Evening star., 1940-07-24
The Summers Resolution


meeting Of his committee for the
purpose Of reporting out a resolution
designed to give the people of the
District a voice In their government.
The resolution presumably to be
reported is the resolution drawn by
Chairman Summers. It was framed
after his committee had heard the
proponents Of various forms Of
District suffrage testify. It comes
nearest meeting universal approval
of all suffrage advocates. It has
been widely Endorsed, both by spokes-
men for the local community and by
members of Congress. It is the
resolution around which all the ad-
vocates Of suffrage can rally and for
which they may work unselfishly,
preserving the unity among them
which Is necessary if Washington is
to have the vote. It Is simple and
direct in its language, represents
thoughtful compromise between va
rious schools Of thought and meets
most Of the objections which expert
ence has shown may be anticipated
in congressional debate.
The resolution proposes an amend
ment to the Constitution, giving to
Congress "the power to provide for
the people of the District, constitut-
ing the seat OF Government Of the
United States, representation in Con-
gress and among the electors Of
President and Vice President no
greater than that of the people of
the States, and to delegate to such
government as Congress may estab-
lish therein all or any of its power
over said District; and the judicial
power Of the United States shall
extend to controversies to which
citizens Of said District shall be
parties the same as to controversies
to which citizens of State shall be
parties" The remaining section of
the amendment provides that all
legislation under such amendment is
subject to repeal, except that no
repeal amendment shall affect the
Office Of Senator or Representative
during the time for which he was
elected. -r--.
The Summers amendment merely
confers upon Congress a specific
power which Is not now contained in
the Constitution. The specific form
Of exercising that power is left,
always, with Congress.
The Summers amendment recog-
nizes that self-government is the
essence Of the American system of
government and that the only ex-
ception in that system is in the
National Capital, where the para
mount interests of the National
Government required that the Ma
tional Government be supreme.
The form Of representation in
their Government for the people of
the District, therefore. must be such
as not to challenge or to reduce the
sovereignty Of the National Govern
ment in the District. No impairment
Of national interests would result
from participation of the people Of
the District in the National Govern
ment. And none would result from
local self-government provided the
National Government retains the
power to revoke such control as it
might choose to delegate to a local
government.
Constitutional amendment is felt
to be necessary, as there is no power
in Congress to provide for repre-
sentation of the people Of the District
in Congress or in the election of the
President and Vice President. While
the power Of Congress as to local
affairs is already complete, 1t has
been questioned whether the power
of Congress to legislate for the Dis
trict can be delegated to a local
government.
oVVCA0 "a AOAAAo VI PAOkOoCA dllCIlO@
ments to the Constitution have in
cluded specific provisions regarding
the amount of representation in
Congress to be given the people of
the District and the form of local
government to be established. The
Summers amendment touches none
of these. It simply grants to Con-
gress the power, leaving to Congress
the decision as to how it will exercise
that power.
Once the power is specifically
given to Congress, thus removing
doubts as to constitutionality there
is little question that this power
would be exercised in accordance
with the demonstrated wishes of the
people of the District OF Columbia,
subject always, Of course, to the
supreme control by Congress over
the seat Of Government.