Evening star., 1940-08-05

'LeSn PIeSenIS New
Data Backing Full
D. {. Representation
Cites Cut in Number
Of Electors Under Plan
Boring Senator
The importance Of empowering
Congress to grant residents Of the
District Of Columbia representation
in both Houses Of Congress, as pro-
vided in the original Summers reso-
luton, instead OF only in the House,
as stipulated in the amended Sum-
ners plan reported by the House
Judiciary Committee, was empha-
sized today by Paul E. Lesh, chair.
man of the Committee on Congress
sional Action of the Citizens Joint
Committee on National Representa-
ton. in letter thanking . mem-
ber of the House Judiciary Commit
tee for the consideration given the
Summers resolution.
Commenting on the amendment
which substituted House of Rep
resentattves" for "Congress" in the
section dealing with the legislative
body in which the District must be
given representation II Congress 70
determined after the proposed con-
stitutional amendment was ratified
by three-fourths Of the States, Mr..
Lesh said:
I'VE know some Of the considera-
tions you had before you. We be-
lieve the following were not before
you.
Number Of Electors Reduced.
"Q) The committee amendment
cuts down our vote for President
and Vice President. BY Article II
section !, OF the Constitution, the
number of presidential electors /.
fixed as equal to the whole number
Of Senators and Representatives Il
which the State may be entitled In
the Congress" BY the committee
amendment the number of presi.
dental electors the people Of the
District may have is limited to the
number of Representatives appoint
ment may give 1t. The people Of
every State have two more. This
means that in presidential elections
the people Of the District can have
no more than fractional votes aa
compared with people in States. On
the present apportionment We would
have two electors whereas . State
OF comparable population would
have four electors, 30 that each voter
here would cast one-half 4 vote fol
President as compared with the
State voter.
"(O The only formal expression
from the Senate has been from the
District Committee of. the 67th
Congress. A proposed amendment
to give the District one or two
Senators, as determined by the Con-
gress, as well As Representatives,
according to population, was favor
ably reported by Senate Report 507
of that Congress, and approval was
reiterated without formal report by
q successor Senate committee Feb
ruary II. 1927. House joint reso-
luton 257, as introduced, would au-
thorize two Senator's, one Senator,
or none at all, as Congress may de-
termine, whereas the amendment
approved by the Senate committee
directed representation in the SEN
ate. leaving only the number, two
or one, uncertain.
Authentic Spokesman Vital.
"(3) The body which governs the
District article I, Section 81 Is
the Congress Neither House Of
Congress Is given any power or re-
sponsibility with regard to the Dis
trict not shared by the other, ex-
cepting for those divisions Of power
which operate on the District only
because they are general. Thus,
for example, our judges are con-
firmed by the Senate and tried by
the Senate ii impeached by the
House, and 1t is in the House that
all bills for raising revenue must
originate. For all practical purposes
representation in each House Is
equally important, and both repre-
sent the people. District affairs,
without an authentic spokesman
for the District, are equally dincult
for both Houses Of Congress.
"(D Both branches get their
strength from the fact that they
draw to their membership ability
and patriotism from all parts OF
the Nation. The Senate can no
more afford to cut of the District
than can the House.
"t6 Lastly. and most compelling
the resolution as introduced die
no more than increase the power
of Congress: the committee amend
ment cuts down the power. One
could understand why the District
might prefer . provision like that
which the Senate District Commit
tee approved, but it is dimcult Il
see why Congress would not prefe,
to remain free to suit its future
action to its future views, as VA
possible under House joint resolu.
ton 257 as introduced. A propel
difference between statute and Z
Constitutional provision is that 4
statute should be as specific ant
detailed as the subject matter per.
mits, but Z constitution should bt
as broad as the vision of it, trainers
The present proposal Is q grant oi
power to Congress. Congress powel
on this particular subject shoule
not be now limited"
U. S. Moving to Ease
Blockade of Frunce