Evening star., 1947-01-03
Suffrage Toffc Get Priority In New Senate G. Committee
By Don S. Warren

Traffic relief and suffrage pro-.
posals will be given high priority
ratings in studies by the re-
vamped Senate District Commit
tee, under plans announced by its
new chairman, Senator Buck,
Republican, of Delaware.
He and Senator Capper, Repub-
lican, of Kansas, for many years on
the committee and one of its former
chairmen, will lead an almost COM
pletely new COMMITTEES membership.
It appeared possible that only these
two with former service on the
group would remain as members.
After his appointment as commit
tee chairman was approved yester-
day by the Republican conference,
Senator Buck reminded reporters
that, as an engineer by profession,
he held a lively interest in Wash
ington's traffic and other engineer
ing problems. Aside from traffic
studies, he plans early action on
legislation to give Washington some
form of suffrage.
Shortly after his selection as
chairman was indicated a month
ago, he announced he believed
Washington should have home rule
and said he could see no reason why
District residents should not be
granted voting representation in
Congress. At the time he asked for
suggestions and said he was willing
to sponsor suffrage proposals.
Senator Capper, who will remain
as a District Committee member,
despite the fact he has been named
Chairman of the Senate Agriculture
Committee. and member of the
Senate Foreign Relations Com
mittee, is ready to present to the
Senate, as soon as it is organized,
his resolution for a Constitutional
amendment to enable Congress to
give the District national repre-
sentation.
Senator Ball, Republican, of
Minnesota, who has become
thoroughly familiar with the District
subcommittee of the Senate Ap-
propriations Committee, has been
selected as one of the new members
of the District legislative group.
In the past Congress he joined
Chairman O'Mahoney and other
members of the funds group in
sponsoring an increase in the size
of the Federal payment to the
District.
Four freshmen Senate Republi-
cans also were added to the District
Committee: Senators Flanders, of
Vermont; Cooper, of Kentucky;
Cain, of Washington, and KEN, of
Missouri
McCarran to Drop Unit.
Most of the Democratic members
of the District Committee apparently
will be replaced, because of the
effect of the congressional re-
organization plan. Re-reading of
this law in the light of the COM
mittee assignment problem brought
out that, If members of the minority
party served On the District Com
mittee, they could have only one
other committee assignment. Ma
jority party members on the District
Committee are exempt from the
new ban against Senator serving
on more than two committees.
Senator McCarran, former chair
man of the District Committee, said
he regretted it, but he would have
to leave the District Committee. If
he stayed, he said, 1t would mean
that he would have to give up men,
bership on either the Judiciary Com
mittee, of which he was chairman
during the last Congress, or the
Appropriations Committee, on which
he holds high minority rank.
Senator Tydings, Democrat, of
who was principal
sponsor of the hospital center bill
last session, and participated in
other important District !