Evening star., 1940-07-24

Should the House Judiciary Com
mittee. at Its meeting called by
Chairman Summers, report favor.
ably on q suffrage resolution for the
District the resolution probably will
be the Summers resolution, intro.
duced by Representative Sumner.
In April, 1899, following hearing or
suffrage proposals by his committee
The text of this resolution follows
JOINT RESOLUTION.
Proposing an amendment to
the Constitution Of the United
States providing for national
representation for the people of
the District Of Columbia.
Resolved by the Senate and
House Of Representatives of the
United States of America in Con-
gress assembled (two-thirds of
each house concurring therein.
That the following amendment to
the Constitution of the United
States be proposed for ratification
by the Legislatures of the several
States, which, when ratified by
! the Legislatures Of three-fourths
s Of the States, shall be valid as q
part Of said Constitution:
Article
Section /. The Congress shall
have power to provide for the
people Of the District constitut-
ing the seat Of the Government
Of the United States representa-
ton In the Congress 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 establish 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 20
which citizens of a State shall be
parties.
Section 2. All legislation here
under shall be subject to amend
ment and repeal: Provided, That
no amendment or repeal shall af-
feet the office of a Senator or
Representative during the time
for which he was elected"
Lesh Report on Resolution.
Paul E. Lesh, chairman of the
subcommittee on congressional ac-
tion, reported to the Executive Com
mittee Of the Citizens Joint Com
mittee on District of Columbia ma
tional representation on April H.
1899, on the Summers joint resolu-
ton in the following language:
The fundamental principle upon
which the Government in our Ma
ton Is based is consent of the gov
erned. This principle has been de-
clared in forms accepted as self
evident truths, such as that gov
ernments derive their just powers
from the consent of the governed
and taxation without representa-
ton is tyranny Self-government
is accomplished by the election by
the people of those who make and
laws.
The exception made with respect
to the people at the seat of its Gov
ernment was not because the prin-
ciple Is unsound or naturally admits
of exceptions, but because the para
mount interest of the National Gov
required that it be supreme
at the seat of its Government, to the
exclusion of any State or local SOW
1nasmuch 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 their
government as does not conflict
with the national interest.
mo impairment of national inter-
est would result from participation
by the people Of the District in the
National Government. None would
result from local self-government
provided the National Congress re-
tains the power to revoke such con-
troll as may be delegated to q local
Constitutional amendment Is
because there is now no
power In Congress to provide for the
people Of the District representation
In the National Legislature, Con-
gress, or in the election Of the Chief
Executive. People Of States have
no greater participation in the Ma
tional Government than this, and
the proposed amendment therefore
makes possible the grant to the
people Of the District participation
In the National Government to the
full extent Of that now had by the
people Of the States.
"As to the local af5airs Of the