Evening star., 1938-03-15
CAPPER PRAISED
FOR AID TO D. c.
Kansas Senator Cautions
Citizens Not to Lag in
Representation Fight.

Senator Capper of Kansas last night
urged the citizens of Washington never
to cease in their fight for national rep
resentaticn for the District of CO.
lumbia.
In an address before the Columbia
Historical Society at the MayfloWer
Hotel. where he was praised by voice
and through letters by many promi-
nent leaders for his work in behalf
Of the Districts welfare, Senator Cap
per declared:
If anything ever was worth fight
ing for, it is national representation
for the District of Columbia. And I
am confident that finally your cam
paign will be victorious, as 1t we'll
deserves to be-
Referring to the fight for the vote,
Senator Capper added:
In waging this commendable war
against form of autocracy peculiarly
repugnant to patriotic Americans, you
will find that our greatest enemy is
indifference. Therefore, I charge you,
never cease to agitate your cause
spread the fire of your zeal through
out the city and kindle dormant sem
timent of the Nation
Cites Tax Tyranny.
Earlier in his address the Kansas
Senator, who is sponsor of proposed
legislation for constitutional amend
ment to give the District national
representation in the Senate and
House, asserted:
You are taxed by and through
Congress without any voice in the
method of taxation. The same cry
that went up years ago by the great
American leaders. Taxation without
representation is tyranny is now be-
ing repeated. The people of the Dis
trict of Columbia have no spokesmen
in the halls of Congress. If spokes-
man for the District would be heard,
perchance. a new system of govern
mental philosophy would be brought
into life and the sequence would be
a more satisfactory condition for the
people of the Nations Capital.
"You are deprived of suffrage; de-
MED the right to sue in the Federal
courts; you have no voice in the Sc
lection of high official positions in the
municipal government; deprived of a
voice in the method of taxation. You
pay the same taxes as are paid by the
citizens of States. and more than most
Of the States; yor serve in emergency
in the same armed forces; you pay the
same income tax and you willingly pay
your own taxes after your taxes are
decided upon by Congress. You are
denied vote or voice in the election
Of a President or Vice President" Sem
ator Capper continued in describing
the humility" of the people of the
District.
"Antithesis Of Self Rule"
Further deploring the lack of the
vote here, Senator Capper said: THE
political status OF the District is
unique. 1t has no prototype either at
home or abroad. 1t is the perfect an
tithesis of self-government. Your peo-
pie are of full political stature, but are
only citizens in embryo. They are
without the franchise. They can
neither sue nor be sued in the courts
OF the United States outside of the
District and they are ineligible to any
elective position"
Senator Capper described Congress
as the "ipso factor council" Of the Dis
trict
Ninety per cent of this council" he
said, know little about and care less
for the needs, the requirements or the
inhabitants Of the community they
dominate.
Moreover. they are not Immediately
concerned about the citys future, NOR
ally, economically or otherwise. They
select District committees from their
own members to look after those mat
ters with due regard to their wider
national responsibilities and let it go
at that" he said.
"Indefensible" Form.
This type of government" contin-
ued senator Capper, may be better
than that enjoyed by other municipal
tiles, but it is exceptional, un-Ameri-
can, undemocratic and indefensible
1t is imposed upon the community