Evening star., 1939-02-27
Capper Stresses
importance Of
C.Franchise
Issue Overshudows
Reorganization,
Senator Says

The importance of national rep
presentation for District residents
overshadows. proposals for re-
organizing the District government.
Senator Capper, Republican, of
Kansas declared today in a COM
ment on the Griffenhagen reor-
ganization plan.
He spoke at the Roosevelt Hotel
at the monthly meeting of the Dis
trict Federation of Women's Clubs,
where William A. Roberts. former
peoples counsel, also talked.
Mr. Roberts said that the Griffen-
hagen recommendation for the
abolition of the Alcohol Beverage
Control Board, would be a measure
>of improvement for the city govern
ment as a whole from an admin
strative point of view" He added.
while he approved the suggested
boards administrative activities. he
thought the agency should be kept
in existence for continuing to per-
form its present quasi judicial func-
ton.
The Senator told the club men,
6ers that the womens suffrage issue
would remain alive until the vote is
extended to the women and the
men in Washington. He referred to
the Griffenhagen program as "one
CT the most important legislative
proposals affecting the District now
before Congress- but he added:
Congress to Retain Power.
mo matter what the form or
the power given by congressional
legislation to the local government.
the Congress will continue to hold
End use it's constitutional power
and duty to exercise exclusive leg
jslation in all cases whatsoever over
the National Capital"
Mr.. Capper urged the women to
continue with new spirit their Ma
Tionwide drive for enactment of the
Capper resolution for a constitu-
tlonal amendment giving the Dis
rrict national franchise Such a
vote, he said, would relieve the
Nation of the shame of un-Amer-
potency to cure this evil"
He complimented the District resi-
dents on their dissatisfaction with
their lack of the voting privilege.
Local recognition of the injustice
which the District suffers indicates
that the Capitals inhabitants are
true liberty Americans, the
Senator said.
National representation will pro-
claim to the world that the great
Republic is as devoted to the prin-
c'ples of representative government
and as capable of enforcing them
rs other republics with capitals in
ration n-controlled districts, like Mex
i.o. Brazil and Argentina. These
Eations have not found themselves
i;npotent to give full national rep
rasentation to the people of their
capitals, he added
washington will cease to be the
c:lly American community-numer-
Gus, intelligent prosperous, public
spirited and patriotic-in all the
expanse of continental and contig-
lous United States whose fitness
to exercise national privileges as
we'll as to bear national burdens is
o.enied."
Believes Goal Can Be Won.
Senator Capper told the women
= club members that although he
had been fighting for District suf-
frage for many years. he remained
now more confident than ever that
the goal could be won. He said:
Through my 20 years service in
The United States Senate. 1 have
been member of the Committee on
the District of Columbia and have
become well acquainted with many
OF the residents and familiar with
their governmental problems. They
have always had my sympathy in
their humiliatlng deprivation of
these vital and fundamental rights,
rights that every American citizen
is entitled to-
The proposed suffrage amend
ment would not make State of the
District and would not deprive Con-
gress of an atom of its constitutional
Capital
Ut does not detract from the
power of Congress but clothes it
with new power. to be exercised
whenever the Congress, in it's wis
dom, shall decide that these voteless
and unrepresented Washingtonians
Fre fit to enjoy and exercise these
,-ir nh ND yr,l,f fol,
denied them.
Made Favorable Report.
several hearings have been held
before the Senate Committee on the
District of Columbia on this pro-
posal, and in 1922 the committee
made a favorable report to the
J Senate. This report was reaffirmed
without further hearing in a later
Congress.
Since that time the joint reso-
luton proposing the amendment
has been. in each Congress, referred
TO the Committee of the Judiciary
for consideration. So far this COM
mittee has never held hearing on
the resolution. but I am hopeful the
committee will grant hearing dur
ing this session of Congress
Il am inclined to the opinion that
no worthwhile and satisfying i'm
provement in the local government
OF the District is attainable until
the District residents are accorded
their natural rights of representa-
tive participation in the Congress,
which possesses and will continue m
exercise over them the power of ex-