Evening star., 1941-12-09
Oldest Inhabitants
Told Enfranchisement
Is Wise War Measure
Theodore W. Noyes Cites
Traditional Capital Role
In Times Of Sacrifices

The 18th anniversary of the found
ing of the Association Of Oldest
Inhabitants of Washington was OBJ
served here last night amid a ma
tional response. in the spirit OF an
other rs, to a treacherous attack
upon our American democratic free
DOM
With this as its keynote, the cele-
bration was marked by dinner
in the Raleigh Hotel attended by
more than 100 persons, including
prominent District and Federal
officials.
1--WE celebrate the association 18th
birthday at the time of a revival
Of the national spirit of another
T6," declared Theodore w. Moves,
association president and toast
master for the evening. To-day
there rings out the national response,
In the spirit of 1776, to treacherous
attack upon our democratic freedom
and upon national security. A
united America faces its assailant.
In similar vein, Senator
OMahoney. Democrat, of wyoming
spoke of the grave crisis which was
inescapable" and added that God
willing, we will resist and crush the
enemy
Time for Enfranchisement.
Asserting that public thought in
national defense seems to forbid
corrective action on some important
District problems at this time, Mr..
Noyes stressed that this was still an
opportune time for the "enfranchise-
rnent of the voteless and unrepre-
sented Americans Of the District as
q wise measure of war preparedness"
THE dominating thought today"
he said, concerns vitaliZed Amer
icanisr1. patriotic sacrifice first IN
preparedness to prevent war and.
nov since war has come in prepared
ness for war itself; quickening and
intensifying everywhere of the fine
strong spirit of American national
ity. In these days of exalted Amer
icanism, Washingtonians are in the
front rank of devoted Americans
They have ever been foremost when
Americanism meant loss instead OF
profit, when to be Americans meant
to place sacrifice of both treasure
and blood upon the Nations altar.
Public interest is thus absorbed
in war issues and in preparedness
for war.
What. if anything, in this condi-
ton. may the people of the District
reasonably expect in the considera-
ton of the Districts special in
equities? The associations slogans
urging for the District both fiscal
and political equity (Which combine
to promote Washington's physical
and spiritual health and beauty
imply the existence of such in
equities. The Washingtonian's fiscal
inequities are so we'll known to this
gathering that g reference Is per-
missible only to those who are
directly and unfavorably affected by
national defense or war conditions.
The District has in the Congress
three legislatures in one-national,
state and municipal-and suffers
from misrepresentation in all. 1t
can reasonably call upon Congress,
as its state and municipal legislature,
to protect it against additional hurt
full inequities thoughtlessly imposed
by Congress. as its national legisla-
ture. in creating and applying ma
tional defense or war conditions"
Senator OMahoney said 1t was
his desire to cooperate in the OBJ
jectives so near to your hearts"
Economic Freedom Cited.
The Senator pointed out that al
though District citizens were de-
pr1ved of their suffrage rights, at is
true that you are still economically
free. One great difficulty of
our times is that in many localities
economic freedom is lost"
There can be no such thing as
permanent political freedom unless
there is economic freedom, Senator
OMahoney stressed. This Nation
was made great, he added, by people
who were free to produce rather
than by those leaning on the Gov
eminent.
To-day there are too many people
knocking on the door of the Treas
ury seeking funds for necessary i'm
provements which their local COM
munities cannot afford" he de-
clared.
Cites Untaxed Property.
An excessive tax burden is in
evitable to meet fast mounting ex-
penses Of the Capital, Mr.. Noyes