Evening star., 1940-07-25
McNary Adds
His Support
For D. {. Vote
Says Senate G. O. P.
Fovors 1t; House
Units Approval Due
BY WILL P. KENNEDY.

Senate Minority Leader McNary
OF Oregon, Republican vice presi.
DENTAL nominee, today added his
support to the growing sentiment
In Congress for extending the fran.
chise to Washington residents. At
the same time favorable report
by the House Judiciary Committee
on the Summers representation
resolution was forecast when a
of the committee members
said they expected to vote for the
resolution.
Following closely on a similar
statement yesterday by House Re-
publican Leader Martin of Mas
sachusetts, Senator McNary today
declared:
Il stoutly favor suffrage in the
District of Columbia and believe
most of the Republican members
of the Senate share this view"
Senator McNary did not 60 into
details as to his preference among
the various proposals pending in
Congress.
Members of the Judiciary Com
mittee, which will meet Tuesday
on the Summers resolution, said
they will follow the leadership
of Chairman Summers, who spon-
sored the resolution; Representa-
tive Guyer of Kansas, ranking
Republican member, who promises
to cooperate with Mr.. Summers,
and Minority Leader Martin, who
pledged the support of the 167 Re-
publican House members.
Out of 16 Democratic members of
the committee, 9 have stated they
expect to vote for the resolution
the other are out of the city. Out
of 10 Republican members S say
they will probably vote for the
resolution, ! was non-commital and
the other are out of the city. This
makes total of IA out of 26 who
have indicated they will join in a
favorable report to bring the ques-
ton to a vote in the House, while II
are not in the city.
Young Voices Support.
Strong supports of the Summers
resolution. meanwhile, was voiced
at the District Building by Com
missioner John Russell Young.
Il am a firm believer in ma
tional representation" Mr.. Young
said, land this looks like about the
best thing offered to bring it about.
The people should have some form
or method of participation in the
government of their country"
NJ. Young said he had not been
asked fo1 ohtcial comment on the
measure but would be glad to ex-
press his strong support at any
time.
II don't know enough about it
now to reach a decision" he de-
clared. But before the day is over
I will confer with Mr.. Summers and
make up my mind"
Representative Rayburn of Texas,
majority leader of the House. told
newspapermen today he would make
known his position tomorrow on the
Summers resolution.
Meantime Chairman Randolph of
the District Committee, who took q
leading part in revival of the cam.
paign to give the people of WASH
ington the privilege of voting, said
he had arranged to confer Monday
night with a group of representa-
tives of the District Suffrage Assocl-
alton.
Summers Explains Stand.
Chairman Summers said today:
THE members of the committee
will have an opportunity to vote
on this question Tuesday. 1t looks
like there is a good chance to get
favorable report. have for years
contended that the proposition is
absolutely sound. 1t gives Congress
the right of control and gives to the
people of the District such rights
as are not in conflict with the
Federal interest.
Our Government is founded on
the philosophy that there can be
no just government without the
consent of the governed. While the
people in the District came here to
live knowing that it was established
as Federal territory as distinguished
from a free state. there is no reason
why the Federal Government should
deprive them of a share in the
Government and the right of suf-
frage so long as it would not en-
danger the Federal interest.
THE Federal interest should aud
must predominant. But under this
resolution there is no chance to
create a Federal state and / am
convinced the people of the Ma
tion's Capital can be given free
mems right to vote without endan-
gering our Government"
Guyer to Back Measure.
Cooperating with Mr.. Summers,
Mr.. Guyer said: II have always
favored some form Of local self
government for the District of Co
lumbia. 1t seems to me a strange
and anomalous situation to have
100000 people within the United
States who have nothing to say di-
rectly about their government. I
believe the people Of the District
are entitled not only to suffrage
and self-government, but also that
they should have representation in
Congress.
"Self-government for the District
Of Columbia would relieve the Con-
gress OF great deal Of detail work
regarding the local government of
the District and the City of WASH
ington. Two large committees of
the Congress are continuously busy
with purely local matters. The en-
ergies Of the members of these COM
mittees might be expended to bet
ter advantage in consideration Of