Evening star., 1949-05-30
Senator Taft on Home Rule
A Long Time Washngtonian and Party Leader Explains
Why He Favors the Pending Measure

1Tun Senator Tstrs svsses isss rrssas sfssfs~eaD
Mr. President wan. TO say . word Or
two In behalf Of the bill which Is now before
the Senate. Washington Is great city. one
Of the greatest cities In the United States,
a city OF soo. 600 people and q city which
has the same Qualification for local home
rule as has any other city IN the United
States.
have perhaps q special interest IN
ii because have lived in the city Of
Washington for about 20 years altogether.
counting the four or five times have moved
In and out OF Me city Of Washington. and
I have during all that time regarded the
government situation as exceedingly anon
alous. Here Is q city In which Americans
are born and grow up without any right
Of home rule whatsoever. without any right
to participate IN the government which con-
trols their daily affairs and has to do with
their daily lives. ! myself believe that local
self government Is almost as important TO
liberty rs is National Government
I do not believe We can have real free
dom In this country without local self
government and the risht OF people to deter
mine the matters which affect them In their
daily lives. such as the administration OF
their schools the condition OF their streets.
their various public services. and other
things in which every community has vital
interest
Mr.. President, I do not know why the
people Of Washington were left without the
right to vote under the original constitu-
ton. 1t has often occurred TO me that per-
haps the experience Of mob influence IN
capital cities such as London and Paris
throughout history led our forefathers TO
believe that the people OF Washington should
not have the vote which would enable them.
by reason Of their proximity to the seat Of
government to exert q strong influence on
the government itself.
Present System Unsatisfactory.
Whatever may be the reasons why they
were not accorded under the Constitution
the right to vote for the members of Con-
gress and for President. those reasons do
not apply to their right to govern themselves
IN their own local affairs. Certainly the
fact that they not only are not governing
themselves. but are governed by a body
which has no interest In their welfare, or.
at least, has no time to take an interest In
their welfare. is another reason why the
present system Is completely unsatisfactory.
Congress Is simply unable to give its atten-
ton to the most vital concerns of the Dis
trict OF Columbia. II Is only by happy
chance that we are even able to consider
this particular bill which affects the entire
structure Of the Government of the District
"a SSAAAAbAo. ~ 10 NCAy oCiaOu GihS ally
District bill about which there is the slightest
controversy can secure attention on the floor
Of the United States Senate.
The District Is governed largely by the
District Committee but the members of that
committee are unable to give very much time
and attention to District affairs. Such
affairs cannot be their first interest or their
second interest among the matters which
come before them. see no logical reason
why the people Of city the size Of WASH
Therefore feel very strongly that we should
adopt a system Of home rule for the District
Of Columbia. I have always felt so, and
tried at every opportunity to promote that
idea.