Evening star., 1939-03-19
Civic Problems, Civic Bodies
Form Of National Representation
Proposal; New SmoII-Loons Law

dent requires an amendment to
the Constitution Of the United
States. Such proposed amend
ments have been introduced and
pressed in each succeeding Con-
gress for number of years.
Occasionally some individual
citizen or group raises a question
as to the form Of the amendment
which the joint committee is sup
porting. They think that the
proposed amendment should be in
a mandatory form or that 1t
should provide definitely for rep
resentation Of the District in
Congress on a complete equality
with the States.
The fact Of the matter is that
at various times this proposal has
been couched In Just such terms
but had to be changed to meet
firm objections by members of the
Senate and House Of Representa-
tives. It must be remembered
that to put through such an
amendment 1t will be necessary
In the first place to obtain q
majority vote of Senate and
q House committee and then be
passed by each house by a two
thirds vote before 1t can go to the
States for ratification. Ratifica-
ton by the Legislatures Of three
fourths Of the States Is necessary
to carry the amendment into the
Constitution.
Assuming that the amendment
Is made a part of the Constitu-
ton Congress will then have the
power to pass the required legisla-
ton to give effect to such amend
ment. The fixing Of the qualih-
cations of voters, setting up elec-
ton machinery and all Of the
many details must be carried
by such legislation.
Civic leaders who have been
closely identified with this move
ment believe that the most i'm
portant things to be considered
as to the form Of the proposed
amendment are that it be sum-
GENTLY broad to permit Congress,
by simply a majority vote, to
give . maximum Of representa-
tion ard at the same time be fiex-
ible enough to satisfy those in
Congress who hesitate to grant
to District people representation
comparable to the people Of the
States. There Is therefore real
merit seen in the flexible alter
native provisions as to represent
alton in the Senate carried by
the Capper-Norton joint resolu-
ton. This is stated in that res
olution as follows: 90 =" Such
District shall be entitled to elect
one or two Senators as determined
by the Congress or such other
representative in the Senate as
Congress may provide for ="
Under this form the Congress
would be empowered, by a ma
jority vote, to permit the District
to have either one or two Sem
ators or only a voteless repre-
sentative In the Senate. The big
hurdle before the District is the
getting approval Of an amend
ment broad and in such accept
able form as to muster q two
thirds vote In both Senate and
House of Representatives. Then,
following ratification, only ma
jority votes will be required, as
in the case Of all District legis-
lation.
The voteless and unrepresented
people Of the District of Colum-
? bia are not in q position to de-
mand anything Of Congress, for
they have nothing with which to
back up such demands. It must
be remembered that Congress and
not the people Of the Disrtict
will decide on the form Of the
amendment, If any, which will
open the way for the American
tzation Of the Washingtonian.
It is also well to remember that
otQer proposed amendments,
which have finally been added to
the Constitution, have undergone
many changes before having the
approval Of Congress.
New Attempt to Enact
A Model" Small Loan Law.
For q number Of years bills
have been drafted and introduced
In Congress to give the District
q workable and fair small loan
law which will protect the needy
from the loan sharks and still
make such loans obtainable. Earl
Ter attempts have gotten nowhere
and the victims of the existing
inadequate laws have increased
in numbers and been beset by
increasing difficulties and exac-
tions.
The new bill has been drafted
by the corporation counsel and
introduced In the House by Rep.
resentative Jack Nichols Of Okla.
homa. It IA now heforo the Dis.