Evening star., 1940-01-20
Summers vote<
:
Plan Cited by
Senator King
Proposal Has Merit,
He Says, in ToIk #
To1rude Bourd

~ IUOOS OOOUO
Senator King of Utah, chairman
Of the Senate District Committee,
told the Washington Board of Trade
last night that the District of Co.
lumbia is the best governed city in
the United States.
Addressing several hundred mem
bers of the board at its meeting In
the Mayhower Hotel, the Senator
conceded there is a natural desire
for suffrage in the District but that
= he feared granting OF statehood"
or municipal suffrage to the Nations
Capital would lead to serious clashes
Of authority between the Federal
and local governments.
He said he had recently been
handed a copy of the proposed
amendment to the Constitution in
troduced by Representative Sum-
ners of Texas. He had found much
merit in the proposal and stated, IT
we are to change the system here so
that the people may vote for PreSi-
dent and Vice President and for one
or two Senators and Representatives
according to their population, Judge
Summers proposal deserves most
careful consideration
Relates Own Experience.
To illustrate his practical SYM
pathy for the voteless and unrepre-
sented plight of the District people
he related his own experience and
emotions as citizen of tho Terri
tory of Utah, before its admission to
the Union. He said he could ap-
preciate the feelings of the people
here In having no representation in
their National Government and
having carpet baggers' appointed
to the territorial Offices.
The Summers joint resolution, to
which the Senator referred, would
empower Congress to provide for the
people of the District representation
in Congress and among the electors
of President and Vice President no
greater than that of the people Of
the States. It would also empower
Congress to delegate to such local
government as it may establish in
the District all or any of its power
over the District. The proposal
would also give District residents the
same access to the courts of the
United States as possessed by the
citizens of State. All legislation
under the amendment is subject to
amendment or repeal except that no
such amendments or repeal shall
affect the Office of a Senator or
Representative during the time for
which he was elected.
Defends Commissioners.
In answer to criticism of District
government aimed at the members
of the Board of Commissioners.
Senator King said: THE Commis-
sioners are doing splendid job. No
word of criticism can be leveled
against either their character or
their work."
Senator King defended the gov
erning policies of Congress with re-
gard to the District, saying "the
House and the Senate have given
the District of Columbia the highest
form of municipal government in
the United States" He said this
resulted largely from the mon
partisan" cooperation in congress
sional committees dealing with the
District.
OF members Of House and Senate
committees with whom he. had
served, Senator King said: "They
have devoted themselves faithfully
and to the best of their ability to
the interests of District of Columbia
residents" He praised the work of
Senator Capper, Republican, Of
Kansas, one of seven members of
Congress who we're guests at the
meeting.
There never was a man in this
city who was not given the oppor-
tunity to present his views and
ideas to Congress, nor has there
ever been a bill which was not al
lowed consideration" he said in
contending that the present system
is democratic in form.
Sees Appropriateness of Meeting.
Lawrence c. Williams, president
of the Board Of Trade, who intro
duced Mr.. King, delivered a pre-
vious address in which he remarked
on the appropriateness of devoting
the meeting to relations between
the District Of Columbia and Con-
gress at time when Congress was
initiating work on District legisla-
ton and budget bills.
Mr.. Williams, speaking on local
government reorganization, likened
the District to a patient and the
Congress to his doctor. He thanked
"Dr. Congress" for having protected
the patient" from an operation de-
signed to cure him but which might
well have left him dismembered.
This, he said, was the Jacobs oper-
ation."
Continuing in the same vein, Mr..
Williams said:
Right now we are being carefully
examined by two other groups of
specialists. One group, composed of
some estimable gentlemen, also from
Chicago, has outlined one course of
treatment. Another group, composed
OF equally estimable gentlemen, who
live over in the District Building, has
prescribed another course of treat
ment.
"The poor patient, not sure of
what is wrong with him but mighty
certain that it is very serious and
Is going to hurt, doesn't know quite
what to do. One thing be may do is
to let the two groups fight it out
among themselves and then 60
around, as usual, to faithful DR..
Congress and ask for a dose of
plain, old-fashioned pills to get rid
Of the tummyache."
Sees Benefit In Representation.
Mr.. Williams said the Board of
Trade felt that both the people OF
the District and Congress would
benefit by representation in Con-
RreSS for the v,eonle of the district