Evening star., 1943-10-10
Randolph Says Drive
May Bring Ear|yAction
On D. T.. Home Rule

residents of the District may lead
to early action by Congress, Chair
man Randolph of the House District
Committee said last night.
Representative Randolph, long an
ardent champion of national repre-
sentation and local suffrage for Dis
trict residents, said:
II have consistently supported
the desirability of giving the bona
fide residents of the District the
privilege of voting for the President
and Vice President and electing
representatives in Congress, as we'll
as some workable and effective rep
resentation in their local govern
ment. The renewed interest In the
subjeot is encouraging and may pro-
duce the long-sought results with
out undue delay"
Returns From Tour.
Mr.. Randolph. fresh from a tour
Of his congressional district, said
he had not yet had time to study
the McCarran home rule plan for
the District. or the proposal of Sem
ator Holman, Republican, of Oregon,
for creation of charter commits
sion" through which the voteless
residents could decide whether they
want a change in the present COM
mission form of municipal govern
ment
II do not know the merits of
either proposal" he declared. but
I shall give them close study at the
first opportunity. However, I can
repeat what I have said many times
before.
Il can see absolutely no reason
why the residents of the District of
Columbia saould not have the privi-
lege of voting for the President and
Vice President of the United States,
nor can I see any reason why this
National Capital should not have
representation in both bodies of
Congress
Few Details Studied.
"As Jealous as individual men,
bers of Congress may have been,
and will be, in fighting for District
OF Columbia proposals, yet those
men are elected from other jurisdic-
tions, and l think 1t Is only fair to
assume that they must necessarily
give cursory study and not know
the actual details of the measures
which they have to sponsor. AS
Tor myself, I can say that ! have
felt the need many, many times for
additional time in which really to
prepare myself on subjects con-
corning the District of Columbia,
and l know that other members
must have had the same feeling"
The home rule bill, sponsored by
Chairman McCarran of the Senate
District Committee now is pending
before that unit. 1t undertakes to
begin home rule by giving local res
ldents a voice in the election of
seven commissioners who in turn
would select city manager. The
commissioners would constitute the
governing body for the District and
would be delegated certain legisla-
tive powers over the District now
held exclusively by Congress.
Recalls Earlier Move.
The national representa- ton reso-
luton. sponsored jointly by Chair
man Summers Of the House Judi
ciary Committee and Senator Cap
per, Republican, Of Kansas, now is
pending before the House and SEN
ate Judiciary Committees. II pro-
poses a constitutional amendment
empowering Congress to grant to
the people Of the District the right
TO participate IN the election, of
President and Vice President, with
voting representation in Congress.
Representative Randolph recalled
that perhaps the greatest impetus
ever given the move for national
representation was the action of
the democratic national convention
in Chicago in 1910, when it placed
In its platform a plank unequivoc-
ally approving a vote for the men
and women who live in Washington
and cannot discharge that vote in
any Of the States.
Il make this prediction. I have
made 1t before and make it again" I"
he declared. "If either Senate or
House are given an opportunity to
vote on this legislation it will pass.
l have no doubts on that score"
Would Retain Some Power.
Mr.. Randolph said he did not be-
heve Congress should give up all its
rights to strictly local government
in the District.
I believe" he explained, there
are certain functions of the local
government which Congress could
and should delegate to other gov
erning bodies rather than to its
own direct control. Certainly, this