Evening star., 1939-12-29
Fight for Vote Urged
By Wender on
Conduit Road Citizens
Association Is Told
Commissioners Will Try
To Avoid Issue

washington 1ldQ Dccl cIloAdNCO
under a constitutional myth for SO
years and the only way to have
suffrage in the city is for the in
habitants to fight for it, Harry S.
Wender, president of the Southwest
Citizens Association and vice presi-
dent of the District Suffrage Asso-
citation, told the Conduit Road Citi-
zens' Association last night.
Stating that "The Firms are bat
Ting for freedom against an oppres-
sive foe, even as we are also battling
the same way for freedom in the
District" Mr.. Wender urged his au-
dience to bring pressure on influ-
ential persons so that the residents
Of the District might have the vote.
The first step toward receiving
full vote in the District, Mr.. Wen
der declared, in addition to obtain
ing an amendment to the Constitu-
ton, is by having men appointed to
Office in the District who know the
city needs and who know the prob
lens here. He asserted that "for
city government, entirely accidental
and in which the citizens abiding
here had no choice, the officers
chosen had done pretty well, al
though there was no proof that 1t
had always been so, nor that 1t
would continue to be so in the fu-
ture"
Answers Politics" Charge.
Changing to the charge that poll
tics, with corruption and graft,
would inevitably enter with any
local government, Mr.. Wender an
swered that Washington already is
as full of politics as if I'VE had our
own city government.
In discussing the question of local
suffrage and national representa-
ton, Mr.. Wender said that residents
of the District had gone to the polls
last year in unofficial referendum
in the largest election in the his
tory of the District, and by vote
of better than to l they declared
that suffrage must come first. OF
the 63 citizens associations in the
city, he said, not single one voted
against suffrage, clearly showing the
movement. In addition, he recalled
the federation also backed the suf-
frage movement without discord,
which would carry weight with any
committee from Congress hearing
the plea for the vote right.
Mr.. Wender asserted that ut will
not be in question of refusing the
local suffrage plea when the Conc
missioners convene again, but how
they can best avoid it altogether.
1t was evident from the results of
the Seal plan hearing that the citi-
zens OF Washington were against
any form of reorganization which
did not include the suffrage right,
he said in expressing the belief that
the Commissioners will seriously
try to avoid the problem when they
meet again next week"
Council Not Acceptable.
In stating that the advisory coun-
Gil form of government, which has
been proposed, was not acceptable,
Mr.. Wender told the Conduit Road
members that asking the council to
reorganize themselves is like hav-
Ing a rabbit bring head of let
tuce home from the market"
In conclusion Mr.. Wender point
ed out that the children of families
living In Washington were learn
ing the true situation here in
school and that they know what
they face when they reach vot-
ing age. Many of the children leave
the city to establish residence in
other States so that they can re-
turn to the city and have jobs
which they wouldn't have If they
lived here, declared Mr.. Wender.
This situation is also true for res
idents of other States who can go
home and vote, but II live here,
and I can't vote, even though was
born in Tennessee. The only way
for us to achieve our rights is to
fight for them, even as the F1nns
are fighting for theirs"
All business of the association was
waived for the evening in order
to give Mr.. Wender sufficient time
to present his subject in full de-
tail. Grady P. Oakley, president,
announced that the regularly sched-
uled business would be set aside
until the next meeting in January.