Evening star., 1935-03-17

that no more worthy projects can
be found for the employment Of
labor and the use Of material
than through the erection of these
badly needed school buildings an
the reconditioning and modern
izing Of some of the old buildings
which are still useful and usable.
Federation Has Not Approved
Government Reorganization.
ID ECENTLY at a meeting OF
II junior high school teachers
they were told by a speaker
that the Federation of Citizens
Associations had approved a plan
for the reorganization of the gov
ernment Of the District. This sup
posed plan Of the federation was
outlined in detail. including the
selection Of the Board Of Educa-
ton by an elective city council.
While a tentative plan has been
submitted for consideration and
discussion of the delegates and the
members of the more than so
bodies which make up the fedora
ton, there has been no action
taken other than to send mimeo-
graph copies Of the preliminary re-
port to the constituent bodies.
One Of the provisions in this
report, national representation for
the District of Columbia. has had
the support Of the federation since
about 1916. This proposal is for
an amendment to the Constitu-
ton Of the United States empower
ing Congress to grant to the resi-
dents of the District of Columbia
voting representation in the Senate
and House Of Representatives, the
right to vote for President and
Vice President and the same rights
to sue and be sued in the courts
OF the United States as possessed
by the citizens of a State. Sup
ported by nearly all the civic and
trade bodies as well as by or
ganized labor and many other or
ganizations. national representa-
ton Is expected to be included in
any recommendation for a new
deal in the government Of the
District.
Vice President L. A. Carruthers
OF the federation has come for
ward with plan which proposes
a much larger local participation
in the Government than called for
in the Sullivan tentative report.
In citizen association circles there
is anticipated much interesting and
instructive discussion before a COM
plete plan is approved for submis-
sion to Congress. Then the real
job Of selling Congress the idea
OF giving the District a wider par
ticipation in its affairs will begin.
1t should be continually borne
in mind by those interested in
civic affairs that a fundamental
difference exists between the pro-
posal to give the residents of the
District the rights of national
American citizenship (national
representation and the mere
changing Of the form Of the local
government. The first proposal
is beyond the power of Congress
until after the adoption of a con-
stitutional amendment. To change
the form Of local government of
the District of Columbia Congress
has had from the beginning full
power. which 1t has from time to
time exercised.
There is pronounced unanimity
Of sentiment among organized civ
ic Washington in support of ma
tional representation, but a wide
divergence Of opinion regarding
the form and many of the details
of the local government.
District Social Legislation
And Civic Vivisection.
THE anti-Hvisectionist views
with horror scientific ex-
perimentaion on the lower
animals for the benefit OF man
kind. The feelings Of local civic
leaders are affected much the same
way as recurring attempts are
made to try out various untried
theories on the voteleSs, unrepre-
sented and therefore defenseleSs
District Of Columbia.
Forces from the outside are ever
ready to advance on Washington
and have Congress authorize the
use Of the Capital City as a leg
islative experimental laboratory.
Instances Of the kind have been
numerous and sometimes success
ful in putting through such pro-
posas regardless of the local resi-
dents. who foot the bills and have
to put up with them.
The social relief program as to
be locally applied exhibits synp-
toms Of such a laboratory tendency
which Is not looked upon with
favor by the civic groups. Old
age pensions and unemployment
insurance have, in principle, met
with rather general approval, but
there Is local feeling that such
legislation should be based on the
best experience available rather
than upon untried theories.
Civic Vice Presidents
Now Have Real Jobs.
HONORABLE but easy has been
II the job Of civic vice presi-
dents in the past. In some
cases a few months after the en-
nual election hardly any one could
tell. without referring to the
printed letterhead. who really were
the vice presidents. Very few
members Of any Of the civic bodies
can tell you who the vice preSi-
dents have been, except in some
of the organizations where the
practice has been to move the
vice presidents up to the preSi-
dents chair.
President Robert v. Fleming Of
the Board Of Trade and President
James G. Yaden Of the Fedora
ton Of Citizens Associations have
smashed this lovely vice president
tradition to smithereens. They
have both found important su-
pervisory assignment work for
their vice presidents and have no
hesitation In keeping the holders
Of these honorable ofiices busy.
The increased work and RESPONSE
bility has turned out to be a fine