Evening star., 1945-02-18

terest.
I want to continue to repeat, for the
purpose of emphasis, that notwith-
standing all the things have said or
that may be said, indicating the rights
of the people, there must be no con-
flict with the public interest. Every
body must concede that the public Fed
eral interest is dominant in the Dis
trict of Columbia, and must remain
dominant. Whenever it conflicts with
the local interest those things local
must disappear, because the Federal
Government came over here to establish
its workshop. The people understood
they could not vote when they came to
live in Washington even if they didn't un-
derstand it when they were born here.
But that does not modify the funda-
mental, basic human rights of the
people here. Those rights are rooted in
the philosophy of free government. 1t is
our high duty to give to these people
whatever can be given that does not
interfere with the public interest.
No Rights Are Surrendered.
That is the picture, gentlemen of
the subcommittee, as it presents itself
to me. If we can get the country to
understand the reasons on which the
statement which has just been made
are based, and, in addition to that, have
them also to understand that If the
thing does not work nothing will have
been lost-no rights will have been sur
rendered-they will approve this reso-
luton. The Congress can take back
everything 1t may do under this provi-
sion if adopted. Permanency will de-
pend always on the fact that the thing
is sound and workable.
I think if those views could be sold
to the country, if they could really
understand what we propose to do
that this is not surrender, but an
enabling act to the agency of the Gov
ernment on which the Constitution has
put the responsibility-this measure will
be adopted.
Mr.. Tolan-Chairman Summers. I
would like to ask you one question.
Don't you think it is somewhat ironical
that the three big powers in confer
ence the day before yesterday-and
eight days before that-should confirm
the Atlantic Charter, which provides
for the conquered nations and the
Allied nations to choose their own form
of government by vote, and here we are
at home with nearly million people
voiceless and voteless?
Mr.. Sumners-Mr. Tolan, it is even
stronger than that. 1t would be a re-
fusal to give to the Congress the power,
in turn. to give to these people right
to participate in the general govern
ment. which would not conflict with the
Federal interest.
Washington-the Exception.
Mr.. Celler-Mr. Summers, 1t may moi
be malapropos for me to say the follow
ing, because 1t might indicate my
views on the subject. Would you not
say that all over the country the
Declaration of independence applies ex-
cept to Washington, because the right
to vote is undoubtedly an ina1ienable
right, and that right is denied and the
citizenry of Washington is deprived of
that inalienable right?
Mr.. Sumners-Mr Chairman, that Is
true All you are proposing to do is
to give to these people that part of
inalienable rights which will not con-
flict with the Federal interest.
You see, that is the confusion. A good
many people are under the belief that
this resolution is proposition to turn
over the government of the National
Capital to the people here, irrevocably.
That must be cleared up. All you are
proposing to do is to give them share
of inalienable rights that does not con-
flict with the Federal interest. That is
the point / am trying to make. 1t
would provide the Congress with new
facility better to govern the District.
This is the proposition from the
Congress standpoint. When some prop
osition comes up affecting the District
of Columbia, would like to have some
body here, who is part of the District
of Columbia, who represents the people,
who is a spokesman of the people of
the District of Columbia. I would like
hip handy-handy all the time to con-
suit with about these things.