Evening star., 1938-03-06
ington, but the House declined to
consider the matter.

ington, but the House declined to
consider the matter.
The famous Powers report Of
March 3, 1880, from the House Com
mittee on the District Of Columbia,
while based on a resolution direct
ing the committee to inquire into
the expediency Of providing by law
for the appointment Of commits
sion to digest and form a code Of
civil and criminal law for said
District, to be submitted to Con-
gress or such other measures as
they may deem best calculated to
remedy any existing evils of said
District, or in the administration,
went very far in its study of local
conditions.
This report Is rich in historic in
formation and gave careful con-
sideration of both the question of
retrocession and to the creation Of
a local legislature. Both of these
proposals were rejected for various
reasons.
The prime movers at this period
for retrocesSion were the citizens of
Georgetown and the citizens Of
Alexandria. Alexandria continued
to fight for the return of all of the
Virginia portion Of the 10 miles
square and succeeded in 1886.
Georgetown sought to have returned
to Maryland all that portion OF the
District Of Columbia west Of Rock
Creek. Aside from the usual griev-
ances Of District residents. both
Georgetown and Alexandria had
the additional grievance Of being
neglected by the Federal Govern
ment. They were both very jealous
OF their younger sister city of Wash
1ngton, which they claimed was
being pampered by the Government.
The question Of retrocession today
presents far more complicated
problem than that OF over 100
years ago. There appears to be far
more reason today for the entire
seat OF government being inde-
pendent Of any one of the 48 States
than at any time in the Nations
history. To many, 1t Is impossible
to visualize this community being
efficiently governed as a Maryland
city with the large Federal area re-
manning under the exclusive control
Of the United States.
1t seems perfectly practicable to
give the District of Columbia voting
representation in the Senate and
House of Representatives and in the
electoral college, to be followed by
the creation Of local governmental
machinery which would give local
residents broad rights Of participa-
ton under such restrictions as
might be imposed by the Congress,
in which the District would then be
regularly represented.
To many 1t is equally incon-
ceivable that Congress would con-
sent to a cession Of its Jurisdiction
over the District to the State of
Maryland and thus be deprived Of
the special privileges which its
members now enjoy.
It is interesting to note that some
OF the reasons for ceSsion advanced
today are identical with those of
over a century ago. and they are
perfectly sound. Chief among these
is the incompetency of Congress to
legislate for the District because the
members are strangers to its local
concerns. And to this might be
added, because few of them have
the time or are willing to give the
time necessary to act as members of
a local legislature for the prompt
and efficient handling OF the Dis
trict's affairs.
The immediate step for solution
Of these vital District problems Is
the granting Of national representa-
ton to the District.