Evening star., 1937-01-08


In the following:
1T is extraordinary that the
courts of the United States, which
are open to aliens and the citizens
Of every State In the Union, should
be closed to them"
Only Capital In Wsrid
Discriminating Against Citizens.
The District Of Columbia and the
Territories are considered as States
In treaties with foreign powers con-
corning ownership. disposition, and
inheritance Of property. The Dis
trict Of Columbia Is not merely the
only community in this country
that has neither national nor local
representation, but it Is the only
capital in the world where the resi-
dents have no voice in the affairs
OF their own city and where they
are treated differently from resi-
dents In other cities In the country.
In sections dealing with represen.
tation In rational affairs. the Con.
stitution uniformly relates such
representation TO the existence OF
the several States. With respect to
election OF the President. it pro-
vides that Each State shall ap-
point :. number of electors :"
|art. II. sec. u. With respect to
Congress, 1t provides as follows:
The House OF Representatives
shall be composed of members
chosen every second year by the
people of the several States tart. /,
sec. ~.
The Senate of the United States
shall be composed of two Senators
from each State tart. I. sec. 3D."
Amendment to Constitution
Needed to Confer Representation.
To obtain Federal suffrage or
national representation for the Dis
trict OF Columbia will require
amendment OF the Constitution to
empower Congrsss to give the resi-
dents Of the District the same frac-
tional participation in the control
over the seat Of the Federal Gov
ernment which is possessed by the
citizens OF the various States.
Territories or dependencies do
not have this right, and all Con-
gress could do at present would be
to allow for q nonvoting delegate
from the District of Columbia TO
the House of Representatives, as
was the case from 1871 to 1874, and
perhaps one such delegate to the
Senate. More than q hundred
years ago sentiment on this point
was expressed by President Monroe
In his second annual message to
Congress in 1918:
In the exercise of this power lof
legislation, in which the people
have no participation, Congress
legislates in all cases directly on the
local concerns Of the District. As
this Is . departure. for . special
purpose, from the general principles
OF our system. it may merit con-
sideration whether an arrangement
better adapted to the principles of
our Government and to the particu-
lar interests Of the people may not
be derived which will neither in
fringe the Constitution nor affect
the object which the provision in
question was intended to secure"
Fight for Amendment
Is One sf Long Standing.
Individual legal residents and q
number Of civic. trade. labor. and
other organizations are unitedly
supporting . congressional joint
resolution proposing the required
amendment to the Constitution.
This united front has been and is
being maintained through the
Citizens Joint Committee on Ns.
tional Representation for the Dis
trict Of Columbia. This committee
has held the leadership since its
organization in 1877. 1t has ar
ranged and conducted q number
OF hearings before committees of
Congress carried on extensive cor
respondence, sent speakers before
many meetings, and arranged
numerous radio broadcasts.
Federal suffrage, and national
representation Is . live movement,
and its support shows . steady
growth, both locally and through
out the country. Many important
national organizations have put it
on their legislative programs, and
by vote of their national conven.
tions their officers and committees
stand instructed to lend every pos.
sible aid.
Local Suffrage Possible
BY Statutory Enactment.
The problem of local suffrage and
broader control over purely local
affairs Is closely related to the
question of fiscal relations between
the Federal and District govern
ments. Congress can grant such
broader powers and local suffrage
by statutory enactment. The pas
sage Of an act by Congress along
the lines indicated herein immedi-
ately establishing . representative
working advisory council and grant.
ing such local powers upon refer
endum and favorable vote of the
residents of the District would
eliminate much controversy and
Irritation, and would have the ef-
feet Of fixing responsibility for local
administration and expenditures
definitely upon ofncials elected by
the people. 1t would further pre-.
sent an opportunity to the local
citisenry for establishing the Dis.
trict a. a model Of municipal opera
ton and fiscal management.
The provision of Federal suffrage
and national representation re-
quires constitutional amendment
and Is more remote from the 1iscal
relations problem. Achievement of
Federal suffrage should and will be
hastened with the equitable and
business-like settlement of the rs
cal relations problem, and Is the
District demonstrates its insist
ence upon high standards Of ad.
ministration and service in local
governmental affairs and its ability
to establish and maintain such
standards.