Evening star., 1940-12-08

steadily increasing expenses of the
developing Capital.
-. Neglect of obligation based on
absolute, despotic control of city by
Nation. Obligation always follows
power.
"3. Neglect of obligation based on
national pride in the Nations City.
4. Neglect of obligation based
upon payments made from local
taxes solely because Washington is
the Capital, in excess of what would
be paid if Washington were the or
dinary commercial self-sustaining
community. Also neglect of the OBJ
legation based upon local payments
which are national or semi-national
and impose a national obligation to
pay all, or half. or 40 per cent of
expenditures end which render in
adequate the Federal contribution in
lump sum of about II per cent. The
items under this head include our
over-costly Municipal Center. the
expenditure for parks development
under the Park and Planning Com
mission, the Rock Creek-Potomac
Parkway, the National Geological
Park and the Districts water plant.
IS. Neglect of the obligation based
upon heavv national internal reve-
nue. taxes paid by the unrepresented
people of the Capital compared with
corresponding payments in the SOW
ereign States
''6. Neglect Of equitable obliga-
ton to pay heavily for capital up
building in lieu of hundreds of
millions of dollars in grpnts, boun-
ties. subsidies paid by the Nation
to the States from national tax
revenues to which the District con-
tributes more than any one of
half the States: in distribution
from which the Capital has until
very recently been barred.
az. Neglect of the obligation to
make payment representing excess
of service rendered by the local
government to the Nation over that
rendered by the National Govern
ment to the District. The Jacobs
committee reported this excess as
approximately 2 million dollars"
Representation Is Urged.
Political inequities are also to be
corrected" Mr.. Noyes said. "Politi-
cal equity, that is, national repre-
sentation, means voting representa-
tion in Congress and the Electoral
College 1t will raise the voteless,
unrepresented, politically impotent
Washingtonian from the status of
the convict and lunatic to that of an
American sovereign with power to
participate self-protectingly and
helpfully in the National Govern
ment which taxes him, makes all
laws for him and sends him to war.
When the power involved in this
vital right is won, the campaign for
financial equity and for the salts
faction of every other wholesome
need of the District will be wonder
fully strengthened.
THE 663,153 Americans of the
District constitute the only COM
munity in all the expanse of the
continental and contiguous United
States-populous, intelligent, public
spirited. of adequate resources
which is denied representation in
the National Government.
"In relation to the national laws
the sole function of the District
residents is to obey They take no
part in making the laws which they
must obey.
In relation to national taxes the
sole function of the 663 ,153 Dis
trict Americans is to pay. They
have nothing to say, like other tax
payers, concerning the amount and
kind of taxes they shall pay and
how the tax money shall be spent.
They pay more national taxes
than 81 States: more than seven
States combined.
"A more fragrant case of taxation
without representation it is i'm
possible to conceive.
No Voice in War or Peace.
I'm relation to national war the
sole function of the 663, ,153 Ameri-
cans of the District of Columbia is
to fight in obedience to command
They have no voice like other Amer
leans in the councils which deter
mine war or peace. They have no
representation in the Government
which requires them to fight, to
bleed and. perhaps, to die.
They sent more soldiers and
sailors to the World War than seven
| States.
This contrast is shown vividly,
under the Selective Service Act of
1910, between the number of men
required of the voteless and unrep-
resented District of Columbia and
the number required of some of the
, sovereign States.
National representation is a dis
tinctive basic right of the American
citizen-in a Government of the
people, by the people, for the people
in a Government which roots its
justice in consent of the governed
in q representative Government
which inseparably couples taxation