Evening star., 1935-12-18
Full Vote Expedites
| Grant of National
Representation.
Full Vote Includes Those
Who May Also Vote
i'm States.

III OIdtcSs
Government clerks and our working
men in public and private employ,
whether they do or do not vote on
State and national issues in pme
State. There Is nothing in principle
in this participation in an advisory
municipal vote as residents in the
unique Ten Mile Square" to affect in
any way whatever legal residence in q
State any of them may possess, or
the voting privilege which accom-
panies it.
A Strong Voting Constituency.
The voting constituency disclosed by
such a vote would cause the District
to rank, numerically, morally, intellec-
tually and materially, well up in the
list of small States and to SurpaSS a
number of them. The last national
census 19l0) shows that the District
exceeds in population six Of the States.
In valuation of realty for local taxes 1t
makes a remarkable showing in COM
parison with the States and other
much larger cities. In national taxes
like internal revenue taxes, including
the excise, corporation and individ-
ual income taxes, the District contrib
uted more than % Of the States, and
the per capita contribution of the
Washingtonian was greater than that
Of the citizenry of SO Of the States.
To-day. nearly 20 years later, the
District is still found to be paying into
the national tax fund more than %
States and Territories, more than
States combined, and more per
capita than 38 States.l
The argument for full and adequate
national representation for such
community and not merely for the
mockery Of the tender of a voteless,
negligible, almost impotent delegate in
the House would be irresistible. Fer
| the fact would be made plain land in
| no other way would this demonstration
be possible) that our business and pro-
fessi0nal men, the educational, scien-
tific, literary and artistic elements OF
our population, our working men in
public and private employ, our Gov
ernment clerks and other Government
employees, our Winter residents in
process Of conversion into Washing
tonians combine to constitute one Of
the strongest, most intelligent, most
public spirited and most American
communities in the Republic.
Special Benefits in d. C.
One does not need to become a rad
ical progressive and thoroughgoing
advocate of the referendum as pana-
cea everywhere to favor a District
referendum.
The most reasonable criticisms OF
the referendum allege that the scope
of its useful application has been ex-
aggerated, that the device Is OF the
greatest value in the smallest political
subdivisions as in town or city, less in
the State and. except possibly for the
adoption Of constitutional amend
ments, Of no value in national legis-
lation. 1t is objected that the refer
endum tends to increase unduly the
number Of elections, and that inter-
! jected into a representative govern
ment it tends to belittle and to weaken
injuriouSly the prestige and authority
of the elected representative legisla-
ture.
None Of these objections applies to
a District referendum. 1t cannot un-
duly and hurtfuIIy increase the num-
ber Of local elections, for there are no
others. It cannot weaken the author
| ity Of the regularly constituted local
legislature, because outside Of Congress
the District has no such legislature to
be weakened.
The referendum finds its most valu-
able and unobjectionable application
as a supplement of representative gov
/ ernment in special cases where public
opinion should be taken into account
in legislation and where the securing
of that expression of public sentiment
through the ordinary forms Of repre-
sentative government is denied by the
Constitution-for example, in the Dis
trict of Columbia, where Congress in
acting for the people under the Con-
stitution should heed and give effect
in local concerns to local sentiment
and yet is deprived of power to learn
this public sentiment in any conclusive
way by absence from the District OF
all representative elections and all
elections of any kind. The referendum
will serve in the District very useful
purpose in securing reliable express
sions of local public sentiment con-
cerning important legislative issues tc
which Congress, as exclusive legisla-
ture, may wisely and equitably
respond.
The proposed referendum, thus free
locally from objections urged against
it elsewhere, will benefit the District
U by strengthening in congressional
recognition and favor the sound prin-
ciple Of due consideration. for local
sentiment upon which all wise District
legislation is based; (2) by expediting
the enactment Of . constitutional
amendment which shall give to the
100000 (now over q half millfon)
WaShingtonians all the political and
judicial rights Of Americans which are
consistent with national control OF the
Nations city; and (3) by increasing
congressional appreciation Of the
strength, intelligence and character OF
the District electorate with the result
of greater legislative consideration by
Congress both before and after the
adoption Of the constitutional amend
ment.