Evening star., 1943-10-22
Senators Differ
Widely on D. {.
Plans
Committeeman Give
Stund on McCurrun,
Holman Proposals


the Senate District Committee on
the question Of suffrage for Wash
ington has been revealed by COM
ments on two new proposals intro
duced recently to give residents a
voice in the local Government.
The plans that have stimulated
renewed discussion of the franchise
are: The McCarran home rule bill
for the election of seven city COM
missioners, chosen by wards, and the
appointment by them of a city man.
ager; the Holman resolution, pro-
viding for referendum, in which
the voters would express their pref
erence as to a form of Municipal
Government, to be recommended to
Congress
Capper Halls Interest.
Senator Capper of Kansas, rank
ing Republican on the District Com
mittee, has long sponsored national
representation for Washingtonians
in Congress and the right to vote
in Presidential elections. He and
Chairman Summers of the House
Judiciary Committee have pending
in the Judiciary Committees Of both
houses a simplified proposed Con-
stitutional amendment that would
merely empower Congress to grant
such representation in Congress and
in the Electoral College in such
numbers and with such powers as
O ~
Il am still for my own resolution, u
said Senator Capper today, but
I am not fighting other measures
The Introduction of these other pro-
posals is good thing, because out
of them all I think we will get
something. There is more interest
in the question of suffrage for the
District today than ever, and the
subject ought to be thoroughly dis
cussed from every angle during the
next few months. The business anc
civic groups of the city should CEN
ter their interest on the question"
Senator Capper cited slum condi-
tions in some areas of Washington
as one of the problems he believes
would be corrected more promptly
if local residents could vote.
Burton Stand on Record.
Senator Burton, Republican, Of
Ohio, former Mayor of Cleveland
is on record in favor Of election tc
the House of a voteless delegate
similar to the delegates from Hawaii
and Alaska. On the question Of local
self government, Senator Burton
said it would be beneficial to have
some portion of the policy-maklng
body elected by local residents, but
the elected members should not con-
stitute a majority of the board, un-
der his plan.
For example, If the McCarran bill
was slated for adoption, Senator
Burton would have four of the seven
commissioners appointed by the
President, and three elected by the
people, to preserve Federal control
over the National Capital. The seven
could then appoint a city manager,
in whose selection the people would
have some say. through their minor
ity vote on the commission.
Senator Burton said it also is i'm
portant that, if commissioners are
to be elected, a substantial number
of them should be voted on by the
large rather than by wards.
so that a city-wide viewpoint would
be applied to city-Wide problem.
Others Touch on Question.
Senator Tydings, Democrat, of
Maryland, said he was not prepared
to comment on the details Of pend
ing proposals. but would support
any reasonable proposition to give
the District local government :"
Three other District committee
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Holman, Repub-
lican, of Oregon; Bushfield, Repub-
lican, of South Dakota, and Buck
Republican, Of Delaware-touched
on the question of local self-govern-
ment in their recent report on Gal
linger Hospital. They recommended
that some form Of city government
such as has been just recently in
troduced in the Senate by Senator
McCarran be considered"
Subcommittee hearings have been
set for November 30, on the McCar-
ran bill. to be followed by testimony
on the Holman resolution.