Evening star., 1936-05-29

all the people, py all the people. IL Is
q Government of all the people by q
part of the people. The 486. .869 Dis
trict residents are among the people
who are governed. but not among the
people who govern.
The 486,869 Americans Of the Dis
trict do not give their consent to
their National Government through
elected representatives in accordance
with American principles like all other
Americans of the continental and con-
tiguous United States.
In respect to the 486,869 Ameri-
cans Of the District, representation is
divorced from taxation and soldier
service. We bear all the national bur-
dens of citizens of State in national
taxes, in subsection to national laws
and as national soldiers sent to war.
In genuine representative government
rights and obligations are inseparably
welded. We meet fully the national
obligation. We bear cheerfully our
share of the national burden. We are
entitled to all-vital national rights and
privileges.
~ II
We are meeting the same national
obligation as Americans who are citi-
zens OF q State.
N the recent days Of exalted Amer
icanism Washingtonians were In the
front rank of devoted Americans. They
have ever been foremost when Amer
icanism meant loss instead of benefit,
when to be Americans meant to place
both sacrifice of treasure and blood
sacrifice upon the Nations altar.
WaShingtonianS have paid their pro-
portion of every national tax, direct or
indirect, from the birth Of the Nation.
The only national taxes that fall
directly and in ascertainable amounts
upon the Americans are the internal
revenue taxes, including the excise
and income taxes. In the fiscal year
l934-35 the District CT Columbia con-
tributed to these taxes Sl2,638, ,144, ex-
ceeding twenty-three of the States,
though it exceeded in population only
eight of them. Its contribution was
greater than those of nine of the
States combined.
Washingtonians have riSked life and
shed their blood in every national war.
| To preserve the Union the first volun-
| teers came from the Capital. and
Washingtonians supplied a greater
| percentage of troops in excess of their
quota than nearly every State in the
Union. In the war with Spain they
sent to Cuba fine regiment. exceed
| ing their quota in numbers. The
same response was made when the
summons to the Mexican border came.
AT that time the percentage of men
Of military age enrolled in the Or
ganized Militia was create. in the
District than in any State Of the
Union. Washington sent more SOL
| diers to the border than % of the
States.
In the World War no other Amer
ican community responded more en-
| Enthusiastically and effectively to the
call to arms and universal service
They were eager volunteers of money
for war through the Red Cross and
other agencies. and of personal service
through enlistment in Army, Navy,
National Guard or Home Defense
League. They showed patriotic readi-
ness to bear the burden of conscrip-
ton, whether in the shape of taxes
imposed on lines which caused the
District of Columbia 1918-19) to
contribute more than any one of
fifteen of the States and more than
five of the States combined; or in the
shape of universal personal service
and the selective draft.
In the war with Germany the Dis
trict of Columbia has r1ade a record
Of which the Nation should be ploud.
The total voluntary enlistmants in
the Army, Navy and Marine Corps
for the District was 1914, a number
greater than that i'll seven States, viz,
| Nevada, Delaware, Arizona. Wyoming,
Vermont, New Mexico and New Hamp-
shire, and only a trifle less than
three other States. The number of
men inducted into the Army under
the first and second registrations was
1851, making a total of voluntary
enlistments and inducticns into the
service of the Government of 1885.
In other words, the percentage of
voluntary enlistments was 1888 per
| cent of the total inductions into the
service.
The proportion which ,he voluntary
enlistments bear to the total lumber
Of enlistments and inductions by way
OF registration was greater for the
District of Columbia than for every
State of the Union except Rhode
Island, Oregon, Washington, California
and Maine, and more :han one-third
| greater than the percentage for the
country as a whole.
To every demand Of devotion and
sef-sacrifice made upon Americans
Washington has rendered. is render
ing, and will always render full, hearty
and unstinted response.
In notable particulars We are de-
| prived of the rights and privileges Of
Americans who are citizens of State.
As a suitor in the courts Of the
United States the District resident has,
the Supreme Court says, lower stand
ing than an alien.
In relation 10 national laws the sole
function of the District residents Is
to obey. They take no part in max
ing the laws which they must obey.
In relation to national taxes their
sole function Is to pay. They have
nothing to say, like other taxpayers,
concerning the amount and kind Of
taxes they shall pay and how the tax
money shall be spent.
In relation to national war their sole
function Is to fight in obedience to
command. They have no voice, like
other Americans, in the councils which
determine war or peace. They have
no representation in the government
which requires them to fight, bleed and
perhaps to die.
Since the 4S6,869 Americans of the
District pay national taxes, obey ma
| ti0naI laws and I'm tn war in Nation's