Evening star., 1940-08-13
Representation
Hearing Is Set
For Tomorrow
Rules Group to Hold
Special Meeting on
Summers Request
BACKGROUND

BACKGROUND
Plank adopted in Democratic
platform tdUortng District SUI
trdce ,CdS tolloWed by House Ju-
dietary Committee approval OF
Summers resolution for a conSti-
tutiondl amendment empowering
Congress to grant District ma
tiondl representation and to dele
gate Legislative poDer to a local
government. Committee limited
proposed congressional poUer by
amending resolution to make
permtsSiUe 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.
The House Rules Committee ar
ranged today to hold special meet
ing at 1870 am. tomorrow to hear
the plea of Chairman Summers of
the Judiciary Committee for a spe-
cial rule to expedite House consider
alton of his resolution providing a
constitutional amendment empow-
erlng Congress to grant national
representation to the voteless resi-
dents of the District.
The special meeting was called
after the committee earlier in the
day failed to hear Representative
Summers because of its lengthy con-
sideration of applications for rules
on national defense and child ref
ugee legislation.
Representative Summers accom-
panied by Representative Guyer Of
Kansas, ranking minority member
OF the Judiciary Committee and
an ardent supporter of the national
representation resolution. had ap-
peared at the Rules Committee
meeting today prepared to make q
plea for the special rule.
After listening to a long state
ment by Chairman Dickstein of the
immigration Committee for a rule
on the child refugee bill, Mr.. Sum-
ners asked whether the committee
would give him time to make a plea
for rule for his resolution.
Il don't believe we can reach YOU
this morning" replied Representa-
tive Cox, Democrat, of Georgia, act.
ing chairman in the absence of Rep
resentative SABBATH. Democrat, Of
Illinois. Il am sorry"
Had Prepared Statements.
Both Mr.. Summers and Mr.. Guyer
turned over to newspapermen copies
of the statements they had prepared
to read today in explanation of the
national representation resolution.
There is a great deal of con-
fusion with reference to the reso-
luton which l introduced and its
effect upon the government of the
District of Columbia. If adopted
it would not change in the slight
est degree the government of the
District of Columbia and the right
of its people to participate in either
the local or Federal Government.
1t is an enabling provision, giving
to the Congress, which has the
constitutional responsibility with
reference to the government of the
District of Columbia. complete
power to discharge that RESPONSE
bility, according to its judgment,
retaining to each Congress the
power to effectuate such changes
as its judgment may suggest.
Cites Congress Power.
Until comparatively recently the
agitation was for the creation Of
the District of Columbia into a sort
of Federal State If that had been
done and experience had proved
that it had been a mistake, nothing
could have been done about it, ex-
cept by another amendment to the
Constitution Under the resolution
which I have introduced, if anything
should be done under the authority
granted by that resolution which
experience should prove a mistake,
the Congress could Immediately
correct it, thereby creating the pos
sibility of working out by experience
the best system of local govern
ment for the District of Columbia.
with the possibility of permitting
some participation in the Federal
Government by the people of the
District of Columbia which would
not interfere with the Federal in
terest, which Federal interest. it
would seem, always would be held
to be paramount, insofar as this
District is concerned
Under it's existing power. Con-
gress clearly could provide for the
establishment in the District of Co.
lumbia of an ordinary municipal
government. I have not examined
the matter thoroughly. but I am
much inclined to the notion that
Congress could go farther than that.
The word exclusive in the provision
of the Constitution with reference
to the government of the District of
Columbia, it seems to me, was
chosen because it was the strongest
word which could be used to exclude
(See REPRESENTATION, Pg. A-60