Evening star., 1941-03-20
Municipal Assembly
Ratifies Constitution,
Nominates Officers
Seton Durr Heads Slate
Election Scheduled for
April Is Meeting

The Districts Municipal Assembly
last night moved step nearer COM
plete organization with the ratiflca-
ton of constitution and prelim-
mary nomination of officers.
Meeting in Barker Hall at the
Y. w. c. A., more than $50 repre-
sentatives of some 60 organizations
approved four-page constitution
and set up a slate of officers headed
by Seton Darr, who has been serv-
ing as temporary president of the
group.
The assembly also heard from SEN
ator Capper of Kansas advice to
concentrate in united support of the
Capper- Summers joint resolution
now pending to empower Congress
by constitutional amendment to give
the District national representation.
Senator Capper promised to do all
in his power to help these de
Americanized Americans" in the
Nations Capital during this session
of Congress.
To Elect April Is.
Mr.. Darr announced the next
meeting will be held in Barker Hall
April 16, at which time elections will
be held. Although complete slate
of officers was nominated last night,
he said other nominations may be
made next meeting.
Other nominees were: Doxey Will
kerson, first vice president; Ernest
H. Pullman, second vice president;
Mrs. Lois Sentman, secretary, and
Harold Waiter, treasurer.
Merlo j. Pusey urged unity in ap-
preaching District problems. AL
though praising the work of pres
ent civic bodies and warning against
dualism, he said there has not been
developed "a unity of community
spirit"
DR.. Herbert A. Wood, tax expert
of the Bureau of Internal Reve-
nue., told the representatives he
favored an income tax as opposed
to a sales tax. He described the
sales tax as a Fundamentally bad
tax" He said, however. he was
speaking for himself and not for
the bureau.
Rent Commission Urged.
A rent control commission for
Washington was urged by Mrs.
Helen Duey Hoffman of the Wash
ington Housing Association. She
said there had been an increase in
rent in subStandard housing here
and urged careful consideration of
the bill introduced by Representa-
tive Randolph, chairman OF the
House District Committee.
Plans for continuing a study on
relief problems by the Voteless Dis
trict League of Women Voters were
announced by Mrs. G. B. Galloway.
She requested material from any
who had information on the sub
ject in the assembly.
Mr.. Darr, in announcing conclu-
sion of his temporary chairman
ship, expressed the hope that the
! assembly would never discriminate
on race, creed or color; would con-
Germ itself with the problems Of
the poor and underprivileged, would
claim no monopoly on civic virtue"
and would attack no organization
working for Washington.
HIS remarks are to be incorporated
| in the minutes of the assembly as
the spirit on the group, on motion
from the floor.
Senator Capper spoke briefly, con-
graduating the assembly on its
"strong showing" and said he well
coined any movement that would
aid District residents to appreciate
their responsibilities as citizens.
Sees More Favorable Chance.
Outlining the Capper-Sumners
resolution, he pointed out that no
power is taken from Congress, but
on the contrary more is given 1t.
He said the joint resolution was
simpler and was less likely to be
opposed than the former national
representation bill he has been sup
porting for many years.
"For my part" he said, Il am
unable to see where any American
in or out of Congress can find any
reasonable grounds upon which to
object to the procedure provided by
the proposed amendment"
Washington, he said, contains halt
a million of as good citizens as any
city in the country and yet they are
placed in the same category with
convicts and lunatics.
1T is the Capital of what We lin