Evening star., 1946-02-04
Suffrage Report
Delayed a Week
|ByCon1n1ittee
Sentiment Develops
To Limit Proposal
For Amendment

The fate of the vote on ma
tional representation for the Dis
trict was left hanging in the
balance today when the Senate
Judiciary Committee postponed
final action until next Monday.
After an hours closed debate, de-
scribed as vigorous" Chairman
McCarran announced the POSTPONE
ment OF decision and said a num-
ber OF amendments and substitute
proposals were considered.
Sentiment seemed to be develop
ing for a limitation in the proposed
Constitutional amendment which
would permit Congress to grant
District residents the vote in presi-
dental elections and to have rep
resentation in the House-but leay-
ing out any prospect for election Of
senators from the District.
Hatch Expresses Doubt.
A valiant fight for adoption of the
full-fiedged enabling act as it came
from the subcommittee was made by
Senator Hatch, Democrat, of New
Mexico, subcommittee chairman,
but when the session ended at 1890
pm, he commented:
There now seems to be doubt az
to whether we can get from the Ju.
dietary Committee a favorable re-
port on the resolution as it now
stands-which would permit Con-
gress. if it sees fit, to grant the Dis
trlct representation in the Senate
'as well as In the House. :
There seems to be perhaps more
doubt that such resolution would
obtain favorable action by the SEN
ate itself.
May Be Best Thing
There are very much better pros.
poets the committee would report
out and the Senate would pass ths
resolution if it were amended to
limit representation to the House.
Perhaps, under the circumstances.
that is the best thing to do"
There was no final decision on
this question, however, since the
issues were left for action at next
Mondays meeting.
An amendment to the pending
resolution, which would limit repre-
sentation for the District to the
House, was proposed by Senator
.OMahoney, Democrat, of Wyoming.
An advocate Of suffrage and repre-
sentation for the District, he had
concern over the possible grant,
ing of representation in the Senate
for the District, because of the
arguments which had been raised
that this would clothe the District
with the status of a State. It was
for this reason he made the formal
proposal that the Sumners-Capper
resolution be amended.
Andrews Offers Substitute.
Senator Andrews, Democrat, Of
Florida who also believes in giving
the District vote for President and
Vice President, and representation
in the House, submitted a substitute
which would eliminate the possibili-
ties of Congress granting repre-
sentation to the District in the
Senate.
Chairman McCarran, who is the
author of a ''home-rule" plan of
local self-government for the Dis
trict, has impressed upon numerous
members of the Judiciary COMMITTEES
the argument that to enact the reso-
luton as it now stands would give
the District something in the nature
of Statehood.
1t was reported today he had pro-
vided the committee with copies of
the 1941 report of the Judiciary
Committee on the national repre-
sentation resolution which then was
considered. This was in somewhat
different form from the now pend
ing resolution. It went to the Sem
ate with an adverse report and en-
phasized the argument that its en-
actment presented problems Of
statehood" since it would permit
election of District representatives
in the Senate.
Argument Held "Unjustified."
The suffrage advocates have con-
tended all along that this state
hood" argument is not justified.
since the proposal in nowise de-
pr1veS Congress of any of its exclu-
sive legislative powers over the Dis
trict as the seat of the Federal Gov
eminent.
But in recent months, the arsu-
ment has persisted-and even some
OF the advocates of District suffrage
have suggested-that if Washington
were granted representation in the
Senate, it might raise demands for
the granting of Senators to repre-
sent Baltimore, Chicago or other
(See SUFFRAGE, Page A-5)