Evening star., 1945-10-04
Representation
Continued From First Page.)

member of the subcommittee, Sena-
tor Wheeler, Democrat, of Montana,
also was unable to attend.
Chairman Summers of the House
Judiciary Committee, a co-sponsor
of the pending resolution with Sem
ator Capper, Republican, Of Kan
sas, attended the session at the in
vitation of Chairman Hatch. Sen
ator Hatch said it was apparent
that majority of his subcommittee
was In favor of the Summers Cap
per resolution, with some changes
in language, "and the subcomfnit-
tee will SO report to the full
Judiciary Committee for its action"
In his earlier statement to the
press Senator O'Mahoney made
clear he believes District residents
should have the vote, but argued
the District is not a State, and
should not be given representation
in the Senate.
Amendment Proposed.
Senator O,Mahoney proposed an
amendment to the constitution, pro-
viding:
1.-The Congress shall have power
to provide for the election by the
people of the District constituting
the seat of the Government of the
United States of members of the
House of Representatives on the
same basis of apportionment as
may be adopted for the several
States and OF number of presi-'
Dental electors equal to the number
of Representatives apportioned to
such district"
In outlining what be termed de-
fects in the Sumners-Capper pro-
posal, Senator O'Mahoney said:
1T authorizes Congress to pro-
vide for District representation in
either or both houses of Congress.
ut authorizes Congress to grant
the District representation in each
house on a basis different from
that on which members for each
house are selected for the several
States. Under this language, Con-
gress in, fixing the number of Rep
resentatives for the District could
disregard the basis of apportion-
ment on which Representatives are
selected from the States and could
authorize the election of any num-
ber of Representatives in the House.
1t could provide for the election
to the Senate of more than two
Senators from the District.
Clause Held Unnecessary.
1T could give to the members of
Congress from the District and to
the presidential electors greater or
less powers than those granted by
the Constitution to the Representa-
tives, Senators and electors of the
several States.
THE concluding sentence, AL
legislation hereunder shall be SUBJ
.ject to amendment and repeal is un-
necessary. The right of Congress to
amend or repeal any statute has
never been challenged"
The wording of the Summers
Capper resolution is as follows:
The Congress shall have power
to provide that there shall be in the
Congress and among the electors of
President and Vice President men,
bers 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 sub
ject to amendment and repeal"
OMahoney Fears Precedent.
Senator OMahoney's statement
concluded:
''The District is not a State and
should not be given representation
in the Senate. The District is essen
TALLY city, but not as large a city
as many others. To grant it rep
resentation In the Senate would be
to lay the basis for demand for
similar representation by the large
metropolitan communities of the
country.
Representation N the House and
in the electoral college should be
sufficient, provided that the amend
ment is SO drafted as not to author
ize representation on basis greater
than that on which members are
selected for the House of Repre-
sentatives from the several States. :"