Evening star., 1940-08-14
Continuing Study


The succinct and excellently chosen
phraSeology of the statements sub
mitted to the House Rules Commit
tee yesterday by Chairman Summers
of the House Judiciary Committee
and Representative Guyer of Kansas,
ranking minority member, provides
an unanSWerable argument why
Congress and the people of the
United States should have opportu-
nity-now-to vote on the Summers
amendment.
Chairman Summers wisely directed
his argument to clarifying the pur-
pose of his amendment, "* an
enabling provision, giving to the
Congress, which has the cOnstitu-
tional responsibility with reference
to the government of the District of
Columbia, complete power to dis
charge that responsibility, according
to its judgment, retaining to each
Congress the power to effectuate
such changes as its judgment may
suggest"
And strongly supporting Mr.. Sum-
nerS in his scholarly presentation OF
the philosophy of the amendment
was Mr.. Guyer's appeal to the pa
triotism of Congress and his appeal
to the practical considerations which
may lead some future Congress to
delegate more of its exclusive"
power over the District to a local
government. 81 favor it first" said
Mr.. Guyer, because / believe all the
people of the United States are en-
titled to a voice i'm their Government,
and second, because it will relieve the
Congress of the details of the gov
ernment of the City of Washington
when their time is required to pass
upon and enact general legislation
for the f0rty-eight States"
The purpose of the amendment, of
course, is to enable Congress to ex-
ercise the powers thus described
when, as and if Congress chooses.
The form of representation to be
given the District in Congress and
the electoral college; the number of
Senators, if any; the form of local
governmental a new form is desired
and the nature of participation-if
any-by local residents in their local
government are, as Mr.. Summers
pointed out, left for the continuing
study of future Congresses. The
ratification of the Summers amend
ment would leave any Congress with
full and unquestioned power to with
draw, to modify or to enlarge the
voting power to be conferred upon
the people Of the District of Co.
lumbia.
In recent press conference PreSi-
dent Roosevelt referred to the ques-
ton of votes for the District as one
still in the study stage" No more
apt description of the nature of the
Summers amendment could be given,
for the Summers amendment pro-
videS the first essential for a con-
tinuing study of the sort of repre-
sentation in their Government that
is best designed for the people of the
District of Columbia. 1t conferS upon
Congress the power to make such
continuing study.
Under that amendment, any form
of representation chosen after
study-to be conferred by Congress
upon the people of the District
would be dependent, for its continual
ton, upon the continuing study OF
future Congresses. No power would
be conferred which could not be
withdrawn.
So confident are the advocates OF
national representation as to the
wisdom, the Righteousness and the
complete success of giving the people
of the District their voice in the
councils of Government that they
fear nothing in the specific preserva.
ton of power by Congress to take
away what Congress may give.
No man who swears allegiance to
the fundamentals of American Gov
ernment can conscientiously oppose
the opportunity for continuing
study" under the Summers amend
ment, of the right of Washingtonians
to a voice in their Government.