Evening star., 1940-07-30
D. {. Citizens Group
Reaffirms Advocacy
OF Representation
Resolution Commands
Support, Letter to
Summers Asserts

IA ACcICA CApi Cno1llS COlltllluCo
advocacy" of the House resolution
which would give the people of the
District representation in Congress
and in the presidential electoral
college was sent tooay to Chairman
Summers of the House Judiciary
Committee by Paul E. Lesh, vice
chairman of the Citizens Joint
Committee on National Representa-
ton for the District of Columbia
and chairman of its Committee on
Congressional Action.
The letter follows:
July 30, 1910.
Dear Judge Summers:
This letter is written on behalf
Of the Citizens Joint Committee on
National Representation to record
our continued advocacy OF House
joint resolution 257 of this Congress.
During the Is months since this
resolution was introduced its sub
stance, which was old, and it's form,
which was new, have been publicly
and privately considered and dis
cussed by those interested in the
people of the District of Columbia,
and have met with practically uni
versal approval
Insofar as this resolution makes
possible representation of the people
of the District in the Congress and
in the presidential electoral college,
1t embodies the objective for which
this committee was formed in 1917,
and for which it has striven through
the intervening years as the growth
of our population has been making
the justice of our plea more appar-
ent.
Hearings Are Cited.
1t is impossible and probably un-
desirable to attempt to restate here
considerations which we know you
have in mind. They were fully
stated in the hearings over which
you presided as chairman, held May
Is, 10 and 20, 1888 (hearings before
the Committee on the Judiciary,
House of Representatives, Seventy
fifth Congress, third session, on
House joint resolution 232 and House
joint resolution 564, serial 19).
We can summarize by repeating
the fundamentals that government
derives its "just powers from the
consent of the governed" and that
taxation without representation is
tyranny" Self government in our
Nation is accomplished by the cleo
tion by the people of those who
make and administer their laws.
The exception made with respect
to the people at the seat of the
Government was not because the
principle is unsound or naturally
admits Of exceptions, but because
the paramount interest of the Ma
tlonal Government was considered
to require that it be supreme at the
seat OF its government, to the ex-
clusion of any State or local au-
thority. Inasmuch as this national
interest is the sole reason for ex-
cepting the District of Columbia
from the otherwise universal rule
OF self government, it follows that
the people of the District should
have such participation in this
government as does not conflict
with the national interest.
No impairment of national inter-
est would result from participation
by the people Of the District in the
National Government.
United on Proposition.
Our committee includes represen-
tatives Of organizations which de-
side all local government to be by
locally elected legislators and ad-
ministrative officials, and also those
who prefer that this District should
continue to be governed as now by
the Nation. Those of us who con-
slider the city now well governed
contend that this fact is quite be-
side the point. The people of no
other city. because it is locally well
governed. are asking to surrender
their participation in the National
Government. However, we are
united on the proposition that there
should be granted to us such par
ticipation in the government of the
Nation as our population entities us
to seek.
Contrary to some recent public
statements, the matter of local gov
ernment by local suffrage is not
dealt with b% the pending resolu-
ton.
In so far as the resolution author
ICES the delegation of the power of
Congress over the District to any
government Congress may set up
here, it has our united support. It
will permit Congress to consider on
their merits any proposals to dele
gate all or any part of its authority
without concern about the fine dis
tinction between the making OF
municipal regulations and legisla-
ton, because the courts have uni
formly held that Congress may
without amendment to the Consti-
tuition sublet the power to make
municipal regulations but not the
PO"CA W ACSASldCC 1Ol Cllc DlSGIlCl
(see decisions cited on pages IS, las
to $50 of the above mentioned print
of hearings.
The resolution does not deal at all
With the question whether there
should be a locally elected local
government, as it authorizes the
delegation of power to any govern
ment setup here, including, OF
course, the present municipal gov
ernment with appointed officers
Even assuming the continuance OF
the present form of local govern
ment, the clause in the amendment
is therefore desirable to enable Con-
gress to deal more efficiently with
District affairs by removing the
possibility of challenge on the same
grounds as have been successfully
urged in the courts against dele
cations of its power over the Dis
trict. Congressman who have been
active in District affairs will appre-
ciate the desirability of delegating
powers and duties with respect to it
Commands Support.
On the other hand. the resolution