Evening star., 1946-05-07
McCarran Cool
To Revised Plan
ForD.C. Suffrage
Hotch Subcommittee
Returns Resolution
Banning Senate Voice

W. -
Banning Senate Voice
Chairman McCarran of the Senate
Judiciary Committee showed no
enthusiasm today for the revived
Sumners-Capper resolution paving
the way for suffrage and national
Representatives in the District.
The resolution, with an amend
ment eliminating District member
ship in the Senate, but retaining it
in; the House and allowing citizens
to vote for presidential electors, was
sent back to the committee yester-
day by the Hatch subcommittee.
The resolution, after receiving the
earlier approval of the subcommittee
had been recommitted to it for
further study.
Senator McCarran said he did
not know when the full committee
would consider it again. He would
not predict whether there was
chance it would be recommended to
the Senate this session.
A"o CCPdidtC measures.
The Nevada Senator made 1t
clear. however, that the national
representation measure would not
be considered in connection with
his home rule bill for the District.
which it to come up for committee
action next week.
The two measures are entirely
separate" he said, land should not
be taken up at the same time"
Senator McCarran said he still
felt what he expressed the other
day-that home rule should be con-
sidered possible forerunner to
national suffrage and representa-
ton. He repeated that if Wash
ington showed it could set up an
efficient and stable government of
its own, it undoubtedly would win
friends for national representation.
ANY community that can't gov
ern itself" he added, cant expect
wider powers. Meanwhile, any one
who favors national representation
certainly should be for home rule
as stepping stone in that direc-
ton"
Hatch Hopes for Action.
Senator Hatch, Democrat, of New
Mexico, subcommittee chairman,
expressed hope, nevertheless, that
the Judiciary Committee would re-
port out his revised representation
resolution at the. present session.
He indicated he would press for
early action.
The Sumners-Capper resolution
was sent back to the committee with
the O,Mahoney amendment in
cluded. This would provide for
District representation only in the
House, with no right to member
ship in the Senate. The number of
Representatives would be left to
Congress, but District citizens would
have the right to elect them as we'll
as to vote for presidential electors.
Senator O'Mahoney and others
opposed to representation in the
Senate contended that would give
the District the complete status of
State. Senator Hatch said he felt
the amended resolution would have
a much better chance of passing
than the original measure.
The resolution would submit a
constitutional amendment to the
States. Ratification of this within
seven years would allow Congress
to pass legislation defining the
rights of suffrage and representa-
ton.
Writes to McCarran.
In reporting back the resolution,
Senator Hatch wrote Chairman Nc
: Carran that, while the subcommittee
had been asked to consider this
along with legislation giving the ter
ritories full representation, it had
felt that the two questions should
be taken up separately.
The subcommittee, he stated, |
recommended that the District
resolution, with the O,Mahonev
amendment included, "be reported
by the full committee to the Senate
with the recommendation that it
pass as amended"
On February Is, the Judiciary
Committee recommitted the Sum-
newspaper resolution by a vote of
g. to S. With this action. several
Senators favoring the legislation
regarded it. as dead for this ses-
sion, but the unexpected revival of
the resolution yesterday renewed
hope for it.
Vote to Sidetrack Bill.
Those who voted to sidetrack the
measure by recommitting it were
Senators McCarran, Murdock, Dem
ocrat, Of Utah; Moore, Republican,
OF Oklahoma; Wherry, Republican.
OF Nebraska; Revercomb, Republic
an, of West Virginia, and Nc
Farland, Democrat, of Arizona.
Members of the Judiciary Com
mittee who opposed this move and
backed the legislation were Sena-
tors Hatch, Stanf1ll, Republican,
OF Kentucky; Huffman, Democrat,
of Ohio; O'Mahoney, Democrat, of
Wyoming, and Wiley, Republican,
of Wisconsin.
The McCarran home rule bill
would set up commission of citi-
zens to draw charter for a NUM-
ctpal government. The suggested
government would include an elected
city council and vest in the District
government the right to pass local
laws and levy taxes. Congress and
the people would have to pass on
the charter before it could become
effective.