Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-11-13
A Friendly Word
For the District
Editorial From New York
Paper DepIores Denial
Of Franchise Here
From the Bronx Home News.

From the Bronx Home News.
Some months ago reference was made
here to residents of the city Of WASH
ington, D. c., who are not permitted to
vote" Thereafter, we received a num-
Der Of letters asking us if we were not
in error when we said any group Of
Americans, merely because of its place
OF dwelling-provided the place were
not PRISONS deprived of the fran
chise.
1t is. unfortunately. fact that per-
manent residents of the District Of
Columbia, because it is "only" Federal
district and not State, have no vote
in either national or municipal matters,
and have no representation in Con-
gress. although their city government
is administered by Congress. They have
no self-rule.
Persons who reside more or less tempo
rarily in Washington because they hold
Government positions may vote from
their permanent residences in any of the
States, but all-time Washingtonians are
not permitted to vote at all.
This deprivation always is source of
bitterness to them, but just now, be-
tween the drawing of draft numbers that
will send young men into the Army and
next Tuesdays highly important ma
tional election, they are feeling it par
ticularly acutely, as we learn from
Washington newspapers.
Now, with the CONSUMPTION machinery
swinging into action, Washington learns
that almost 1000 of her young men will
be trained in the armed services for the
possible defense of their country.
And now The Washington Evening
Star says, with reason and dignity: THE
District gives of its men, its money and
its other resources without stint and
without regrets. 1t takes pride in it's
ability to measure up to all the obliga-
tons imposed on the States by the Ma
tional Government But it would be
prouder still if the National Government,
in turn, would extend to the District of
Columbia the full privileges OF American
citizenship which it so earnestly desires
and to which its stature, its sacrifices
and its standing as an American COM
munity justly entitle it."
Washingtons deprivation is laid to the
fact that the Constitution makers failed
to give Congress the power-analogous
to that which it possesses with regard
to the admission of Territories to state
hood-of granting representation in
Congress and in the electoral college to
the District
Surely 1t is obvious that the trainers
OF the Constitution never intended to
deny the franchise and responsible rep
resentation to the people of any division
within the United States. But they
did not foresee everything, as, of course,
they could not, which is why we have
so many amendments to the original
document.
What the people of Washington have
been seeking for years is another amend
ment, one that will right the wrong from
which they long have suffered.
Thus far, their effort has been vain,
but certainly it has the deep sympathy
OF all their fellow Americans, who would
be glad to see them join in the voting
next Tuesday and always afterward.
But they cannot do so, and recollection
OF the hurt they feel in the circum-
stances should be another factor in
deciding all the rest of us that, come
what may. We will cast our ballots
next week
Editors Note: This editorial, which
appeared in the Bronx Home News
several days before the national
election, Tuesday, November 5, is an
example of the intelligent and sympa-
thetlc attitude which an increasing
number of American newspapers are
showing toward the plight of the
people Of the District of Columbian