Evening star., 1939-12-17
District Suffrage Problem
Has Numerous Angles.

penSe.
District Suffrage Problem
Has Numerous Angles.
The District Commissioners are
by no means the only persons
confused by the suffrage issue.
1t is a many-sided problem and
Is viewed in many ways.
There are five general schools
Of thought on this subject which
may be classified as follows: l.
Those who favor national repre-
sentation only. 2. Those favor
ing national representation first
to be followed. when that is ac-
quired, by suffrage for loca! Of
ficers. 3. Those who favor local
suffrage first and then national
representation. 4. Those favor
ing local suffrage only, and fin
ally those who oppose suffrage of
every kind and description in the
District of Columbia
There is really another class
of numerous proportions who are
entirely Indifferent as to either
pro or con. Some of these as
sumo the attitude of one of that
famous blackface comedy team,
I'D rather not be bothered about
It,"
The chief advantage claimed
by the advocates of the fran
chise for local offices is that
1t may be acquired by simple act
of Congress. The several mu-
nicipal governments which op-
Grated in the District prior to the
creation OF the so-called terri
torial government were elective
and held their power through
congressional action. However,
the overriding power was pos
sessed and exercised by Congress
as 1t is now.
National representation will
require constitutional amend
ment to empower Congress to
grant to the people Of the District
the right to elect Senators and
Representatives in the Congress
and electors for President and
Vice President equal in number
to the aggregate representation
In the Senate and House Ma
tional representation is claimed as
a basic American right irrespec-
tive of any local consideration.
Once acquiring national repre-
sentation the District people,
through their voting represen-
tatives in the Congress. will be
able to participate in the deter
mination of all national questions.
They will then also have the same
fractional control over the Dis
trict Of Columbia as is possessed
by any like number of people in
the States.
The possession of national rep.
resentation is regarded as abso-
lutely indispensable to the oper-
ton of any satisfactory form OF
local government in the District,
whether it be appointed, as at
present, or elective. For these
reasons and the prospect OF
broader electorate base many
citizens consider that it is i'm
portant that national representa-
ton be acquired first.
Students of this question know
Of many people who have been
here a long time who possess
voting residence in the States or
may qualify for such. These peo-
ple declare that If they may have
the right to vote here in ma
tional elections they are ready to
cast their lot as legal residents OF
the District. They also say they
will not run the risk of losing
their national vote for Congress
and President and Vice President
= through voting here in local elec-
tions. These are substantial citi-
zens and home owners who have
raised and educated their fami-
lies here and here are all OF
their interests.
When other local suffrage pro-
: posals have been brought for
ward attempts have been made
to remedy this situation with a
provision to the effect that vote
in a local election here would not
affect their voting privilege IN a
State. This, of course, is impos-
sible, it being entirely beyond the
power of Congress. Each State,
under the Constitution of the
United States, fixes the qualifi-
cations of voters. In national
elections the voters must possess
the same qualifications as the
voters for the most numerous
branch of the State Legislature.
It Is believed that the loss OF
these substantial citizens would
very materially reduce the base
of the electorate and result in a
much smaller showing Of votes in
a local election held prior to &C
curing the national vote.
Most of those who favor i'm
mediate local suffrage also favor
national representation and these
with the national representation
only, and national representa-
ton first, groups outnumber vast
ly any of the opponents. The
Indifferent ones are the ones to
be feared most by all other
groups for they may belong to
the "let we'll enough alone" fam
ily.
The present indications are
Mat the suffrage problem will be