Evening star., 1945-09-25
Injustice toD.C.
Cited at Heariinq
.0n SuffrageB Bill
Voteless Residents
Cove Lives in War.
Senate Group Told
Pictures on Page BIZ

The injustice of denying tn
District residents voice in the
Government which so many dice
to defend during this war was
pleaded today before the Hatch
subcommittee of the Senate Ju-
dietary Committee.
The occasion was a hearing on
the Sumners-Capper resolution.
which would empower Congress to
grant the District national repre-.
sentation and a vote for President.
Washingtonians jammed the COM
mittee room to hear Senator Cap
per, Republican, of Kansas, sponsor
OF the resolution in the Senate.
declare he is more interested ir
getting vote for the District thar
any other measure now befor,
Congress.
Board of Trade Appears.
A veteran of 13 months in the
Pacific, 1t. G.g) James S. Beattia
said $4,000 District men fighting in
the war were ''kidded" and "classec
with the idiots" by other servicemen
over their liability to vote.
Benjamin M. McKelway, presi-
dent Of the Board of Trade. ap-
peared on behalf of 5000 members
OF that organization to protest the
unfairness of taxing District resi-
dents and sending them to war
without their consent. He stressed
that Congress should keep it's legis-
lative control over the seat of the
Government, but that residents
should have representatives in Con-
gress and in the electoral college.
The District Commissioners, the
Federation of Citizens Associations
and other civic groups also sub
mltted written pleas for passage O..
the measure.
Proponents concluded presenta-
ton OF their statements shortly
after noon and Chairman Hatch
adjourned the hearing until 2:30
pm. today when any opponents OF
the proposal will be given an oppor-
tunity to testify.
ffeSentat10n Praised.
Chairman Hatch praised the pro-
ponents for the able and concise
manner in which they had pre-
sented their arguments.
Early in the morning hearing.
Chairman Summers of the House
Judiciary Committee, sponsor of the
resolution in the House, appeared to
tell Senator Hatch personally of his
desire for its passage in both Houses
and to submit statement in behalf
of the measure
Senator Capper. invited by Sena.
tor Hatch to speak, declared:
I have been interested in this
legislation ever since I've been 4
member of the Senate-26 years. F
really am more sincerely interested
IN 1t than in any other measure now
before the Congress.
Situation Called Unthinkable
To me it is unthinkable that in
the Capital of the greatest democ-
racy OF the world, the people of that
city have no voice in their govern
ment. 1t seems impossible"
Tho other Senators attending the
hearings, Senators Moore of Okla
homa and Wherry of Nebraska,
both Republicans, laughed and
NODDED their heads in agreement as
Senator Capper added, IF this hap
pened in Kansas the people would
be up IN arms and down here in a
minute. l cannot understand it
myselt-hoW this most intelligent
Congress can allow these people to
go on year after year without the
vote"
Senator Capper praised Theodore
w. NoyeS, chairman of the Citizens
Joint Committee on District of Co.
lumbia National Representation,
represented at the hearing by Jesse
c. Suter, vice chairman.
First Considered in 1916.
Twice during the proceedings
Senator Hatch commented on the
sloWness of Congress to grant suf-
frage, first considered in 1916. When
Mr.. Suter mentioned that the first
hearing was held in 1916 and the
citizens had been appearing regu-
larly since then, Senator Hatch said.
DO you think the Congress NAV not
act Quickly?"
I'VE still have hopes" retorted Mr..
Suter.
1t. Beattie said during his testi-
mony that he had hoped the ouss-
tion of the vote would be thrashed
out by the time he came back from
war so he could vote in the first
peacetime election.
But you know. lieutenant" said
Senator Hatch, "democracies are
proverbially slow We haven't had
enough time"
/. The veteran, an advertising exec
utive here for 10 years, now under
treatment at Bethesda Naval Hos
pital after 13 months in the Pacific.
told the committee:
About $4,000 boys from the Dis
trict have been in the same armed
(See REPRESENTATION, Pe- A-31