Evening star., 1941-04-18
Summers Urges Plea
To States Be Confined
10 Representation
Sees Ratification Chances
Impaired by Including
D. 6. SeIf-Government
BY J. A. O'IEARY.

chance of ratification by the States
If confined to national representa-
ton was before the Senate Judici-
ary Subcommittee today, as 1t
stood in recess until Wednesday.
1t came. at yesterdays hearing
both from Senator Austin, Repub-
hcan, Of Vermont and Representa-
tive Summers, Democrat, of Texas,
who is sponsoring the proposed
amendment in the House.
In its present form the Capper-
Summers resolution would vest in
Congress discretionary authority
both to grant national representa-
ton and to delegate to a local
government all or any of its power
over the District.
Cites Present Power.
Appearing in support of the res
olution yesterday, Mr. Summers, who
is chairman of the House Judiciary
Committee, contended that Con-
gress already possesses power to
establish any form of local gov
ernmert for the District that 1t
could enact for the Territory of
Alaska:
The references to local self
government in the resolution are,
therefore, unnecessary, he argued,
and advised against their retention
in the proposal.
IF I lived in the District and
wanted some voice in the Federal
Government" Mr.. Summers said,
land I knew that Congress already
had authority to deal with the
question of local government, I
would not impair my right to get
participation in the National Gov
eminent by putting that in
He made the statement after
Senator Austin had said he did not
believe the proposed amendment
would be ratified by the required
number of States if it carried the
thought that the local municipal
government might become the gov
erning body of the National Capital.
Finch Among Witnesses.
Others who testified yesterday
afternoon in support of enfran-
chising the voteless residents of
the District were Wilbur S. Finch,
president of the District of Co.
lumbia Suffrage Association; Mrs.
Leslie B. Wright of the Forest Hill
Citizens Association, Miss Eta L.
Taggart of the Federation of Citi-
Zens' Associations and the Wash
ingtonians, Mrs. Anna E. Hendley,
P. A. Sugrue and K. P. Armstrong.
After indorsing the Capper- Sum-
ners resolution for a constitutional
amendment Mr.. Finch coupled
with it a plea that Congress at
the same time enact legislation
giving District residents as much
control over their local affairs as is
possible under existing provisions
of the Constitution and compatible
with the interests of the Federal
Government.
Representative Summers told the
Senate group it has always been
his view that Congress has as
much power to legislate for the
District locally as it had to legislate
for New Mexico when it was a
Territory"
Explains Views on Exclusive"
Mr.. Summers said he thought
the use of the word exclusive" in
the constitutional clause declaring
that Congress shall exercise exclu-
sive legislation over the District
was intended merely to draw a dis
tinction between Congress and the
State Legislatures.
Jesse G. Suter of the Citizens
Joint Committee on National Repre-
sentation, called Mr.. Summers at
tention to court decisions, one rem
dered in recent years, as well as
those growing out Of the old ter
ritorial form of government, hold
ing that Congress did not have
the authority to delegate certain
powers to the local government.
Mr.. Summers came back to his
original position that Congress can
go as far in establishing local
government for the District as 1t
could in the case of Territory, like
Alaska.
In response to questions by Chair
man McCarran and Senator Norris
of Nebraska, Mr.. Summers made it
clear constitutional amendment
is necessary to give the District
voting representation in Congress
and In presidential elections.
Gives Credit to Summers.
Senator Capper, Republican, of
Kansas said he was glad to have
a part in sponsoring the pending
resolution by introducing it in the
Senate, but wanted the record to
show that Chairman Summers "de-
serves all the credit" for it.
Mrs. Wright said her organiza-
tion is for national representation,
but against local suffrage.
Mrs. Hendley said she wanted to
correct the impression in some
minds that the people of the States
are not interested in the voteless
condition of Washington. She told
of having enlisted the support of
more than 1000 persons connected
with organizations in the States,
who, she said, could not understand
why residents of the District can
not vote in national elections.
Miss Taggart called attention to
the fact that Washington residents
fulfill all national obligations i'm
posed on citizens f the States, AS
a current illustration, she reminded
the subcommittee that District boys
are responding along with the rest
of the Nation in the draft for mill
tary service. /
Cites Organic Act.
Arguing primarily for a greater
degree of local self-goyernment,
Mr.. Finch testified: 49,
"I am willing to concede that
the Congress of the United States
for the first three-quarters of a
century after the establishment of
the seat of government tried hard
to comply with this principle of |
local self government in the va
rious municipalities into which the
city was divided up to 1871 and
during the three years of the ex-
9cfepra of Tho forriforio fory,, of