Evening star., 1944-06-28
Campaign Mapped
For COP Plank for
Representation in '48
BY WILL p. KENNEDY,
Star Staff Correspondent.

BY WILL p. KENNEDY,
Star Staff Correspondent.
CHICAGO, June 28.-Their plea
for suffrage plank rejected by the
Republican platform trainers, Dis
trict. delegates today began laying
plans for determined campaign
four years hence to get the support
of the Republican party in behalf
of an enfranchised Capital.
-Four years from now we are
determined to benefit by our ex-
perience in Chicago this year and
develop a systematic lobby among
the delegates" said James A. Wilkes,
chairman of the Republican Com
mittee for the District.
Campaign Objectives.
At the same time, the Capital
delegation, expressing regret that
the Platform Committee had not
had sufficient time to justly con-
slider" the Districts cause, hoped to
bolster their effort by campaign
pitched on these keys:
: Cd To show the States how un-
: selfishly the Republicans in the
District of Columbia are performing
important service to them in CAM
paign activities, especially in con-
gressional elections.
. Cd BY continuing service to carry
forward financial aid of the ma
tional party by raising campaign
/. funds; and,
: (3) BY showing the quality of
patriotic and well qualified party
service the residents of the National
Capital, their sons and daughters
are performing. They have deter
mined to present a we'll organized
demand" on the next national
party convention.
Grateful to Capper.
Chairman Wilkes said today: 1--WE
are grateful to Senator Capper for
his assistance in supporting our ef-
fort for a national representation
plank. Discussion on controversial
national matters left too little time
for a careful consideration of our
plea. An effort was made to reduce
our vote in the convention from
three to two, but this was defeated.
8 The Republicans of the District
of Columbia will again render serv-
ice to the party and to the States
by Servicing an excess 75,000
absentee voters calls from non
resident voters. In addition the
District Republicans will be called
upon to help finance the Presidential
and Congressional campaigns.
-Four years from now we are de-
termined to benefit by our ex-
perience in Chicago this year, and
develop systematic lobby among
the delegates. The people of the
District have good cause and we
should be able to convince the dele
gates from the voting sections of our
Country. All the European and
South American capital cities enjoy
suffrage.
when 1t comes to paying Federal
taxes, buying war bonds, furnish
ing soldiers, sailors and marines,
the District of Columbia does its
full share--and more, too.
Conditions No Longer Exist.
"If it were necessary or proper to
exclude residents at the seat of
Government from all rights to vote
when the Constitution was adopted,
the conditions then applying no
longer exist"
Mrs. Cooper B. Rhodes, who is to
be the next national committee
woman from the District and who
carries the proxies of both National
Committeeman. Edward F. Colladay
and the national committeewoman,
Mrs. Virginia White Speel, at the
convention, and who has taken an
outstanding part in the convention
said: --- .-.,
"It is my opinion that very few
persons in the Republican party are
acquainted with the contributions
made to it by the Republicans in
the District of Columbia. True we
have no vote in the electoral COL
lege, but our enthusiasm and ac-
compliShments are in direct pro-
portion with the 48 States who do
have it. The absentee votes we
service and the thousands of dol
lars we raise 60 into States to as
sist in the election of Republican
Representative in Congress. We feel
justified in imploring this conven-
ton for a plank in the platform
granting us representation in Con-
gress."
Dirksen Regrets Action.
Representative Everett M. Dirksen
of Illinois, ranking Republican men,
Der of the House District Committee,
Joined with Senator Capper, ranking
Republican on the Senate District
Committee, in expressing regret that
q national representation plank for
the National Capital was not in
luded in the Republican platform.
After II years of helpfulness to
the National Capital as member of
the District Committee, it is my con-
sidered opinion that the people of
the District should have a duly
accredited public servant whose
domicile and interest is in the Dis
trict, and who by virtue of that in
terest could and would give adequate
and sustained representation to the
interests of the District through
proper representation in co-opera-
ton with the District committees of
the House and Senate" Mr.. Dirksen
said.
1T is quite manifest that mas
much as all members of Congress,
including those who are charged
with responsibility for District
affairs, have their origin and inter-
ests in constituencies outside the
District and that at very best the
representations of the Districts in
terests must be secondary with them.
THE District of Columbia has
grown to great and important pro-
portions and the diversity of business
and commerce there required ade-
quate representation. I am, there
fore, of the considered opinion that
the District should have a Repre-
sentative who can appropriately and
m ~ N,tf 1p1, s..A