Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-23
Representation
Petition Refused
By Summers
Sponsor Declines to
Try to Force House
Consideration of Bill

CndlTIldIl SuIllIltIS VI lIlt nUuSc
Judiciary Committee announced to-
day he had no intention at present
Of attempting to force House con-
sideration by petition of his resolu-
ton providing a constitutional
amendment empowering Congress
to grant national representation to
the District.
The announcement followed dis
closure by Chairman Randolph of
the District Committee that he
planned to confer with Representa-
tive Summers over the possibility of
having the House being forced by
petition into position of consid-
ering the national representation
resolution.
A petition to force early consid-
Grafton of the resolution would have
to be signed by 218 members, ma
jority of the entire House MEMBER
ship.
Hopes Summers Will Act.
Representative Randolph said he
hoped Mr.. Summers would orig
mate the petition, since such petit
lions cuStomarily are initiated by
the sponsor of legislation.
To get the resolution before the
House via the petition route would
require at least two weeks. First,
according to the parliamentarians,
a resolution would have to be intro
duced directing that the House be-
gin immediate consideration of the
Summers resolution. The resolution
to compel its consideration would be
referred to the Rules Committee,
which Wednesday refused by a g.
to-4 vote to give the proposed suf-
frage legislation preferred status
on the House calendar Then, if
the Rules Committee failed to act
on the resolution after seven leg
islative days." petition would be
placed on the desk of the Speaker
to await the signature of 218 men,
bers.
In view of the action of the Rules
Committee, there is only one other
possibility, aside from the petition
plan, of the Summers resolution be-
ing considered by the House before
adjournment of Congress.
calendar Wednesday" a Possibility
The resolution is on the House
calendar and could be called up in
regular order on so-called "calen-
dar Wednesday'-the Wednesday of
each week when committees are
given the privilege of asking for
consideration of legislation which
they have approved. OF late, how
ever, the House has dispensed with
calendar Wednesday" and none of
the leaders will give assurance it
will be observed the coming week
A special subcommittee of the
Senate Judiciary Committee has
definitely decided not to consider
any District suffrage legislation at
this session of Congress unless it
has first been passed on by the
House. The subcommittee has be-
fore it resolution introduced by
Its chairman. Senator King, Demo-
crat, of Utah, which is an exact
duplicate of the original Summers
national representation resolution.
Although still hopeful that action
may be taken before Congress ad-
journs on the Summers national rep
resentation resolution, Mr.. Ran
dolph said he is ready to call spe-
cial meeting of the House District
Committee to consider Representa-
tive Kennedys bill providing for an
elected municipal assembly of 81
members to serve as the legisla-
tive body for the District.
Kennedy to Ask Action.
Mr.. Kennedy. Democrat, of Mary
land, and the ranking majority
member of the House District Com
mittee. said he would ask Mr.. Ran
dolph to call the special meeting to
consider his measure.
Mr.. Randolph, however, explained
that before he calls the meeting he
would confer with Senator King, who
also is chairman of the Senate Dis
trict Committee, and suggest that
joint hearings of the two District
Committees be held on the measure.
Mr.. Randolph left Washington
yesterday afternoon. Senator King
said he had not yet heard from him,
and Mr.. Kennedy said he had been
unable to reach him to make a re-
quest for special meeting of the
House District Committee
Mr.. Randolph's idea for joint
hearings on the Kennedy bill is
destined to fall on deaf ears on the
Senate side of the Capitol Senator
King said the members Of his COM
mittee are opposed to joint meetings
of the Senate and House District
Committees.