Evening star., 1945-02-15
Prompt Action
Is Promised on
D. {. Vote Plan.
CelIer Anticipates
Favorable Action
In Full Committee

to empower Congress to enfranchise
District residents was on its way
through the legislative mill today
after a House Judiciary Subcommit-
tee yesterday quickly completed a
hearing on the measure.
Representative Celler, Democrat,
OF New York, chairman of the sub
committee, said he expected his
group to report the resolution IA
vorably to the full committee in
about 10 days. Mr.. Celler adjourned
the hearing after an hour and As
minutes when he announced the
of the subcommittee IA
vored the measure, sponsored Joint
ly by Chairman Summers of the
House Judiciary Committee and
Senator Capper, Republican, of
Kansas.
Sees Prompt Action.
Mr.. Celler said he anticipated
prompt and favorable action on the
subject by the full Judiciary Com
mittee, after which the measure
will be taken to the Rules Commit
tee, where special rule will be
sought to assure consideration on
the House floor.
1t was recalled that in 1910 a pre-
vious resolution to provide repre-
sentation for voteless District resi-
dents was introduced jointly by the
same sponsors of the present legis-
lation. At that time it was ap-
proved by the House Judiciary Com
mittee but was tied up in the House
Rules Committee.
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee, who appeared
yesterday to urge passage of the
warned against a repeti-
tion of such parliamentary delay
and prophesied that If the resolu-
ton were allowed to reach the
House floor not more than so mem
bers would vote against 1t.
Cites Possible Procedure.
Mr.. Randolph urged that, in the
event the present resolution is again
"stymied" in the Rules Committee
the proponents use the medium of
discharge petition to bring the
measure up for vote. Under this
procedure, 218 or more members of
the House may take any piece of
proposed legislation out of the
hands of the Rules Committee by
signing petition and presenting it
to the Speaker, thereby compelling
immediate consideration of the
measure.
Mr.. Celler said the record of yes
terday's hearing would be kept open
for a week to allow those who were
slated to testify to file statements.
Among the statements already
placed in the record was that of
the National League of Women
Voters, represented by Miss Anna
Lord Strauss, president.
"As an organization dedicated to
making democracy a functioning
reality" the statement said, "the
League OF Women Voters strongly
urges action to remove prohibitions
which make residents of the Ma
tion's Capital second-class citizens.
Doesn't Confer Statehood.
In another statement, filed by the
Voteless District of Columbia League
of Women Voters and presented by
Mrs. Eugene S. Duffield, president,
1t was emphasized that the Sum-
newspaper resolution would not
confer statehood on the District-a
fear once held as the basis for
opposition to the principle of rep
resentation.
A resolution passed by the Dis
trict Bar Association Tuesday night
also was submitted to the commit
tee by Harry S. Wender, chairman
of the Committee on Suffrage. The
resolution. backing the Summers
Capper proposal, explained that
District residents pay more taxes
than % of the States, that the Dis
trict is represented by more than
$4,000 men in the armed forces who
were ineligible to vote in the last
elections, and that 100000 residents
of the District are deprived of par
ticipation in their local and national
governments.
Only Capital Lacking Voice.
Every other national capital in
the world has full representation of
its residents in the councils of the
Nation, Washington being unique in
the dlSenfranchisement of its peo-
ple," the resolution declared.
The Sumners-Capper resolution
would empower Congress to provide
a voice for the District in the cleo
tions of President and Vice Presi-
dent and representation in both
houses of Congress through a con-
stitutional amendment, which would
require the approval of at least SO
States.