Evening star., 1938-05-06
VOTE GIVESB|G
VOICE TO. PETITION
Strengthens Representation
Plea of Organizations
for Hearings.

The overwhelming vote for Ameri-
canizing the washingtonhan registered
At the unofhcial referendum April 80
is interpreted as powerful support to
the petition submitted to Congress
April 2 by the Citizens Joint Commit
tee on National Representation.
The size. Of the vote itself in the
referendum is expected by those behind
the petition to have q substsn initial effect
on Congress. and to back up the pleas
Of the signatories to the petition.
Widely representative of great
cross section Of the people of the Ma
tional Capital. the signatures to the
petition OF the Citizens Joint Com
mittee include the leaders of 408 civic,
labor and business groups. It Is esti-
mated that the membership Of these
groups. according to careful check
made today, runs up to the impressive
total Of about 336, $40.
Excludes Conference Figure.
This total. however, Is exclusive OF
the organization represented by the
latest addition to the signatures, that
OF Wilbur s. Finch, chairman of the
Citizens Conference on District of
Columbia Suffrage. This orga nization.
which sponsored the plebiscite with
the cooperation Of many civic groups.
includes about 800 member organiza-
tions, Mr.. Finch said, representing q
membership Of about l25,OOO. The
signatures on the Citizens Joint Com
mittee petition. however. could not be
considered as representing individuals
amounting to the sum OF the two
figures. 336s40 and l25.OO0, because
there would be considerable overlap.
ping, with many organizations repre-
sented in each figure. The vote cast
in the referendum showed 1902 for
national representation; 6,748 against:
82.s7l for local suffrage. and l0,757
against
The petition which asked Congress
TO approve both pending Joint resolu-
tions granting suffrage to the District
Of Columbia by constitutional amend
ment was followed two days later bv
the referendum vote which overwhelm-
ingly asked Congress for the same
thing. The referendum therefore is
interpreted as backing up the claims
OF the signatories to the petition, that
they represent great portion of the
public opinion in Washington.
The petition was signed by the
Citizens Joint Committee on National
Representation for the District of
Columbia and the presidents Of con-
stituent and cooperating organiza-
tions.
Cites Taxation Tyranny.
The petition reafimed principles
proclaimed by the founders OF the
republic:
Taxation without representation is
tyranny.
Governments derive their Just
powers from the consent of the
governed.
Government of the people by the
people and for the people"
Furthermore. the petition set forth
that in order to achieve such govern
ment here. Congress should approve
the pending Joint resolutions.
The petition was accompanied by a
comprehensive argument. The petition
summarized its presentation by the
following:
That the over one-half million
totally disfranchised citizens of the
United States resident in the District
Of Columbia, who obey national laws,
who outnumbered those resident in
10 States. who pay more national
taxes than 26 of the States. who two
decades ago supplied to the Army and
Navy Of the United States q larger
number Of men than any one Of seven
of the States and oversubscribed their
quotas of all wartime funds and who
now have no voice In the national
Government and NONE in their local
representation in Congress and in the
electoral college; and to the same
access to the Federal courts as citizens
residing in States: and to have granted
to Congress by the Constitution power
to set up q government elected by and
responsible to the residents OF the
District and power to transfer to that
government such powers in respect to
District legislation as Congress may de-
termine to be consistent with the