Evening star., 1940-02-10
Questions Conclusions Of
Star Editorial.

To the Editor Of The Star:
Your recent editorial commenting on
Mrs. Roosevelt's statement relative to
practical suffrage" for the people Of the
District of Columbia is noted Perhaps
you have correctly interpreted her views,
but If so. it leaves some of US in a state
Of considerable confusion. The issue is
one respecting the disposition of the tax
money of the people 6f the District of
Columbia and the failure of the Congress
of the United States to make a proper
disposition of it.
For the benefit of unenlightened per-
sons like myself, will you explain just
how grant to the people of the District
of Columbia of the right to elect two or
three members of the House Of Repre-
sentatives and one or two members Of
the Senate of the United States will cure
the difficulties which now beset us be-
cause the Congress of the United States
acts as our city council?
Presumably, these representatives from
the District of Columbia would be placed
in key positions on the committees and
subcommittee dealing with District
affairs. There is, of course, nothing to
guarantee that they would, but since
service on such committees is usually
summed by members of Congress, it is
reasonable to assume that they would be
so placed, even though it might some
times be necessary to violate all prece-
dents by appointing members of the
minority party to chairmanships. But
where would that get US?
Two or three members can scarcely
constitute an entire committee, and even
though the District of Columbia repre-
sentatives should be in key positions, the
committees would still contain majority
of members from other States. Perhaps
the District of Columbia members would
be able to influence these other members
to go along with them in all cases. I
wouldn't know. being merely voteless
taxpayer and not a politician.
Speaking merely as voteless taxpayer,
may difhdently suggest that it might
be more practical" If these representa-
tives Of the people of the District of
gressional committees and allowed to
function by themselves as a committee
or a commission? If 50, why 60 through
the involved process of securing an
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States when the Congress can,
any time it wishes, grant to the people
Of the District of Columbia the right to
elect such a commission, or council, and
can delegate to it the powers Of appro-
priation Of District tax monies which are
now exercised by committees of Con-
gress? In doing SO, Congress would re-
tain without impairment" its exclusive
control" Of the District Of Columbia, just
as State Legislatures retain final powers
over city governments chartered by them.
Not being politician, I can see no
advantage in projecting such commits
sion or council into the arena of national
politics, as would be the case II it were
composed Of members of Congress from
the District Of Columbia" have not
heard Of very many members Of Congress
who have been elected without the desig-
nation Of any national political party, but
do know Of plenty Of cities having non
partisan municipal governments. May
suggest that q non-partisan city council
would be much more capable of handling
the disposition of the tax money of the
people of the District Of Columbia than
are members Of the Congress Of the
United States. even If the people Of