Evening star., 1938-04-28
The Petition.

today by forty organizations of local
citizens, representing every substantial
citizens group in the District, and the
argument which accompanies it, asks
for the adoption OF two constitutional
amendments.
What do these amendments seek?
Together they ask the direct grant
of national representation or that Con-
gress be empowered to grant representa-
ton in the House, Senate and electoral
college to residents of the District of
Columbia.
Wherein do they differ?
The Capper Norton amendment
(S j. r. No. 13 and H. j. R. No. 1922
grants to District citizens the same access
to the Federal courts as citizens residing
in the States and aliens.
The Lewis Randolph amendment
IS. j. R. No. 246 and H. j. R. No. 546)
grants to Congress an additional specific
power to set up government in the
District elected by and responsible to
the residents of the District and the
power to transfer to that government
such powers in respect to District legis-
lation as Congress may determine to
be consistent with the mutual interests
of the Nation and its Capital.
Why are these constitutional amend
ments sought?
Because the Constitution, as it stands,
empowers Congress to grant national
representation and local self govern
ment to Territories, incipient States in
fact, to the whole area of the United
States, except to the seat of government,
the National Capital. When either of
the amendments is adopted, this power
will be rounded out, perfected and ex-
tended. as it should be- to every part
of the Republic and by the Capper-
Norton amendment will be exercised
by Congress when and In the manner
that Congress sees fit.
The exercise of this new power by
Congress will bestow upon the Ameri-
cans of the District the highest privilege,
right and power of American national
citizenship and at the same time will
remove the shame of un-American, to-
tally non-representative government in
washington under the Nations exclu-
slve control, without disturbing that
control except as Congress shall see fit
to exercise its new power to delegate
legislative authority over local matters
without creating a new State.
Why is a constitutional amendment
necessary to change the form of local
government and give citizens a direct
voice in their local government?
Congress can set up any form of local
government it chooses, without consti-
tutional amendment But the courts
have held that except in respect to num-
cipal ordinances Congress cannot dele
gate its power of exclusive legislation,
and without specific amendment of the
Constitution granting this power no
effective local government could be estab-
lished which would relieve Congress of
the burden of local legislation and grant
to local citizens any effective participa-
ton in such local government
Do these amendments necessarily
mean change in the form of local gov
ernment. or purely local suffrage?
Not necessarily. The determination of
the nature of change in local govern
ment, if any, is left to Congress.
Why is there such unanimity of agree
ment among local citizens as to the de-
STABILITY of constitutional amend
ment?
Because it is considered that such
amendment is fundamental in the process
OF Americanizing the Washingtonian,
giving him the rights of citizenship,
aside from statehood, that form the
keystone of democratic government. The
first step essential in granting this right
to the Washingtonian is specific grant
OF power to Congress, through constitu-
tional amendment, to extend that right.
Amendment of the Constitution takes
nothing from Congress in the way of
power and control of the seat of govern
ment that Congress wishes to retain. It
takes nothing from the people of the
District. 1t grants to the one additional
power to be exercised in the discretion
OF Congress, and to the other it makes
possible the enjoyment of the privilege
OF voting citizenship, ending the anomaly
under the American flag of taxation
without representation in the District of
Columbia.
II One of the troubles of aviation is
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