Evening star., 1944-08-27
Burton 10 Seek
4
ID. {. Franchise
In Maryland

Sen0torS from State
Would Represent
NotionoI Capitol Also
Senator Burton, Republican,
of Ohio announced yesterday he
was drafting and later would
sponsor a proposed constitu-
tional amendment to grant Dis
trict representation in Congress
by classifying eligible Washing
tonians as though they were
voting residents of Maryland.
Senator Burton, a member Of the
Senate District Committee, is one
Of the champions Of the McCarran
home rule" plan for the District,
now awaiting action by the full
District Committee. This calls for
a city manager city council form
Of government, with seven council
men elected by wards and two
others appointed by the President
to safeguard the Federal" inter-
ests in city administration.
Declaring his belief that Wash
inston residents should have their
own spokesmen in Congress since it
holds exclusive legislative control
over the National Capital, Senator
Burton said he thought the bSst
chance of achieving this would be
by relating the national voting to
the State from which the Capital
area was obtained.
McCarran Raised Question,
His suggestion is a development
OF question raised last winter by
Senator McCarran, Democrat. of
Nevada, then chairman of the Sen
ate District Committee, during a
discussion of the city home rule"
measure. Senator McCarran ques-
toned whether residents of those
portions of Maryland and Virginia
which were ceded as the seat of
the Federal Government actually
had been deprived Of their rights
VI oNAAA o6C AL GAlC tWO OGdDCS. LIE
Virginia portion of the Capital was
ceded back to that State long ago.
Senator Burton said he had not
worked out the exact language or
details of his proposal but had re-
quested the Senate's legislative
service to draft a proposed consti-
tutional amendment to carry out
the general idea he expressed. on
hand, however, he suggested it
might be an amendment to the con-
stitutional provision which places
in Congress the power to exercise
exclusive legislative power In all
cases whatsoever over the National
Capital.
He said the proviso might be
worded: Solely for the purpose Of
the election Of members of the
House Of Representatives, Senators
and presidential electors, the resi-
dents of any district ceded by any
State to become a seat Of Govern
ment of the United States, shall
have the same rights and privileges
Of such State"
Would Help Name Senators.
He suggested this might give Dis
trict residents three representatives
in the House, depending on final de-
termination as to districting. and
that while the District would not,
under his plan, elect Senators from
the District as such, the voting resi-
dents of the District would partici-
pate with voters of Maryland in the
election of Maryland's Senators. In
effect, therefore he suggested Mary
lands Senators would represent not
only the people of Maryland but also
those of the National Capital.
He said he had doubts whether
Congress would approve any ma
tional representation plan which
would set up the National Capital
as State" but that he thought
that Congress would approve some
such plan as he suggests.
Resolution Pending.
Now pending before the Senate
and House Judiciary Committee Is
a joint resolution proposing con-
stitutional amendment empowering
Congress to grant the District such
voting representation in Congress
and the Electoral College as Con-
gress itself might determine.
Introduced by Chairman Summers
of the House Judiciary Committee
and Senator Capper. ranking men,
Der OF the Senate District Commit
tee the text of the resolution fol-
lows:
"The Congress shall have the
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 Government of the
United States, in such numbers and
with such powers as the Congress
shall determine. All legislation
hereunder shall be subject to amend
ment and repeal"
Sponsors of this plan have made
clear it would not establish the
District as q State Congress
would still have exclusive legislative
power but District residents would
no longer have the unique distinc-
ton of being the only citizens Of the
United States denied all represen-
tation because Of the place in which
they live.