Evening star., 1941-07-11
DC. Suffrage Fight
Is Given Setback
By Subcommittee
Copper-Summers' Plan
Unanimously Rejected os
'Conferring Statehood

The next development in the Dis
trict's fight for suffrage will come
when the Senate subcommittee pre-
sents to the entire Judiciary Com
mittee the action it took yesterday
in disapproving the Capper-Sum-
mers Resolution for a Constitutional
amendment that would merely
authorize Congress to grant national
representation and a greater degree
of local self-government.
Senator McCarran, Democrat of
Nevada, Chairman of the sdboom-
mittee. indicated he may not be
ready to submit the question at the
next meeting of the full committee
Monday because he wants to pre-
pare a written report.
Comments of the five subcommit-
tee members who voted unani-
mously against the Capper-Sum-
mers proposal in its present form
indicated that they were basing
their disapproval of voting repre-
sentation in Congress and in the
Electoral College on the ground
that to grant it would mean con-
ferring statehood on a city. With
regard to Q greater cegree Of local
self government, they contended the
proposed Constitutional amendment
is not necessary.
Wenf N.tinnaI ConfroI
Asked for his view of the sub
ject, Senator Norris, Independent
OF Nebraska, and q member of the
subcommittee, said: THE suhcom-
mittee was unanimous, therefore,
don't believe in that amendment"
Most of the difficulty that exists
here, he added, does not require a
constitutional amendment.
Il don't want to destroy national
control over the District" Senator
Norris said.
If a greater degree of local self
is granted, therefore, he
said, 1t should be with the provision
that Congress could at any time
change it. In discussing voting rep
resentation in Congress, he said:
'T don't believe we ought to make
q State of the city of Washington"
"Tantamount to Statehood"
Senator Connally, Democrat. OF
Texas took the view that the Cap
per- Summers proposal was contrary
to the original concept of the found
ers, and would be tantamount to
statehood"
Chairman McCarran said he
favors giving the District home
rule, always reserving the para
mount principle that Congress here
has supreme control over District
affairs" The constitutional amend
ment was not necessary to do that,
he said.
Senator Austin made the follow
ing comment:
I'm the form in which 1t was
presented we couldn't agree to it.
That doesn't foreclose consideration
of any other proposal. The unani-
nous feeling was that the purpose
uf the founders in setting up a
National Capita, ought to be carried
out. That was best stated in the
quotation from Madison, printed in
the hearings"
Senator Austin agreed with the
contention that Congress already
has power to give District residents
the kind of government it provides
for the Territories. He said also
he has been willing to give suffrage
q tryout here in some form similar
to the bill considered last year, but
not passed, for the holding Of ON
cial primaries every four years for
the election of delegates to the
political conventions. He said he
would like to see how that would
work.
Senator Kilgore, Democrat, Of
West Virginia said the resolution
presented too drastic an innova-
ton in government" He explained
he had reference to giving the at
tributes Of statehood to q city.