Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-17
Citizens Request
Special Rule on
Representation
Federation Urges
Soboth to Speed
Action by House

Backed py q membership OF some
10000 Westinghouse, Harry N
Stull, president of the Federation OF
Citizens Associations. today urged
Chairman SABBATH of the House
Rules Committee to support the
move to procure a special rule for
the Summers resolution to bring to
the House floor the bill providing q
Constitutional amendment to en-
power Congress to grant the District
ne tional representation.
A copy of the letter to Representa-
tive SABBATH was sent to every men,
Der of the Rules Committee, which
is scheduled to meet next week to
vote on a rule for privileged con.
sideration of the bill. A rule has
been asked by Chairman Summers
of the House Judiciary Committee
author of the bill.
Text of Appeal.
The text of the letter follows:
THE Federation OF Citizens As
sociations, representing sc local
bodies and some 10000 individual
members, earnestly requests you to
lend your support, as chairman OF
the House Committee on Rules, to
the movement to procure rule for
the Summers resolution which au-
thorizes the submission to the States
of a constitutional amendment au-
thoriZing the Congress to enfran-
chise the residents of the District
of Columbia.
For over 20 years the Federation
of Citizens Associations has favored
the principles embodied in the
Summers resolution. The vote on
each occasion when the matter was
before our body was overwhelming
and this, we believe, expresses the
wishes and desires of the people of
the District of Columbia generally
on this question.
I'VE respectfully request that an
opportunity be given to have this
important resolution considered on
the floor of the House of Repre-
sentatives at an early date. Your
assistance in securing this will be
greatly appreciated
Short Promises Speech.
Representative Short, Republican,
OF Missouri pledged himself yes
terday to take the floor to urge pas
sage of the Summers resolution
when the bill comes up in the House.
Republican support of nationa.
representation for the District of
Columbia-to give District resi-
dents a chance to elect their own
representatives in Congress to
speak and vote in their special
interestS-is solidified," he declared
The Democrats, he said, can
carry out their platform promise
for District suffrage by bringing
the Summers resolution to the
floor of the House since "our party
has assured them of support"
Nr. Short pointed Out that ne-
publican support FOR the resolution
n;.s cons tom the Republican
"anoiaatcs or President snd Vice
President, Wendell L. WillHie and
Senator McNary, who also is
minority leader in the Senate; from
the national campaign manager who
is also minority leader in the House;
from the minority membership on
the House Judiciary Committee and
The ranking minority member of
that committee who appeared with
Representative Summers before the
Rules Committee; from the minority
membership on the Rules Com
mittee who are pledged not to
block the rule and from the Re-
publican party whip who has been
canvassing our party members in
30 States and found no party OPP
position and very strong party sup
port"
Senators on Platform Committee.
National representation, said MIR.
Short, was subject which the
Democratic party deemed important
enough to be included in its plat
form ct Chicago. A large percentage
Of that Platform Committee, he
pointed out. was composed of United
states Senators, including the chair
man, Senator Wagner. Therefore,
said MIR. Short, he did not see how
the leadership and the Rules Com
mittee could fail to grant the special
rule.
He pointed to Representa- tive
Summers as nationally and inter-
nationally known as very able
lawyer and authority on the Con-
stitution''
When Judge Summers he de-
clared, says that his resolution
safeguards all the Federal interests,
who among US can have the temer-
1ty to oppose his judgment-Hnless it
Is on a party issue-and we Repub-
licans have proved there is no party
issue involved"
Would Preserve Jurisdiction.
We are as anxious as any Demo-
Gratis to preserve the exclusive juris-
diction of Congress over this seat
of the Federal Government and
just as jealous of maintaining the
Constitution.
Mr.. Short declared that if the Re-
publicans can follow Representative
Summers on the issue of national
representation, it is to be expected
that the Democrats in control will
expedite consideration of his reso-
luton, especially since it is merely
carrying out the party platform
pledge.
The legislator also pointed out
that for years back the Republic
cans have advocated national repre-
sentation for the District" and cited
the fact that Former Representative
Leonidas C! Dyer of Missouri car
ried the torch of national represen-
tation Is wears or more ago"