Evening star., 1946-03-04
SeIf-RuIe
Continued From First Page }

give legal sanction for a referen-
oum on the proposed charter.
Z, II there is to be q referendum "
he said, "it certainly should include
, a question of giving District resi-
dents representation in Congress as
W5H as any form of local self-rule E"
Senator Capper said he had not
had chance to study the report
IN detail and that he would want
TO consult with spokesmen for or
ganized citizens here before he ar
rived at any definite conclusion. but
he added "the great outrage is that
many thousands of people residing
here are deprived of any voice in
their government. I am for any,
thing that will give them some
satisfactory voice in their govern
ment.
Step Toward Goal Seen.
This suggestion strikes me as not
as good as the direct proposal for
representation in Congress: It is
not just what we have been driving
Tor, but it may be a step toward
that ultimate goal"
A more reserved reaction came
from Chairman Mcmillan of the
House District Committee. who
thought the suggestion for merging
the House District Committee with
an enlarged House Civil Service
Committee would give it probably
too much work. He said he felt this
would be SO so long as Congress
continued to hold its present re-
sponsibillty for exclusive legisla-
ton" for the National Capital.
He agreed with Senator Capper
that If there was to be a charter
commission whose proposals would
go to referendum vote, the refer
endum should include national rep-
resentatlon with other possible suf-
frage proposals.
III we are to have referendum ~
ne said, lets go whole hog and not
vote on merely one factor"
Bilbo Opposes Plan.
Chairman Bilbo of the Senate Dis
trio Committee said, Il don't think
there's anything to it." The Mis-
slssippian doubted whether Congress
has the time or inclination" at this
time to take up questions of stream
lining itself.
Anybody who knows what's be-
hind the home rule scheme is against
it." he continued. I'm against it."
The District "self-rule' chapter
OF the report released today does not
mention any pending legislation
dealing with suffrage for the Dis
trict. Ofdcials of the group had
explained earlier this was so be-
cause the joint committee was not q
Legislative committee" and there
fore had to deal with general pro-
poSals instead of any pending bills
However, the "self-rule" prin-
ciples expressed by the group served
as stimulant to various forms of
local suffrage demands, so general
were the conclusions voiced in the
text OF the report, observers said.
McCarran Bill Pigeonholed.
Some thought it gave support to
proposals for an elected citv eov
eminent, in line with the McCar-
ran home rule" bill, Suggesting q
mostly elected city council, to re-
place the appointed Board of Com
missioners, with management placed
in the hands of city manager. The
McCarran bill for months has been
pigeonholed in the files of sub
committee headed by Senator o.
Daniel, Democrat, of Texas. named
to the post by Chairman Bilbo.
Eventual abolition of the Senate
District Committee was proposed in
another section of the report. SUBJ
mitted to the House and Sen
ate by Senator LaFollette, Progress
sive, of Wisconsin, joint COMMITTEES
chairman, and Representative Mon t
roney, Democrat, of Oklahoma the :
vice chairman, and other committee |
members. :
In connection with proposed .dras- i
tic reduction of the numbers of the S
Senate and House committees. the q
"streamline" report proposed con- Z
tlnuation of the Senate District
Cemmittee and the Senate Claims i