Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-05-18
SUFFRAGE DENIAL
|. IS UNFA|R T0D.C.,
ALLEN DECLARES
Commissioner Pictures City
as Most Handicapped
Community in U. S.
LESH AND SUFFER- JOIN
IN APPEAL FOR VOTE
Real Improvement in District
Rule Requires Representation,
House Hearing Told.

Firing the opening gun in WASH
ington's renewed battle for the right
to vote, Commissioner George E. Allen
today told the House Judiciary Com
mittee the DISTINGUISHED District OF
Columbia labors under more handi-
caps than any other community in
the Nation.
He and Paul E. Lesh, both repre-
senting the Citizens Joint Committee
for National Representation for the
District of Columbia, made urgent
pleas for passage by Congress Of the
Capper Morton and Lewis-Randolph
joint resolutions to grant suffrage for
voteless Washingtonians. Jesse C..
Suter, another representative Of the
Citizens Joint Committee, joined in
the request in brief opening state
ment as a tWo-day hearing began on
the measure.
A representative group of civic lead
ers active in the drive to American
ize" the Capital appeared at the
opening session, held in the big caucus
room on the third floor of the old
House Office Building. At the out
set, Chairman Summers announced he
did not think it would be possible
for the committee to conduct q ses-
sion this afternoon because Of the
pressure of legislative business in the
House. This was disappointment to
citizens, who have planned con-
tinuous parade of witnesses through
out the day.
Copy Of Petition Read.
Commissioner Allen, who is chair
man of the Committee on Congress
sional Hearings of the Citizens Joint
Committee. said he appeared in the
unavoidable absence of Theodore w.
Moves, chairman Of the Citizens Joint
Commission. who, he pointed out, led
in organizing the group in 1917 and
has continued in its leadership.
The Commissioner read to the COM
mittee copy of the petition for suf-
frage sent by the Citizens Joint Com
mittee to the House and Senate several
weeks ago. He asked that the petition,
which Endorsed both joint resolutions,
be incorporated in the record Of the
hearings, along with written arguments
which were attached to the petition.
In presenting his personal views" on
District suffrage, Commissioner Allen,
reading from q statement said that
ever since coming to Washington and
learning Of the peculiar political
conditions existing here" he had been
thoroughly sold on the idea that the
residents of the District Of Columbia
are as much entitled to voting repre-
sentation in the Government OF the
United States as are the people OF any
other State"
AS his knowledge of District affairs
has increased, the Commissioner said,
this conviction has become more firmly
| rooted.
Notes Disadvantages.
my service as District Commits
sioner," Mr.. Allen told the committee,
has afforded me an excellent oppor-
tunity for noting the many disadvan-
tages under which the District of Co.
lumbia labors by reason of its lack of
the right of participation in the coun-
sells Of the Nation. in the same manner
as is enjoyed by the citizens of the
States.
There is no community, in my opin-
ion, so handicapped through denial
of these fundamental American rights
as is the District of Columbia"
Commissioner Allen said he had no
ticed that some of his predecessors in
1880 had likewise been impressed with
the injustice as we'll as the unbusiness-
like and anomalous situation presented
through this voteless and unrepre-
sented condition.
While might not indorse all
that an earlier Board of Commission
ers has done" Mr.. Allen testified, Il
can unqualifedly approve the favor
able report they made in March, 1880,
on a similar resolution referred to
them by the then chairman of this
Judiciary Committee"
He thereupon, without reading it,
gave to the committee a copy of the
letter sent to the House judiciary
Committee by the Board of Commits
sioners of that date. indorsing a joint
resolution to provide national repre-
sentation for the District. The letter
expressed the view of the Commits
sioners that the proposal applies q
fundamental American principle to
the residents of the District of CO.
lumbia and is in strict conformity with
the constitutional provision regarding
the seat of government"
Proctor L. Dougherty, who was
president of the Board Of Commits
(See VOTE HEARING, Page A-3.)