Evening star., 1941-04-20
Civic Problems, Civic Bodies
Congress Hears Suffrage Pleas;
d. G.. Men for Utilities Posts
BY JESSE C. SUTER.

Masonic bodies of Alexandra and Washnpon
under the sponsorship of the Association Inhabitants
Wednesday and Thursday subcommittee
mttee the Judiciary held hearing on pro-
posed constitutional amendment for national r
the people of the District Also Thursday morning
District Committee ordered favorable reports eight bills
On Thursday Friday Capital Plan
ming Commission held its woday April meeting
be added the meeting Wednesday
and the Federation of Citizens Associations night
Throughout the week the busy its
spring clean city campaign But the real hive of civic organization
industry was the Greater National CAPITAL Committee the 1ard
OF Trade The great influx of Easter and cherry blossom visitors
overfowed the Board of Trade offices Building
of housing accommodations and information
Public Utilities Commission Qualifications
The proposal to change the qualifications civilian members
of the Public Utilities Commission encounter
sion from the organized citizen
precbes for the two civilian members the qualifications
laid down by the Organic Act of 1878 for the of
Board OF District Commissioners appointed from civil life They
SHALL reads the law at the time of their appointment citizens
the United shall residents
District of Columbia for three years next before their appointment
and that period claimed residence nowhere ese
The fixing qualifications requiring the appointment of actual
residents District without State affiliations of the
differences of 1874 which created
commission form of for the District and
permanent 1873 Under the Organic
District found itself the first time in its history de-
pved the selection of of its officials The quah
cations prescribed intended give the District at least some
vestige rule.
time time these
of District Commissioners All attempts have failed because
of the almost unanimous civic organization objection
the Public Utilities drawn, largely under the
sponsorship the
Commissioner Col Franklin Bell similar qualification in
cuded for the civil members of the commission These civilians
representing the the District and
there strong objection to the appointment of
members feared that these offices might be used
sanctuary for lame ducks.
opinion prevails informed civic circles that the
pointing power of local and
difficulty finding local people who
well qualified fill these offices who be brought
from outside believed by citizens that the District
voting representation in the Congress and the electoral
college difficulty whatever in discovering plenty
wel-qualifed local candidates for these positions.
Some the civic leaders regard peculiar that oopholes must
residents the States order
that they the payment of the District income tax while
the time proposed make of these same people
eligible to hold offices and draw salaries derived from the taxes they
permitted to avoid
National Representation Hearing Started
With Wednesday forenoon and another on Thurs
afternoon the hearing before subcommittee OF the Senate
Committee the judiciary of the Capper joint resolution s. j.
Res 35 got off committee under the chairman
hearings being held the District Com
mittee room on the Senate floor of the Capitol
program be followed announced by the chairman
as follows
l. historical statement by Laurence schmeckebier and
Meyer Jacobstein of the Brookngs Institution.
Statement by Senator Arthur Capper who introduced the
joint resolution.
by former and present District Commissioners
Statements the official representative OF each OF the local
newspapers
pokemen for the various citizen organizations
70 by any individuals who wish to be heard
Any of these who wish speak against the proposed
amendment
So far the program followed through and Rep
of Texas chairman of the House
Judiciary the only member of the Congress to
appear response the invitation of Chairman McCaan Rep
resentaive Randolph and others are expected.
Paul Lesh chairman of the Subcommittee
on Congressional Action Citizens Committee Ma
Representation the District of Columbia given the
privilege of nterrogatng later invitation
legal questions involved
At the second the
present Wilbur Finch president OF the District Columbia
Association presentation
Endorsed the pending proposal but laid
particular the desire of his for complete local SELF
government.
discussion of the proposal carried in the
the right to delegate to local
government of its powers the District Several
members Representative Summers took
part in this discussion.
constitutional amendment permit dive
itself of National Capital Representative Sum-
stated his belief that Congress
already power create for the District OF Columbia what
government incompatible with American ideas which 1t
may fit.
Judge Summers expressed belief that Dis
to obtain through constitutional amend
privilege voting in the Congress and the
jeopardize by bringing the
question of local elf-government.
The spokesnen Joint Committee National
Representation the District of Columbia expect to follow the
representatives of the They Will oner complete case cuo
In material for completing the record
Capper statement and appeal has requested
that the Joint representatives the privilege OF
summing up evidence and offering anything which they may
care to in rebuttal after opponents are heard
heard Mrs Anna Hendey honorary
vice Society Natives the District Columbia
Miss L. Taggart chairman of the National Representation
Committee of of Citizens Associations, and Mrs
Hills Citizens Association
Each Endorsed the proposed constitutional
amendment respective Mrs Hendy also told the
committee getting representatives OF various groups
in different United States the measure
Kenneth p Armstrong Federation of Citizens
Associations statement individual citizen and