Evening star., 1940-03-29
Council
Continued From First Page.)

peal to you to do all in your power
t. make them truly American citi-
zens."
The council, composed of woman
delegates from % States who are
studying problems of suffrage in the
District, was informed by the Sena-
tor of problems affecting govern
ment in the District, and he as
serted:
Il am inclined to the opinion that
no worthwhile and satisfying i'm
provement in the local government
-" is attainable until the District
residents are accorded their natural
right of representative participation
In the Congress, which possesses
and will continue to exercise over
them the power of exclusive legisla-
ton in all cases whatsoever"
Senator Capper reiterated the plea
made January 10 before the General
Federation of Womans Clubs that
the Constitution be amended to give
District residents the right to elect
congressman and vote in presiden-
! tldl elecClOnS.
He pointed out that the voting age
population of the District exceeds
that in New Hampshire. Idaho,
Arizona, New Mexico. Vermont,
Delaware. wyoming, Nevada and
possibly Utah.
Rated With Criminals"
District residents are "as good
Americans as are to be found any
place under the Stars and Stripes
he declared.
They are intelligent, public
spirited. loyal and patriotic and are
always to be found meeting all the
obligations of American citizens,
both in war and in peace. In meas
uring up to these obligations of
citizenship, they are excelled by no
other American citizen, but when it
comes to their possession and ex-
ercise of vital and fundamental
political rights, they are rated in
the same class as the criminal and
the lunatic."
District residents are subject to
all laws enacted by Congress yet
they are deprived of the right to
participate through duly elected
representatives in the enactment of
these laws. They are required to pay
, heavily in taxes for the support Of
the Nation, yet are denied represen-
tation in the Legislature which de-
termines the kind and the amount
of these taxes, and how the result
ing revenues shall be spent.
! Called An Oversight.
They are required in time of
war to bear arms in the service of
their country, to fight and possibly
to die. yet they have no voice what
ever in determining whether there
shall be war. or at the conclusion of
the war, as to the terms of peace.
They are ruled over locally by ad-
ministrative and judicial officers
appointed by the President of the
United States, but are denied par
ticipation in the selection of that
President. They are also required
to pay in taxes for the support of
the National Capital whatever the
Congress, in which they are not rep
resented, requires of them, and have
no voice whatever in deciding for
what this money shall be spent
Were the District citizens salts
fed with this deprivation of their
natural rights, he asserted, they
would be unworthy of the name
American" The only possible re-
lief, he said, is to be found through
an amendment to the Constitution
of the United States which will give
Congress the power to correct this
defect in our fundamental laws"
Framers of the Constitution, "un-
Intentionally, am convinced, omit
ted to fix the political status OF the
future residents of the 10 miles
square constituting the seat of Gov
ernment, and unintentionally failed
to give Congress the power" he said
of granting representation in Con-
gress and the electoral college to the
people of the District.