Evening star., 1939-12-13
Kennedy Promises
To Include Suffrage
In Reorganization
Representative PIons
To Introduce Revised
Bill at Next Session

lOI UOtlI lCPl lCoCIAIdtlOl III SOIl6l cSS
for District residents and for elec-
ton of local officials and, he added,
my basic position" has not changed.
While emphasizing that national
representation would call for an
amendment to the Constitution.
Chairman Kennedy declared he
would incorporate suffrage pro-
visions in his reorganization bill, as
revised for consideration at the
forthcoming congressional session.
The bill he offered late in the past
regular session did not provide for
suffrage.
Essential to Vote Friends.
Spokesman for the organized Dis
trict suffrage movement had de-
clared they would oppose any re-
organization plan which failed to
provide for the vote. This position
was taken after unconfirmed but
undenied reports came from the
District Building that the final plan
of the Commissioners Kitchen
Cabinet" contained no suffrage pro-
visions. One official has insisted
the Board of Commissioners has not
yet decided on this point.
A general statement of his suffrage
plans, voiced by Mr.. Kennedy to
Capitol Hill reporters, was supple
mented later yesterday by the publi-
cation of correspondence on the
subject with William A. Roberts,
former peoples council In . ter
to Mr.. Roberts, Mr.. Kennedy had
said in all probability he would in
corporate provision for election of
certain local legislative officials after
an official referendum had been held
by a reorganized District Govern
ment.
Kitchen Cabinet" Plan.
Mr. Roberts had written to the
Marylander protesting that the re-
organization plan as drafted re-
Gently by the Commissioners
Kitchen Cabinet" was a mon
strosity" He praised generally the
revamping. scheme as offered in the
report of E. O. Griffenhagen and
Associates and Incorporated in the
original Kennedy bill, but he also
took those plans to task for failing
to meet the suffrage issue squarely.
Il think it should be clear by now
that the primary interest of the
great mass of organized citizens in
the District is in the exercise of the
inherent right of the franchise and
that no palliative can take it's place
We would not tolerate king of the
District, no matter how benevolent
or economical his regime might be.
The basic fight is one for demo-
cratic institutions
In reply Mr.. Kennedy wrote Mr.
Roberts:
II regret to state that it does not
appear that any substantial contri-
button toward expediting such re-
organization may be expected from
the District officials. However. the
issuance of their recommendations
in final form will be of value In
definitely fixing their position with
respect to both suffrage and the
proposed economies and increase in
the efficiencies which every re-
organization should accomplish.
C1teS blllS lntFO0uCe0.
With regard to my own position
on the suffrage question you are
definitely aware that in the early
stage of my connection with this
matter I introduced bills both with
national representation of the Dis
trict of Columbia and the election of
its officials.
Although subsequent investiga-
tions have indicated the desirability
of a change in the form for such re-
organization, my basic position has
not changed, and it is my intention
to include as an integral part of my
plan for reorganization provision for
constitutional amendment pre-
senting national representation of
the District of Columbia and, in all
probability, provision for election of
certain local legislative officials after
an official referendum by the re-
organized government of the District
of Columbia.
Il am sincerely hopeful that we
can have effective action on the
above proposals during the coming
session of Congress and would desire
and appreciate the earnest as
sistance of the numerous District Of
Columbia groups. which have proved
their right to be heard by their
sincere interest in their local gov
ernment"
Avoided Discussion of Plan.
In writing to Mr.. Kennedy for a
statement of his intentions as to the
suffrage question, Mr. Roberts said
he had avoided participation in dis
cussion of the "abortive" attempts
of the Commissioners Committee
He said this was partly due to lack
of time and partially due to lack of
invitation.
Mr.. Roberts added that it was his
understanding that at no time dur
ing its efforts had members of the
Commissioners group made any re-
quest for advice or suggestions from
DR.. L. Schmeckebier of the Brook
/ ings Institution, or of E. Barrett
Prettyman, former corporation coun-
sci, who headed a committee which
prepared District reorganization
plan, or Mr.. Roberts, who some years
ago was named as one of group of
three officials who studied reorgani-
Zation.
Since these gentlemen have all
been officially intrusted by Congress,
or other public authority, with the
task of formal study on these mat
ters and have spent long periods Of
time upon it, I assume that the
omission was deliberate and that
it is the purpose of the District gov
ernment officials to assume all credit
and all blame-for the recently
released monstrosity."
Bill Fundamentally Sound"
Mr.. Roberts added: "It was my
pleasure during the conferences of
the past year to inform you that
believe these studies and plan of
reorganization, as outlined in the
Griffenhagen Associates report and