support OF ma
tional groups, the District Of Colum-
bia Federation of Womens Clubs yes
terday recommended that the General
Federation Of Women's Clubs study
the proposed amendment to The Con-
stitution, empowering Congress to
grant voting privileges to residents OF
the Capital.
The action was taken in a resolu-
tion presented by Mrs. Edith L.
Phelps. chairman of the local fed
eration's department of legislation,
and followed an address by Jesse G.
Suter, vice chairman of the Citizens
Joint Committee on National Repre-
sentation for the District Of Colum-
bia
In other resolutions the federation
Endorsed the Senate and House birth
control bills and the proposed equal
rights amendment. providing that
men and women have equal rights
throughout the United States and in
every place subject to its Jurisdiction.
Cite Franchise Right.
The resolution requesting the Cen
eral Federation to consider enfran-
chisement for the District, pointed
out that Washingtonians are the only
citizens in the country without rep
resentation in the National Govern
ment, that they pay taxes, obey ma
tional laws, go to war in national de-
fense, and that some 35 National and
State organizations have Endorsed
the proposal.
Suter cited 1890 census figures to
show that the District has 341.465
residents Of voting age, 252, ,431 of
whom are white and 88,388 colored
Washington's native white popula-
tion of voting age totals 656 per
cent, as compared with 1913 per cent
for the entire country, he pointed
out Eight States, he said, have q
higher percentage Of colored eligible
voters than the District, namely. Ar
kansas, North Carolina, Florida.
Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, South
Carolina and Mississippi.
Suter also presented census figures
to show a decline in the number Of
colored families in the District since
1890, when 325 per cent of the fam
lilies here were colored. In 1900 the
percentage was 31.1,. 1920, 25.9, and
1880, 239
Indorsers Listed.
Other groups that have recently
Endorsed the amendment to grant vot-
ing privileges to District residents in
clude the Federation Of Business
Mems Associations, Central Business
Mems Association, the Washington
ians, District of Columbia Division of
Young Democratic Clubs of Amer
lea, District Department, American
Legion, American Federation Of
Teachers, Medical WomenS National
Association, National Women's Trade
Union League, Service Star League,
Women'S Homeopathic Medical Fra
ternity. National Council Of State
Legislatures, Knights and Ladies of
the Maccabees, and the Maryland State
and District of Columbia Federation
Of Labor.
Discussing the resolution, Mrs. Vir-
gtnia White Speel, former president
Of the federation, said that one Of
the principal reasons why the District
has not been given a vote is the
patronage situation. Under the pres
ent plan, she declared, Senators and
Representatives view the District as
place where they can fill jobs with
outsiders.
Terrific suffering resulting from
economic conditions has at last made
the world 'birth-control conscious"
DR.. Bessie L. Moses of Johns Hopkins
Hospital told the federation. prior to
adoption Of the birth-control resolu-
ton.
Speakers ON the equal-rights reso-
hutton included Miss Anita Pollitzer
and Miss Rebekah Greathouse.
The meeting, held in the Roosevelt
Hotel. was presided over by Mrs. Har-
vey W. Wiley, president of the fed
Grafton.