Evening star., 1938-05-21
VERDICT AWAITED
ON D. c. SUFFRAGE
House Judiciary Committee
to Study Mass of
Data on Rights.

Odld UII myths.
Having completed presentation tc
the House Judiciary Committee of q
strong case in behalf of District suf-
frage. the Citizens Joint Committee
on National Representation and the
Citizens Conference on District Suf-
frage today began a period of hopeful
waiting for the verdict of the House
group.
At headquarters of the Judiciary
Committee it was indicated that nc
action may be expected from the group
In the next few days, as the members
desire time in which to examine
voluminous documents submitted by
the procession of witnesses during the
three-day hearing.
The next regular meeting of the
committee will be held Tuesday, it was
said. Doubt was expressed that the
committee would be ready to make q
report by that time, however.
In the meantime arrangements were
being made to have the transcript OF
the hearing printed for the informa-
ton of committee members and others
interested. This record will include
statistical tables and other data which
witnesses submitted in writing in an
effort to comply with the committee S
desire that the testimony be expedited.
Summers Comm ends Witnesses.
Chairman Hatton w. Summers, in
bringing the hearings to close early
yesterday afternoon, expressed regret
hat he had been compelled to put
pressure" on witnesses, but pointed out
the committee was unable to give
more time to the subject because of
other pressing business confronting
the members. He commended the
witnesses on their fine presentation"
of the suffrage arguments.
Paul E. Lesh and, Jesse c. Suter,
vice chairmen of the Citizens Joint
Committee, and Wilbur S. Finch,
chairman of the Citizens Conference
on District Suffrage who led the
forces advocating passage of two
pending joint resolutions to grant
suffrage by constitutional amendment,
thanked the House members for giving
the voteless citizens of Washington an
opportunity to be heard. Mrs. E.
Morgan Pryse, who spoke in opposition
TO the resolutions, thanked the COM
mittee on behalf of the pposition.
Chairman Summers gave Mr.. Lesh
permission to submit to the committee
later written briefs or other docu-
ments. which might be inserted in the
record of the hearings at the discretion
of the committee.
Women played prominent role in
the closing session of the suffrage
hearing and their fervent pleas for
the right to vote and for the right
of "Americanizng" their children
brought forth rounds of applause from
spectators.
The opposition also had a final say
yesterday. with Grover w. Ayers of
the -Mile-Square Club taking a
leading part Representatives of the
Citizens Joint Committee and the
Citizens Conference on District Suf-
frage appeared in rebuttal.
Mr.. LeSh, in rebuttal testimony,
told the committee he hoped that,
whatever action it took in regard to
local suffrage for the District, national
representation would be granted.
We want voice in supreme au-
thority," he said I'VE don't want
handed to us any lesser person who
ha. not supreme power"
In this he disagreed with those who,
he said, felt that any kind of an
elected office would be forward step.
Cites Division on Suffrage.
Our committee is united on ma
tional representation" he declared.
1T is divided on local suffrage, except
that We feel it would be good thing
to delegate to local government some
of the power possessed by Congress
If you granted us local self
government to elect some one not
with supreme authority you would set
back. not advance, what We are after
When we get the vote we ask you
for the right to vote for a Representa-
tive to sit among you, for one or two
Senators and for President"
Simply to get the vote for School
Board or Commissioners or some pow
erless person." he said, would be
pointed to critically by opponents of
suffrage, who would say, What's the
good of that?"
1T is indispensable to get the vote
in Congress-" he insisted, "contempo-
raneous with any local suffrage. Real
relief from local point of view will
be when we get a Representative in
Congress"
One of the great damages that the
voteless situation here has done to
residents, Mr.. Lesh contended is the
destruction in some of them of the
desire to exercise the American right
and privilege of voting.
But" he declared, I'VE have not
lost the desire to participate in our
own Federal Government"
Denies Federal Surrender.
In granting the vote here, he told
the committee, Congress is not going
to surrender its overlordship; the
power of overruling resides in the
United States over territorial act"
Miss Eta Taggart, speaking for the
Committee on National Representation
Of the Federation Of Citizens Asso-
Citations, declared the federation had
gone on record many times in favor
Of national representation. The fed
Grafton, she said, had 64 member
bodies. representing 10000 people.
Taxation without representation" she
declared. still is tyranny"
J. Mr.. Finch was referred to as the
chairman of the local Suffrage Com
mittee of the federation, but had
entered his appearance in favor of
local suffrage the day before and so
did not testify further yesterday.
Mrs. Anna E. Hendley, honorary
vice president of the Society of Ma
tives of the District of Columbia, for
mer president and founder of the
Susan B. Anthony League. presented
to the committee a petition for ma
stonal representation signed by more
than 1000 persons from every State