Evening star., 1936-03-15

ficult. within the allotted time, to do
more than explain what our proposal
is and to outline most briefly some Of
the reasons why we advocate 1t.
National representation, shortly
stated, means voting representation in
Congress for the citizens of the Dis
trict of Columbia and a participation
by them. according to their number.
in the election of the President and
Vice President. To accomplish this
would require an amendment to the
Constitution.
We are fully aware that any one
who advocates an amendment in the
Constitution has the burden of prov
ing that it is desirable.
Constitutional Provision.
The provision in the Constitution in
respect of what is now the District
Of Columbia is among the powers of
Congress set out in article I, section 8:
The Congress shall have the power
to exercise exclusive legislation, in all
cases whatsoever, over such district
mot exceeding 10 miles square, as
may, by cession of particular States,
and the acceptance of Congress, be-
come the seat of the Government of
the United States"
We are not advocating any amend
ment of this article nor any change
in the Constitution which will affect
it. or any change in the government
for the District Of Columbia which
runs counter to the reasons which led
to the insertion of this provision in
the Constitution.
You will recall the events which
led to putting the seat for the Fed
eral Government under Federal con-
trol-they were the local difficulties
and disturbances which had attended
the sessions of the infant National
Government at Trenton and at Phila-
delphia.
It may or may not be wise to keep
a political unit of half million popu-
lation wholly without local self-gov-
ernment and under the control of the
National Government. But that ques-
ton is one that I mention only to lay
aside.
Would Make 1t a Part.
We are not proposing to take Wash
ington away from the Nation or from
the Nations control-only to make it
part of the Nation. Our proposal
in brief is to apply to this political
subdivision the American system Of
self-government in national affairs.
We must start with the premise that
you believe in the American system of
self-government and in the means set
up in the Constitution to accomplish it.
More people than have heretofore
been interested in the Constitution
have recently had occasion to think
about it. You may have in mind that
the control of the people Of the United
States over the National Government is
exercised solely through the election,
so far as the individual voter is con-
cerned, of very limited number Of
people. The individual voter helps
elect his representatives in Congress
and in the Senate and the President
and Vice President, and no others.
Our proposal is that the people of the
District Of Columbia be given so much
of the status of citizens of a State as
to permit them to elect Representa-
tives in Congress according to their
numbers and to participate in the
election Of the President and Vice
President.
Principles Inseparable.
Do you believe in the American sys-
TEN of representative self-govern.
| ment? Then you believe in national
representation for the District of
Columbia.
Practically no one who understands
our proposal is against it. Those who
actively oppose us assume without
knowing the facts that we are in some
way trying to take the control of
Washington away from the National
Government. They have a horrible
mental picture of the Nations Capt.
tai being governed by a petty legisla-
ture composed of persons elected in
small geographical subdivisions of the
city. They forget that we are pro-
posing only the election of Repre-
sentatives and Senators from a con-
Stltuency as large as many. and as in
telIlgent as any, of the States, and
that we propose to leave the govern
ment of the District precisely where
1t ls-in the hnads of Congress-in
which, however, we will be represented.
So far as our local government is
concerned-that is, from the point of
view of the resident of Washington
the presence of two voting Repre-
sentatives responsible to the people of
the District of Columbia will un-
doubtedly be of great practical ad-
vantage, despite the fact that thew
will be so greatly outnumbered bv
Representatives from other parts of
the Nation.
Simply Asking Share.
But time does not permit me to
enlarge upon the effect of our proposal
on the local government of the Dis
trlct OF Columbia. What I want to
emphasize tonight is the fact that we
are asking our rightful share In the
government of the Nation as a.
whole
No other self-governing nation finds
1t necessary to maintain a tyranny
at the heart of the nation, or to dis
enfranchise the residents of its capi-
tai city.
For example, consider Mexico. We
are accustomed. to think our capacity
for sef-government, sometimes called
political genius, superior to that of
our neighbor on the south. Yet Mex
leo does not find it necessary to de-
prive residents of its capital, Mexico
City, of their representatives, accord
ing to population, in the national gov
eminent. Mexico City is a part of
the Mexican nation.
So with our sister republics in South
America. Buenos Aires is not dis
enfranchised because it is the capital
of Argentina, nor is Rio de Janeiro
disenfranchised because it is the capi-
tai of Brazil.
Also in Federal Districts.