Evening star., 1937-02-27
SUFFRAGE
=P[IjAN CONSIDERED
"Burroughs ProposaI' Of
fered as Basis for District
Discussion.


yens' committee on local suffrage for
the District was held last night by
representatives of various civic groups
following short business session OF
the Burroughs Citizens Association.
The group used as basis for discus
sion, the so-called Burroughs plan"
for local suffrage, which was drawn up
BY Wilbur S. Finch of the Burroughs
association about TO- years ago.
Finch explained that the plan was not
to be the program of the new organi-
ration, but was merely a foundation
on which to build ideas and bring
forth discussion of the suffrage prom
lem, and that it probably would have
to be altered to meet widespread ap-
proval.
David Babp, chairman Of the Suf-
frage Committee of the Federation Of
Citizens Associations. was elected
chairman of the organization meeting
and Finch was named permanent
chairman.
Plan Explained.
Copies of the Burroughs proposal
were distributed to the citizens last
night and in their order the plan
briefly provides for the following:
National representation. Passage
of the Senate joint resolution (of the
Seventy-third Congress) and since re-
introduced by Senator Capper OF
Kansas and Representative Norton OF
New Jersey.
Local suffrage The establishment OF
q legislative council. the members Of
which are elected by District voters.
This councils duties would be to enact
local ordinances and such general
legislation as designated by the Con-
,gress in the enabling act. this legisla-
'tion to be subject to veto by Congress
within 60 days. To exercise exclusive
jurisdiction in purely local financial
and tax matters. To exercise concur
rent Jurisdiction with concurrent re-
sponsibility as determined by Congress,
in matters not exclusively Of local
import.
The council members would be
elected as follows: The city divided
into precincts by population. Each pre-
.cinct shall have two members on the
council, one from the precinct and one
elected from the city at large Nomi-
nations of candidates would be by pc
tition without political designation and
no limit placed on number of candi-
dates. plurality vote would deter
mine the election.
q In qualifying the voters, exclusion
Is made of those voters who maintain
voting privileges in other Jurisdictions.
The executive power would be
vested in city manager who would
be appointed by the President with
the advice and consent of the
Senate He would replace the present
Commissioners
Judicial power: The Court of
Appeals and the District Court would
remain unchanged. Membership in
the lower courts, however. would be
appointed by the city manager with
.the advice and consent of the council.
Would Elect Education Board.
The Board of Education would have
control of the public schools and
members elected in accordance with
the Gasque bill, introduced in the
House in March, 1888.
Heated debate arose on some points
and when a resolution was placed
sbefore the body stating generally that
-"we favor local suffrage" the group
adopted the measure with but one dis
'senting vote-that of A. D. Calvert of
the Lincoln Park Citizens Association.
The committee will appear before
the Senate Subcommittee on Reor-
1ganization of the District Government
and suggest that five Senators, five
Representative and five District citi-
'zens form a committee to study the
'problem and make recommendations
Ito Congress.
Representatives at the meeting
included the following from the indi-
Gated citizens associations: Columbia
Heights. Col. Luther R. Maddox. Mrs.
Marie F. Maddox, Mrs. Margaret H.
.Worrel, president; Logan-Thomas Cir
Gle, Horace NJ Fulton; Petworth. Earl
w. Cooper. president, and Horace
j. Phelps: Conduit Road, G. P. Oak
ley; North Capitol, Mrs. Ada Mills
Payne; Burroughs, Robert M. Furniss,
L. M. Eidness, K. P. Armstrong, Mrs.
Eleanor St. Omar Roy. w. H. VIII
1larns, L. F. Kreech.