Evening star., 1938-04-23

The constitutional amendment,
which would make possible national
representation for the people Of the
District of Columbia. does not propose
the admission of the District of Colum-
bia into the Union as sovereign State:
it does not propose the destruction Of
the ten -miles-square" provision of
the Constitution; it does not lessen in
the smallest degree the control by the
Nation of the ten miles square"
1t does not disturb in any way the
financial relation Of Nation and Capt.
tai.
It is not complicated with changes
in the municipal government Of the
District in respect to which Washing
tonians differ.
1t repeals nothing: it destroys moth
ing. 1t alarms no one, alienates no
one. wounds nobody's sensitiveness.
What the Amendment Does.
This constitutional amendment as
sumes that the Nation will continue
to control its Capital through Con-
gress and asserts that the time is
close at hand when the people Of the
Capital should be represented in that
Congress The miles-square pro-
vision Of the Constitution set up q
peculiar political entity-not a State,
not Territory. under the exclusive
control Of the Nation. This amend
ment is supplementary to the ten
miles-square provision. 1t says, in
effect, that, after a century of increase
and development, the Americans COL
lected in the seat Of government, en-
titled at all times to every American
right and privilege consistent with
continued national control Of the
Capital, are now or soon will be en-
titled to representation in the National
Government
It enables Congress to make Ameri-
cans Of . community of more than
half a million people who are now
politically aliens, and to naturalize
them for the purpose Of representa-
ton in the National Government.
The constitutional provision estab-
fishing the ten miles square is respon-
sible for the monstrous paradox OF
unrepresentative government at the
Capital Of the great Republic. This
constitutional amendment will ulti-
mately correct 1t.
The proposed legislation is supple
mentary to existing law, adapting the
latter better to the conditions and
needs Of today. It Is thoroughly con-
structive. It is not in the smallest
particular destructive.
It leaves undisturbed and confirms
the national control of the Nations
city and the corresponding national
obligation Of adequate financial par
ticipation in the maintenance and
upbuilding of the National Capital.
The acts Of 1873 and Of 1922 and the
exclusive legislative clause Of the Con-
stitution are alike untouched.
1t enables Congress to make Amer
ican citizens Of the people Of this
community, giving them effective rep
resentation In Congress, their local
and national legislature, which may
deprive them of their property by
taxation, and of life or limb by send
ing them to war. Such representation
is not inconsistent with the exclusive
power Of legislation concerning the
District possessed by Congress. On
the contrary, such representation Is
the more essential since Congress is
not only Washington's national leg
islature, but its municipal and State
legislature. The effect Of this amend
ment Is not to admit the District into
the Union as q State. but to enable
Congress to give to the half million
Americans residing in the ten miles
square, under the exclusive control of
Congress, the same representation as
citizens of State in Congress and the
electoral college.
A New Political Status.
Not = new State. but new polit-
ical status IL to be evolved. This
amendment operates as supplement
Of the ten-miles-square provision, en-
powering Congress to define explicit
ly, In view Of the changes Of more
than . century. the political status Of
the residents Of the Federal District.
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