Evening star., 1946-01-27
|Stanfi|| Pledges
Support for
DC. Suffrage
Kentucky Senator
Joins 7 Others on
Judiciary Committee

joins OrnerS on
Judiciary Committee
Asserting that under our demo-
cratic form of government a popu.
lation OF more than 300 900 is en-.
titled to be heard" Seantor Stanfill.
Republican, of Kentucky, yesterday
placed himself on record in favor
OF national representation for the
District as embodied in the Sum-
ners-Capper resolution.
announcement of Senator STAN
nlrs stand, made at a press con-
ference at the Capitol arranged
by the Central Suffrage Conference.
conceded with reiteraiton of his
support for the enabling measure
on the part of Senator Hatch, DEM
ocrat, OF New Mexico.
Both are members of the Senate
Judiciary Committee, which will
consider the resolution February 4.
Mr.. Stanfill, newest minority ad-
dition to the Judiciary Committee,
told reporters he first was hesitant
about committing himself, but
added:
The way I feel now, III vote to
report out the Summers -Capper
resolution favoraoly"
Approves Procedure.
Discussing the fact that the mea-
sure would require ratification by
the States if passed by Congress,
Senator Stanfill expressed his ap-
proval OF such procedure, declar-
ing:
Il have always felt that Congress
should submit such matters as
granting suffrage to a new segment
OF our population to the States"
Following Mr.. Stanfills statement,
James S. Beattie. chairman of the
suffrage groups national repre-
sentation committee, announced
the names OF eight members of the
Judiciary Committee who, he said,
have assured him of either their di-
rect support for the Summers Cap
per measure or some other means
Of granting the vote to the District.
Six Backers Named.
Besides Senators Stanfill and
Hatch, those named by Mr.. Beattie
were Senators Huffman of Ohio,
Andrews of Florida and Kilgore of
West Virginia, Democrats; Wherry
OF Nebraska, Wiley of Wisconsin
and LANCER of North Dakota, Re-
publicans.
In restating his support for the
resolution, Senator Hatch said in
his opinion the measure has an
excellent chance of passing during
this session of Congress"
He urged supporters of the act
to stress the fact that dt) simply
grants Congress the power to en-
act legislation giving the citizens
OF the District of Columbia such
representation as the Congress
might then determine to be proper" !"
Final Action Up to Congress.
There is no guarantee of the vote
in the Sumners-Capper measure,
Mr.. Hatch pointed out, but only a
means of enabling Congress to
grant whatever degree of suffrage
it deems warrantable in the Dis
trict.
The conference was arranged by
r. Cary Nichols, jr. and Jesse H.
OFT. both members of the Senate
liaison subcommittee of the confer
ence's national representation COM
mittee.
Earlier Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley,
representing the Federation of Citi-
zens' Associations. visited the Capitol
to urge Senate Judiciary Committee
members to give the resolution a
favorable report.
Another development yesterday
which added impetus to the suffrage
campaign was the announcement by
the Congress of Industrial Organiza-
tions of its full support of the Sum-
ners-Capper measure.
CIO Letter Points to Flaws.
In letter to Chairman McCar-
ran of the Senate judiciary Com
mittee, Nathan E. Cowan, national
C1O legislative director. said "be-
cause persons don1iciled in Washing
ton, D. c. are not citizens of any
State" they are deprived of two ele-
mental democratic rights, "nationa
representation and local suffrage"
Mr.. Cowan declared there were
more people in the District than in
some dozen States" adding that
unlike the 48 States, Washington
has no voice in the National Gov
ernment, though the city is subject
to all National laws"
Residents of Washington" he
continued, have less representation
in Congress than the territories oi
the United States"
ave to Add Support.
Suffrage drive events scheduled
for tomorrow include a visit to the
Capitol by a delegation from the
American Veterans Committee. Sec.
ond veterans organization to par.
ticipate in the effort to secure favor.
able action on the measure, the AVG
group will add their names to the
growing list of organizations sup.
porting the resolution.
/ Two radio addresses by advocate,
of national representation for tn,
District also are slated for tomor.
row. Representative Randolph
Democrat, of West Virginia, ane
Edward Clarke, member of the ma.
tional representation committee will
be the speakers.
Mr.. Randolph, chairman of tn,
House Civil Service Committee ant
former chairman of the Distric
Committee, will be heard owe
WMAL at 10 pm. Mr.. Clarke viii
speak at 7:30 pm. over WWDC,
| At 1890 pm. tomorrow, there viii
be a meeting of the national repre-
sentation committee of the Contra
Suffrage Conference in room 3ll.
of the Municipal Center.
c1k nm NJ