Evening star., 1949-07-07


companied by representation IN
Congress.
Answering another question
from Mr.. Harris. Mr.. McKelWay
said he did not think the District
would have a better city govern
ment if it were given home rule.
Mr.. Waldrop told the subcom-
mittee it was his fundamental
view and firm conviction" that the
question of District suffrage can
not be solved adequately this side
of constitutional amendment"
He said he thought this was so
because the Constitution places in
Congress the exclusive power of
legislation over the National Cap
ital.
The Times Herald, Mr.. Waldrop
said, began in 1888 to develop a
point of view of it's own on the
question of District suffrage.
Helped Organize Referendum.
! He brought out that he was one
of the principals in the organiza-
ton of a citizens referendum Ito
try to find out what the District
wanted" as to both the right to
vote in local matters and partici-
patton in suffrage nationally.
Mr. Waldrop recalled that he
had participated also in organiz-
ing another referendum in 1916
He told the subcommittee he did
not know what the wishes of the
people were.
Mr.. Graham, in full support
of the home rule bill as passed
by the Senate, told the subcom-
mittee:
Il believe the finest service this
subcommittee can perform for the
District and for the Nation is to
give its support to the Senate
home rule bill so that it can be
presented to the House for a
prompt decision.
~ have every hope that the
full District Committee and the
House would approve this bill.
I believe it should be done at this
session of Congress.
/, Would Relieve Congress.
Mr.. Graham voiced the belief
that enactment of the home rule
plan will bring better government
to the District and relieve Con-
gress of many of its burdens in
the District and municipal affairs
and afford Congress more time to
devote to national matters
The Post publisher said that on
his return to Washington from
Army service he had seen really
terrible effects" on the people of
the District by reason of being
deprived of participation in their
own government.
1T is said that we have the best
city government in the world Mr..
Graham continued. With that
I will have dissent. If that were
so. it would have terrible philo-
sophical ir1timations. he asserted,
Mr.. Graham said he would agree
that the District did not have
the worse government" and that
there were other places that had
"juicier scandals and more fam
boyant graft and corruption.
Cites High Crime Rate.
sn,tf iyS thn niCfSiaf he
continued. there are f1ourishing
bookie operations and We have a
high crime rate 49,.
He said he thought it was OF
real Importance that District peo-
,tple be given local responsibility for
local affairs. He said this would
be decent Americanism"
Representative Auchincloss, Re
publican, Of New Jersey. compli-
mented Mr.. Graham for a very
clear exposition" of the home rule
proposal and asked him whether
he thought a home rule bill should
deal with the question of segrega-
ton. He said he asked this in
the light of incidents here re-
Gently at swimming pools when
segregation feeling led to the clos
ing of the Anacostia pool.
Mr.. Graham said there was a
general feeling that the District
has a problem as to race rela-
tions and told the subcommittee
that he believed common sense
and the avoidance of extremism
would permit the questions to be
solved.
Common Sense Solution.
THE problems are being solved
by common sense and good will.
! he said. He predicted "a good job
would be done" if Congress would
grant the city home rule.
, During discussion of segregation
Mr.. Graham said that Washington
was a border city and that its
mores were basically Southern.
Il would not be surprised" he
said, If Washington solved its
segregation problems as it has
been done in such cities as Rich
mond, Va, and Knoxville, Tenn.
Mr.. Harris raised a long string
of questions as to Mr.. Graham's
!; views on many phases of home
4 rule: The chairman argued thai
if Washington had an elected city
government, there would be "a
drive and pressure" about
segregation and other issues.
Urges Constitutional Change.
For one thing. Mr.. Harris
wanted to know if there were g
vote for an elected Board OF