Evening star., 1939-05-06
Kennedy 10 See
President on
D. T.. Vote Bill
Reorganization Plan
To Be Discussed
Tuesday

W1lIc uCoudy.
At that time he will probably dis
euss with the President the two
measures for national and local suf-
frage which he introduced late yes
terday-one a joint resolution for a
constitutional amendment granting
national representation, which goes
to the Judiciary Committee, and the
other a bill for an elected assembly
Of 81, which goes to the District
Committee.
The President has been giving
close personal study to the proposals
for reorganization of the District
government and is expected to an
nounce his decision to Mr.. Kennedy
Tuesday. The executive session Of
Mr.. Kennedy's subcommittee on the
Griffenhagen report, which was
scheduled for yesterday, has been
postponed until Wednesday.
Mr.. Kennedy will hold conferences
as soon as possible with Chairman
Summers of the Judiciary Commit
tee and with Chairman Randolph
Of the District Committee in an ef-
fort to get early action on the two
District suffrage measures intro
duced yesterday.
Will Not Change Plans.
Representative Kennedy empha-
sized that the two bills he intro
duced yesterday would not deter
him from endeavoring to push the
Grifenhagen proposals through
Congress. One Of the provisions of
the Griffenhagen report would es-
tablish municipal council of seven
members, to be either appointed by
the President or elected.
While his new bill provides for an
elected assembly of 81 members, 1t
is not in conflict with his general
program for suffrage and self gov
ernment for the District of Colum-
bia, Mr.. Kennedy explained.
The joint resolution offered by the
Maryland Representative is the
fourth now pending before the House
Judiciary Committee to provide a
constitutional amendment giving ma
tional representation to the voteless
residents of Washington.
Ratification Required.
Chairman Summers is sponsoring a
Joint resolution which proposes to
grant Congress permission to give
national representation to the cit
liens or to repeal it without con-
flrmation by the States. Former
Chairman Norton of the House Dis
trict Committee introduced a ma
tlonal representation resolution
along the lines supported for several
years by the Citizens Joint Commit
tee on National Representation for
the District of Columbia. and Chair
man Randolph also has introduced
measures for both local and national
representation.
Representative Kennedys resolu-
ton asks for an amendment which
would be submitted for ratification
by the Legislatures of the States,
and when ratified by three -fourths
OF the States would become a part
of the Constitution His proposal is
as follows:
THE Congress shall have power
to provide for the people of the
District, constituting the seat of
Government of the United States
representation in the Congress and
among the electors of President and
Vice President; to delegate to such
Government as Congress may estab-
lish therein all or any part of Its
power over said District, and grant
to them the status of citizens of a
State for the purpose of suing and
being sued in the courts of the
United States, under the provisions
OF Article 3, Section 2.
when the Congress shall exer-
else this power, the residents OF
such District shall be entitled to
elect one or two Senators as deter
mined by the Congress, Represent
atives in the House according to
their number as determined by the
dicennial enumeration, and presi-
dental electors equal in number to
their aggregate representation in
the House and Senate.
THE Congress shall provide by
law the qualifications of voters and
the time and manner of choosing
the Senator or Senators, the Rep
resentative or Representatives and
the electors herein authorized.
The Congress shall have power
TO make, amend or repeal all laws
winch shall be necessary and proper
for carrying into execution the fore
going power"
Confers Broad Powers.
The Kennedy bill for an elected
assembly would confer broad powers
on this group to enact ordinances
levy taxes, appropriate for munich
pal purposes and to take over au-
thority that the Commissioners now
have over all independent boards
except the Board of Education.
The 81 members would be elected
Tor terms of two years each. One
would be elected from each of 16
assembly districts and five at large
Each member would be required tc
have been a citizen of the District
Tor at least three years preceding
election, and if from an assembly
district, must have been a resident
of the District for six months pre-
ceding election and be at least 2s
years of age.
Salary of $1,000 Yearly.
The salary of each assemblymar
would be $1,000 a year and the
president and vice president chosen
by the assembly would each receive
an additional $500.
A specific provision in this bill
says the assembly may not enact
ordinances in conflict with present
laws or decrease the salaries or limit
the administrative authority of the
Commissioners, the Board of Edu.
cation, the register of wills or the
judges of the District Court.
All persons who have resided ir
the District one year, who have
registered and reached the age o1
81 would be entitled to vote fol
members of this assembly. The pre-.
ID ;,,I~ of