Evening star., 1946-10-25
Letters to The Star
Readers Differ About Test of
D. c.. Franchise

To the Editor OF The Star:
/ see that gentleman signing him
self John Howard Ford says that he
has heard distinguished citizens of
the District" say they are not going
to vote in the District plebiscite because
the questions are loaded" and that
the plebiscite has the aroma "of a
Hitler election" He suggests the re-
wording of the questions.
But despite Mr. Ford and these dis
tinguished citizens" 1 believe the ques-
tions should be left as they are. l
believe the residents of the District OF
Columbia want the right" to vote for
local officials, the President OF the
United States and representatives IN
Congress.
I believe the people of the District
realize that such right carries with
1t political campaigns, together with
the promises of contending candidates,
and everything else that goes with
electing public servants.
I believe the people of the District
understand that if they are given the
right to vote they will be expected
to exercise that right; and they also
understand that If they don't like the
officials of the District government
they will have the high American privl-
lege of Throwing the rascals out at
the next election.
And that is the right which residents
of the District of Columbia want The
question as to whether they will exer-
else that right can be answered by
statistics from the several States. Those
statistics show that some people exer-
else the right to a greater extent than
others: but that circumstance In no
way should limit the right to those
who regularly vote in elections.
GLENN CARSON RUSSELL.
To the Editor of The Star:
On November the District of Colum-
bia is to vote upon the suffrage question.
It now enjoys the most admirable mu-
nicipal administration in the country.
Few, If any, complaints are heard OF
its government. 1t would be difficult to
recall any other American State or city
so free from corruption as is the District.
At one time the citizens of the District
voted and then, instead OF having the
best government in the country, Wash
ington ran close race for the reputa-
ton of having the most inefficient one.
- In theory our States and cities are
democracies In practice they are in
some cases democracies and in other
cases oligarchies. Where majorities are
small and uncertain, making the chances
for changes good, politicians are thereby
obliged to consider the popular will and
are impelled to bid for the independent
vote by the submission of worthy candi-
dates, making efficient government pos
sible. Where, through the prevalence Of
assured enormous majorities, politicians
have long been enabled to count upon
certain success, they ignore public
opinion, as do the public officials Sc
lected by them, and the government is
administered by the hirelings and tools
of self constituted oligarchy.
Because political allegiance to their
national party is with large majority
of the voters so much stronger than the
desire for good State and municipal gov
ernment it is difficult, under our political
system, to obtain efficient State and city
administrations.
The result of the plebiscite in the Dis
trict of Columbia on November 5 will
depend largely upon which is stronger,
the desire of the voter to have the suf-
frage and to endure the inefficient and
corrupt government which naturally
follows where one party becomes too
strongly intrenched or to forso, the suf-
frage and continue to have compare
lively low taxes and to enjoy the best
city government in the United States.
GEORGE BOND COCHRAN.