Evening star., 1938-04-23
Suffrage
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| 'SOAeAlucu IlOIll lISI FdSe.)
National Representation for the Dis.
trict Of Columbia.
THE conference hereby indorses
the principle Of a republican form Of
government for the District Of Colum-
bia as proposed in Section l OF the
Lewis-Randolph Joint Resolution as
! the ultimate objective in local SELF
government, and pledges its own
efforts and bespeaks the assistance OF
all other citizens and organizations in
the District towards securing the
eventual ratification Of an amend
ment to the United States Constitu-
| ton embodying such a provision.
Reorganization Asked.
In order to effect that well-knit or
ganization Of District citizens primar-
lily essential for the conduct Of the
necessary activities in the several
States to secure their ratification OF
the amendments to the United States
Constitution required to make effective
the principles Endorsed in the two pre-
ceding paragraphs, and In order that
definite progress may in the meantime
be made in the suffrage movement, the
conference shall Immediately take
steps to secure through appropriate
congressional action the ganiza-
ton of the District Of Columbia gov
ernment into modern, efficient and
economical municipal government, with
adequate provision for the effective
participation by District citizens in
the election and control Of such gov
ernment consistent with the present
congressional power Of exclusive legis-
lation over the seat Of government"
1t was this third point to which OBJ
lection was raised by Sylvester L. Nc
Laurin. colored. Of the Central North
west Citizens Association. He COM
planned 1t was not comprehensive
enough, and intimated that the Dis
trict might be satisfied with munich
pal suffrage If 1t failed to get ma
tional representation.
Chairman Stull Of the Resolutions
Committee stirred applause when he
declared fatty In reply: I'VE will not
be content with anything short OF 100
per cent suffrage. Our resolution
means municipal suffrage pending
adoption Of constitutional amend
ment granting full suffrage"
Further Study Rejected.
Efforts of several delegates to refer
thu rncr1s1finy, fo thA {t,,A
Of the conference for study and action
at the next meeting were defeated
Strongest advocate of such delay was
John Paul Jones. Of the Federation Of
Business Mems Associations, who said
his delegates were instructed" and
the resolution as 1t stood was mot in
conformity with our instructions"
Another delegate from this federation
declared he could not vote at all on
the resolution as a whole because he
was instructed in favor of part Of it,
but not for some Of the rest Of it.
In its preamble. the resolution de-
clared that according to the political
philosophy Of the Declaration of In
dependence Of the United States and
the universal practice OF all demo-
cratic nations. governments are re-
garded as created by the people, de-
irving their powers from the consent Of
the governed, and are instituted
among men to promote their safety
and happiness and to secure to the
people the enjoyment of their funda-
mental rights.
"One of the fundamental rights Of
American citizenship" it was pointed
out" is a participation by the citizens
IN the making Of the Laws to which
they are subject aid in the choice Of