Evening star., 1946-02-01
Ki|goreP|edges
Supported.
Suffrage Drive
Trade Boord OfficioI:
Obtoin Further Aid
In Fight for Ballot

NS~AAseeASAA AVA b4lC oIStllCU Vi AO-
lumbia,' Senator Kilgore, Democrat
of West Virginia today raised the
hopes of suffrage proponents for IA
Vorable action on the Summers
.Capper national representation reso-
luton, scheduled for action Monday
by the Senate Judiciary Committee
Senator Kilgore, heretofore silent
on the franchise question, joined
those favoring national representa-
ton in an authorized statement is
sued by his secretary.
Declaring he did not care to COM
NIT himself on the Sumners-Capper
measure before it actually comes up
In committee" the Senator never
theless emphasized he was definite
~ IN favor of some degree Of the
franchise for Washington.
: Strongly in Favor of Plan.
You may quote me as being
Erongly in favor of national repre-
sentation for the District" the
statement said.
The Sumners-Capper resolution
would amend the Constitution to
empower Congress to grant District
representation in Congress and the
electoral college.
The Board of Trade delegation.
winch visited Senator Kilgore's Of
nee, also obtained statements from
other members of the Senate Ju-
olclary Committee, but other than
reiterations of favorable attitude on
the part OF Senators who already
nave announced support for the
Sumners-Capper measure, none was
as emphatic as that made by Sem
ator Kilgore.
Among those who reaffirmed their
backing for the Enabling Act were
Senators Huffman, Democrat, of
Ohio; Hatch, Democrat, of New
Mexica, and Wherry, Republican.
of Nebraska.
McCarran Takes Neutral Stand.
Chairman McCarran, author of a
measure designed to give the District
sell government, is taking a neu-
tral position his office told the del
egatlon. A secretary explained that
Mr.. McCarran probably would leave
1t up to the committee to decide
whether or not the national repre-
satlon measure would be reported
out favorably or unfavorably.
Three other Senators indicated in
decisive but open-minded an
proaches to the bill Thev were
Wheeler, Democrat, of Montana:
Mcfarland, Democrat, of Arizona
and Moore, Republican, of Okla
homa.
Washington I. Cleveland, manager
OF the District Motor Club of the
Automobile Association of America
VINO led the Board of Trade group.
expressed satisfaction with the
mornings effort. Asserting that the
board has reaf1rmed repeatedly it's
action IN favor of national repre-
sentation for residents of the Dis
trict,' Mr.. Cleveland added:
Each year 1t has signed the peti-
ton, along with large number of
other civic organizations, which has
been presented to the Congress bv
the Citizens Joint Committee on
NdIlOIlal representation"
Effort Started in 1916.
The boards efforts in behalf of
the franchise started in 1916 when
Its board of directors adopted a re-
port approving a bill introduced at
that time which would provide vot-
ing representation in both houses of
Congress and in the Electoral Col
lege for District residents, Mr.. Cleye-
land said.
Other Board of Trade representa-
tives who accompanied Mr.. Cleve-
land to the Capitol were Robert E.
Buckley, president of the National
Permanent Building g. Loan Asso-
citation; John A. Eckert, president of
the Columbia Paragraph Co.; Will
liam G. Jones. jr., manager of the
washington office of the Celotex
Corp; Claude H. Woodward, dire
tor OF the Washington Better Busi-
ness Bureau, and Edwin N. Lewis.
the boards director of public rela-
tions.
Meanwhile, it was learned that
Senator OMahoney, Democrat. of
Wyomlng-on whom suffrage pro-
ponents depend to espouse their
cause-will be present Monday when
the Senate Judiciary Committee
considers the Sumners-C -Capper reso-
luton.
Wife Speaks for Senator.
The Central Suffrage Conference
was told last night by Senator
O'Mahoney's wife that he planned
to return to Washington this week
end and that she expected +. would
vote favorably on it.
Mrs. OMahoney told James s.
Beattie, chairman of the confer
ence's National Representation Com
mlttee, that although the Senator
had not yet read the Sumners-Cap-
per resolution, he always had fav-
ored a District voice in Federal af-
fairs, and added:
I think you can count on him to
vote for it."
Proxy Vote Suggested.
LoA AlC1 AL IilC WCGk, suffrage con-
ference leaders had asked Senator
O'Mahoney to vote by proxy when
it appeared he would be in Wyo-
ming when the bill came up.
Assurance of labor's support for
the measure was given last night by
Guy A. Caponetto, member of the
Columbia Typography Union, AFI,,
in talk over Radio Station WWDC.
Mr.. Caponetto, terming the Sum-
newspaper resolution extremely
reasonable" in that it leaves to
Congress the determination of what
voice the District shall have in Gov
ernment," declared that it had the
backing here of more than 100000
members of AFL and CIO unions.
Further arguments in favor of the
franchise will be broadcast tonight.
John A. Reilly, second vice president
OF the Washington Board of Trade
Will speak over WWDC at 7:3O
o'clock. At 1905 o'clock, Mrs. Anna
LORD Straus, president of the Ma
tional League of Women Voters. and
Mrs. Louis Gutenberg. representing