Evening star., 1943-10-08
Wunted-ReuI Home Rule

There are a number of imperfec-
tions in the McCarran home rule"
bill which will become more apparent
as its provisions are closely studied.
Where the bill fails, however, is in it's
basic misconception of what consti-
tutes desirable home rule for the
District of Columbia. To be effective,
home rule for Washington should
begin with representation for the
Washingtonian in Congress, the
source OF indivisible legislative con-
troll over the District of Columbia.
The McCarran bill undertakes to
begin home rule for Washington by
giving the qualified local resident a
voice in the selection of seven Com
missioners, while still denying him
a voice in the government to which
these Commissioners are responsible.
This would tend to lessen the re-
sponsibility Of Congress toward the
District Of Columbia without reduc-
Ing It's power. On the other hand, it
would tend to increase the RESPONSE
bility OF the local taxpaying voter
without any compensating increase
in his power.
Without representation in the eX-
clusively controlling Congress, it is
hard to see how the people of Wash
ington would benefit substantially
from the McCarran bill. On the
other hand it Is not difficult to see
how the bill would complicate local
municipal government and handicap
the continued, healthy development
OF Washington as the National Cap
ital. Federal and local interests are
closely interviewer in Washington
and difficult to separate. So broad a
separation as seems to be contem-
plated under the terms Of the Nc
Carran bill hardly seems practicable.
The bills attempt to delegate legis-
lative powers Of Congress to a Board
OF Commissioners is of doubtful
validity. Its provisions as to the ex-
tent of taxing and appropriative au-
thorlty to be possessed by the new
Board OF Commissioners are ambig-
uous, to say the least. The real con-
troll over the District is reserved, as
necessarily 1t would have to be, to
congress. This is emphasized by the
measures assignment of more real
power to the chairmen of the House
and Senate District Committees
VINO may be elected by the people of
any community in the country except
the District of Columbia-than would
be given all seven of the Commits
sloners chosen by the people OF
Washington.
Now, as at intervals during the
past, there is much discussion of
reorganizing the local government
machinery. But the fundamentally
important step in that regard is to
give the citizen of Washington the
American right of representation in
congress and in the choice of Presi-
dent and Vice President. Most of the
communltys real grievances and
handlcaps spring from the denial of
tnat right. With the Washingtonian
represented in the exclusively con-
trolling Congress, the powers of the
Commissioners might be increased
within what would be carefully de-
nned as constitutional limitations
BY one process or another, the Com
mlssloners might be chosen or re-
tanned in office by methods assuring
thelr response to local sentiment, as,
Tor example, by granting to local
voters the power of recall in respect
to them.
But the place to begin home rule
Tor the District is with the adoption
OF the sumners-Capper resolution:
The Congress shall have power to
provide that there shall be in the
Congress and among the electors of
President and Vice President members
elected by the people of the District
constituting the seat of the Govern
ment OF the United States in such
numbers and with such powers as
the Congress shall determine. All
legislation hereunder shall be subject
to amendment and repeal.
The approval Of that resolution
would constitute genuine home rule
for the people of the District without
affecting the exclusive control over
the seat Of Government which the
Constitution definitely placed with
Congress.