Evening star., 1941-04-16

ment that preceded adoption of the
present commission form in 1878.
Senator Capper, in his statement,
paid high tribute to the work of the
Citizens Joint Committee and to
its chairman, Theodore w. Noyes,
in behalf of the franchise for Wash
ingtonians. He told the subcom-
mittee the pending resolution and
others we're sponsored by the Citi-
zens' Joint Committee, land were
introduced by me at the request of
that very representative committee.
Continuing, the Senator declared:
Ever since I have been a men,
ber of the. Senate I have tried to
take a keen interest in the affairs
of our. National Capital and its fine
people. From the first I have be-
lieved firmly that these fellow
Americans should be given the right
TO participate in the councils OF the
Nation just as If they were the citi-
zens of a State. To my mind it
was clearly an oversight not to
have provided in the Constitution
for their participation in the Con-
gress and among the electors of
President and Vice President.
Recognition Due.
my study of District of Columbia
people and their problems through
my % years of service as member,
including eight years as chairman,
of the Senate District Committee
has intensified my conviction that
for the sake of the Nation itself
these worthy fellow Americans of
the District should be given recog-
milton as national voting Americans.
These people are subject to all of
the laws, responsibilities and obli-
cations to which Americans in the
States are subject and believe are,
of right, entitled to every privilege
of American citizenship.
81 favor the form of the pending
proposal because it is clear and
brief. A similar resolution intro
duced by Representative Summers is
pending in the House. 1t does not
attempt to write a statute into the
Constitution. 1t avoids all contro-
versial details which naturally must
be covered by statute after the con-
stitution is amended. 1t is a broad
enabling provision which would give
the Congress needed, new and addi-
tional powers over the seat of Gov
eminent. 1t is very flexible as to the
form in which the power, so granted,
may be exercised.
In brief the proposed amendment
to the Constitution provides:
81. Power to Congress to provide
for the people of the District repre-
sentation in the Congress and among
the electors of President and Vice
President the same as that of the
people of the States.
80. Power to Congress to delegate
to a local government all or any of
its power over the District.
"3. Extends the judicial power of
the United States to citizens of the
District the same as if they were the
citizens of a State.
q. All legislation enacted under
the amendment shall be subject to
amendment and repeal. Provided,
such amendment or repeal shall not
affect the Office of a Senator or
Representative during the time for
which he was elected.
"It is a clear-cut proposal and so
reasonable that I ana unable to see
how any objection on American
grounds can be raised against it.
"As have stated before, the power
granted Congress under this pro-
posed amendment possesses great
fexibility of application. The ex-
tent of representation in Congress
and among the electors is left COM
pletely to the discretion of Congress.
The extent to which Congress may
delegate of it's power OF exclusive
legislation is completely within the
control of Congress. And the Con-
gress may at any time through
amendment and repeal recover any
power which it may have granted.
These are all details to be covered
by subsequent legislation but in my
opinion not essential in considering
the proposed constitutional amend
ment.
An Informed Committee.
"I am unable to see where the
Congress or the Nation will be TAX
ing any chances on adding this
provision to the Constitution.
This proposal, as I have said, Is
sponsored by the Citizens Joint
Committee on National Representa-
ton. I have worked in close har-
mony for years with that fine COM
mittee, which was formed IN 1917
and which represents most OF the
civic groups and other organizations