Evening star., 1939-01-19
Justice ofD.C. Vote
Emphasized byCappel
To Club Federation
Bourd Of Directors of
Group Told Of Burden
Borne by Citizens

Right of the people of Washing
ton to the ballot and to representa-
ton in Congress was affirmed vigor-
ously today in an address by Sena-
tor Capper, Republican, of Kansas
to the Board of Directors OF the
General Federation of Womens
Clubs, meeting at its national head
quarters, 1884 N street NV.
Pointing out that he again had
introduced in the Senate proposed
constitutional amendment empower
ing Congress to permit District resi-
dents to vote for its representatives
in the Senate and the House and for
presidential electors, Senator Capper
added:
Il am impressed that this pro-
posed amendment is far more i'm
portant to the entire Nation than
would appear upon a superficial
examination Of the subject.
Here and now, at time when
orderly representative government
is being challenged in many parts
of the world, it is a dangerous,
deadly, bad example to maintain at
the heart of this great democratic
Republic a complete despotism.
What right have we to hurl de-
nunciations and epithets at dicta-
torships and totalitarian states in
other parts of the world when an
almost perfect example of such ire
sponsible force of government is
maintained by our National Gov
ernment in our own National
Capital.
Correction Long Overdue.
ITO my mind the time is long
overdue for correcting so un-Ameri-
can a condition OF government as
exists in the District of Columbia.
If democracy is right and proper
for the government OF our States
and our Nation, it is right and
proper that the same system be es-
tablished and maintained in the
Capital, and there should be no
delay in removing this dangerous
political cancer from the heart OF
the body politic.''
The veteran Kansas Senator
pointed out that here "at the very
heart of our Nation are more than
a half million as good Americans
as are to be found any place under
the Stars and Stripes" He described
them as Intelligent, public-spirited,
loyal and patriotic and always to
be found meeting all of the obliga-
tions OF American citizens, both in
war and in peace" He added:
But when it comes to their pos
session and exercise of vital and
fundamental political rights, they
are rated in the same class as the
criminal and the lunatic.'
Senator Capper emphasized:
"These people, being subject to all
laws enacted by Congress, are as
utally affected by and interested
in all national legislation as are
the citizens of the States, and yet
they are deprived of the right to
participate through duly elected
representative in the enactment OF
those laws.
No Control Over Taxes.
''They are required to pay heavily
in taxes for the support Of the
Nation, yet are denied representa-
ton in the Legislature which deter
mines the kind and amount of these
taxes and how the resulting reve-
nues shall be spent. They are re-
quired in time of war to bear arms
in the service of their country, to
fight and possibly to die, yet they
have no voice whatever in deter
mining whether there shall be war,
or at the conclusion of the war, as
to the terms of peace.
'They are ruled over locally by
administrative and judicial officers
appointed by the President of the
United States, but are denied par
ticipation in the selection of that
President. They are also required
to pay in taxes for the support Of
the National Capital whatever the
Congress, in which they are not rep
resented, requires of them, and have
no voice whatever in deciding for
what this money shall be spent"
If the people Of the District were
content with this situation, Sena-
tor Capper said, they would be
unworthy of the name American"
but they realize fully that they
suffer great injustice through in
action of their fellow Americans in
the States"
Student of D. C. Problems.
Senator Capper pointed out that
throughout his 20 years service in
the Senate he had been a member
of the District Committee, had be-
come we'll acquainted with problems
here and the people had always had
his sympathy "in their humiliating
deprivation of these vital and funda-
mental rights-rights that every
American citizen is entitled to-"
Recalling that he had tried to
do more than merely sympathize,
the Kansan explained that he had
been introducing at each session
for a number of years, joint reso-
luton for an amendment enfran-
chising District citizens. Such an
amendment, supported by the Citi-
zens' Joint Committee on National
Representation, now is before both
Senate and House and has been re-
ferred to their respective Judiciary
Committees.
Senator Capper, pointing out that
Senate District Committees twice
had recommended similar amend
ments, but lately these proposals
had been referred to the Senate
Judiciary Committee, which never
had held a hearing on them, said:'
But I am hopeful the committee
will grant a hearing during this
session of Congress"
Population in Statehood Rank.
Senator Capper, answering the
Thought that may occur to some"
that the District is too small to
require national representation,
pointed out that its population, as
estimated by the Census Bureau
July /, 1887, was $4,000, of whom
more than 100000 were estimated
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