Evening star., 1940-08-06
Wagner Backs
D. Suffrage;
Sees Passage
Senator Pledges
Full Cooperation
To Speed Approval
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Plank adopted In Democratic
platform fduortng District sut-
truge tDas tollo,Ded BY House Ju-
dietary Committee approval OF
Summers resolution for q consti-
tutional amendment empowering
Congress to grant District na-
tiondl representation and to dele
gate legislative potoer to q local
government. Committee limited
proposed congressional poUer by
amending resolution to make
permtsStue representation in
House, instead OF Congress, thus
preventing representation In Sem
ate. Original Summers resolution
introduced in Senate By Chair
man King of Senate District
Committee.
With a special Senate Judiciary
subcommittee session called today
to consider national representation
for the District, Senator Wagner
of New York, chairman of the DEM
ocratic Platform Committee, which
accepted the District suffrage plank,
announced he would cooperate fully
for its passage.
Senator Wagner Joined other Sen
ate and House leaders of both par
ties IN expressing confidence the
representation resolution will be
passed promptly so it may be sub
mitted to the State Legislatures
which will be in session during the
coming year. Ratification by SO
States Is necessary.
"Of course, will vote for legisla-
ton to carry out this platform pledge
which we made at the Chicago con-
vention,' said Senator Wagner.
Passage Predicted.
Whatever can properly do to
expedite action in Congress will
do gladly. I have every reason to
believe that the necessary two-thirds
vote will be had on this resolution
In the Senate after it has been
passed by the House. The outlook
seems very favorable, concluded the
New York Senator.
Senator Kings subcommittee
meeting is being called to map sslt
procedure for handling the natiHHal
representation issue on the Senate
side of the Capitol. His bill is
Identical with the Summers resolu-
ton as originally introduced.
House leaders continued, mean
while to anticipate action next week
on the Summers resolution despite
delay of the Rules Committee to
schedule q meeting to consider
granting special rule giving the
resolution privileged status.
The Rules Committee, according
to Chairman SABBATH. who, incsden-
tally, Is strong supporter Of the
national representation resolution,
probably will not meet until the
early part Of next week. 1t had
been planned to have a special
meeting sometime this week to en-
able Chairman Summers of the Ju-
dietary Committee to make a plea
for a rule that would assure ex-
peditious consideration of his reso-
luton IN the House. Representative
SABBATH, however, said the absence
from Washington of four members
of the committee and the illness
of another made a delay necessary.
Il don't think we can get around
to rule for the Summers resolution
until early next week." he declared.
Should a. rule be granted either
next Monday, Tuesday or Wednes-
day. House leaders said, 1t would
be possible to call up the resolution
before the end of the week.
See No Delay in House.
House leaders who predicted ac-
ton within 10 days ON the Summers
resolution as favorably reported last
Thursday by the Judiciary Commit
tee, do not believe failure of the
Rules Committee to act until next
week would materially change their
forecast. If the House is not too
engrossed with national defense
legislation next week, it was said, the
Summers resolution can be given a
right-of-way a day after the Rules
Committee grants special rule for
its consideration.
Full Representation Objective.
The original Summers resolution
provided constitutional amend
ment, subject to ratification by 80
States, which would empower Con-
gress to grant District residents the
privilege of voting for President and
Vice President and electing their
own representations in Congress. A
change made by the House Judiciary
Committee, in approving the plan,
would make the legislation limit the
power OF Congress to the extent Of
allowing the District representation
in the House only. An effort is to
be made in the House, however,
when the resolution comes up for
consideration, to restore the provi-
sion that would allow Congress to
grant representation in both houses
Of Congress.
Limited Representation.
Support of the Summers resolu-
ton and opposition to the committee
amendment that would limit repre-
sentation to the House was ex-
pressed in letter mailed to every
member Of the House last night by
six representatives of an estimated
1000 900 women.
The letter was signed by Alma J.
(see REPREsENTATION, Pg. AID
Qroha At Na4n AL Ola.