Evening star., 1935-12-18
Member of the Associated Press.
District Referendum.


to Commissioner Allen for his wise per-
eistence in advocacy of political equity
for the voteless people of the District
and in this connection for the renewal
of his proposal of the referendum privi-
leee for Washingtonians. Commissioner
Allen is convinced that the District
people are entitled to the American
right of voting representation in Con-
rress and the Electoral College and his
referendum proposal is intended not
rs q substitute for the votes with power
of national representation, but as pre-
liminary preparedness step in the cam
paign for such representation.
Lack of enthusiasm in pushing the
referendum proposal on the part OF some
Washingtonians is credited to feeling
of futility of the move, of hopeleSsness
IN securing its enactment by Congress,
and of its assumed lack of value, If Sc
cured. They are slow to believe that
Congress will show the respect for local
nublic opinion which will be indicated
by assent to an elaborate program for
ascertaining it or will be much infiu-
enced by that opinion after it has been
ascertained. And they point to past
experiences in which clearly expressed
community opinion concerning issues
which would naturally be voted upon
In a referendum, If one were had, has
been ignored as if it were non-existent.
It is to be considered however, that
II Congress does actually authorize
referendum the chances that 1t will
heed the opinion expressed are greatly
increased. Washington has in two in
stances of record cast advisory refer
endum votes. Where Congress author
lied the advisory vote it followed the
advice given. Where the referendum
was unauthorized the vote was disre-
garded.
II Congress in response to local urging
should authorize the proposed refer
endum it would be acting in accordance
with precedent and in conformity with
= principle governing its local legis-
Iation which is recognized to be wise
and fair.
BY this action Congress will recognize
In q practical, definite way its peculiar
obligation in legislating for the unrepre-
sented District to ascertain carefully
and to carry out Scrupulously the rea-
sonable wishes concerning its own local
affairs of the unrepresented community
itself. The American principle Of repre-
sentative Government demands that
every legislature shall voice in legis-
Iation the opinions and wishes OF those
whom it represents. Congress as local
legislature Of a community which has not
elected 1t, even in part, must in equity
approximate compliance with this Amer
ican and representative principle by
acting as If 1t had been chosen by the
Capital community.
1t must As . consequence represent
In such local legislation reasonable public
opinion among its Capital constituents,
In due Subordination, however, to the
paramount national interest. This local
public opinion on legislative issues Of
guficient Importance to warrant the
trouble and expense involved Is wisely
and reliably ascertained through
carefully safeguarded referendum vote.
In giving fnal shape to the referendum
some power of initiative concerning the
issues to be voted upon should be given
to the people Of the District, to be exer-
cised, for example, by petition to the
Commissioners. This power Of initiative
should not be confined solely to the
Commissioners. Some future Commits
sioners, In sharp contrast to our present
board, not chosen by the people of the
District and not responsible legally to
them, may be opposed to local public
sentiment on important issues and may
desire that this local sentiment be not ex-
pressed. With exclusive power to specify
issues to be submitted, they could in
their discretion nullify the purpose of
che law and prevent any expression Of
local sentiment which did not agree with
their own. In city or State initiative and
referendum systems the people whose
opinions are to be ascertained have some
power of initiative, to be exercised by
petition, to shape the issues upon which
their opinions are to be expressed.
Voters under q referendum should in
clude all who have an interest Gas tax
payers, for example) in the result. The
stipulation in the tentative draft Of the
referendum bill that the voters under
the referendum must be without voting
privilege in any other place In any man
ner whatsoever" is too sweeping. District
residents and taxpayers who have tech
nical right Qargely unexercise0 of Vot-
ing in the States in national elections
should not be deprived of the right to vote
in a referendum on some municipal issue
which affects them as local taxpayers.
1t is essential for many reasons that
in the first voting that the District Of
today enjoys the full vote Of the Capital
community as it now exists shall be de-
veloped. The referendum law should
therefore be so worded Is to insure this
full representative vote including women