Evening star., 1946-09-10
.1wo-Year Drive
ForD.C. Suffrage
To Open Nov. 5
Central Conference
Maps Strategy for
Series of RoIlies

The Central Suffrage Conference
was mobili1ing today for a new
two-year campaign for District
enfranchisement to be launched
November 5.
Strategy for this latest offensive
In the long drawn -out drive of Dis
trict citizens for a voice in their
Government was outlined last night
by conference leaders at the groups
quarterly meeting at 525 New Jersey
avenue NV. They call for:
First, an election night rally de-
signed to attract additional organ
izations to membership in the con-
ference, which Is dedicated to secur-
ing both national representation
and local self-government for Wash
ington.
Rally Plans Drafted.
Wilbur s. Finch, conference chair
man, announced that j. C. Turner,
first vice president, has been ap-
pointed chairman of a committee
to arrange the November 5 organ
ization rally. The committees job
will be to stage a show, at a place
and hour to be announced later,
which will attract new groups to
the conference. 1t now comprises
rs paidup member groups in addi-
ton to 200 individual members.
Later. after Congress convenes in
January, second rally will be held,
this one designed to draw additional
individual members and, as Mr..
Finch put 1t last night, ito whip up
public enthusiasm" No date for
the second demonstration was set.
In the meantime, committees OF
the conference will be mapping
strategy for the two-year campaign
to carry through the next Congress
Mr.. Finch told the meeting commit
tees already have begun working
out legislative proposals for sub
mission to both House and Senate
early in the session.
"United Front" Sought.
Important to the success of the
drive for national representation,
Mr.. Finch said, would be a planned
series of talk between conference
leaders and the Citizens Joint
Committee on National Representa-
ton, which has longed championed
District residents claim for repre-
sentation in Congress and among
the presidential electors.
James S. Beattie, chairman of the
conferences National Representa- =
ton Committee, assured Mr.. Finch
that every effort would be made to
secure a united front" with the
Citizens Joint Committee.
Kenneth P. Armstrong. chairman
of the conferences local Suffrage
Committee. likewise stated that his
group would have legislative pro-
posals ready for submission when
Congress convenes. One thing he
said his committee would submit
would be composite bill embracing
the best features of all previous
home rule" measures.
"We are for all forms of suffrage, !"
Mr.. Armstrong reminded the meet
ing, "and we are not too particular
Just what form it takes In law Just
so we get it in full measure"
Outside Support.
Jesse B. Manbeck, secretary, re-
ported progress in the organizations
efforts to attract outside support.
He said the Columbia Typographical
Union, of which he is president,
had arranged for the parent AFL
union to sound out" its IS 900
members throughout the nation with
a view to enlisting their support.
A similar Nationwide support
drive has been undertaken by the
CIO through its political action
committees at the instigation of
the Washington Industrial Union
Council, Mrs. Gertrude Evans,
council secretary, revealed.
Mr.. Finch told the 60-odd members
present that tremendous job" lay
ahead, not only in convincing Con-
gress of the right of Washingtonians
to vote but also the people
Though it is my belief that 900 out
Of 1000 here want suffrage" he
declared, too many talk about 1t
without doing anything. 1t is our
ink f1 ID