Evening star., 1949-08-07
Fate ofSuffrage
MayDependon
Vote Tomorrow
Harris Subcommittee
Of House to Act, but
Result Is Uncetruin
By Don 5. Worren

The fate of the pending bills
for an elected and reorganized
District government may be sealed
tomorrow by the Harris subcom-
mittee of the House.
There were some contradictory
predictions last night as to just
what this fate would be but if
the view of one Capitol Hill Of
fetal is borne out the city suf-
frage plan will be given a fair
trial and then hung"
Whether The hanging" would
take place in the judiciary sub
committee of the House District
Committee, or later in the full
committee. however, was not so
certain.
In fact. though four of the seven
members of the judiciary SUBJ
committee. headed by Representa-
tive Harris. Democrat. of Arkan-
sas. are said to be ready to vote
against any of the pending bills.
there still were reports that the
subcommittee would not "bottle
up the legislation.
Several Members Undecided.
There also were reports that
any Of the pending bills could
be killed in subcommittee by
So or a 4-3 vote.
Against either of these were
independent surveys that indi-
Gated that at least two, and pos
sibly three, members of the Harris
Subcommittee had not yet finally
made up their minds as to just
what to do about it all.
BY one set of circumstances. it
was anticipated that surely" the
subcommittee would send the
suffrage issues to the full HOUSE
District Committee for a decision
there. Opponents believe the suf-
frage proposals can be killed there,
they said. Others say not.
One thing was certain. The
second executive meeting Of the
Harris Subcommittee, scheduled
for tomorrow morning, still was
scheduled last night.
Also, Representative Mcmillan,
Democrat, of South Carolina,
chairman of the full District
Committee, said he planned to
attend. Beyond that he made no
announcement of his intentions.
Would Be Assured Action.
Chairman Mcmillan announced
last January, when he abolished
the 8Oth Congress special Home
Rule Subcommittee and referred
local suffrage issues to the Judi
ciary Subcommittee-where there
was a known majority opposition
that no bill including the sllf-
frage bills, would be "smothered
in committee"
In keeping with this promise, he
was instrumental in the holding
of House hearings after the Sen
ate, May 81, passed the KefauveK
bill to set up an elected city coun-
Gil and an elected Board of Edu-
cation to take over the duties OF
appointed boards.
He also was active on the side
lines recently urging the Harris
subcommittee to bring its hear
ings to conclusion.
However, the question of just
what his final views would be be-
came matter of news interest,"
yesterday when Chairman Harris
of the Judiciary subcommittee
told reporters he wanted to CO.
operate" with Chairman McMil-
Ian.
Asked just what that meant.
Mr.. Harris referred reporters to
Mr.. Mcmillan. But Mr.. McMil-
Ian declined comment on this,
saying the issue was in the hands
of the subcommittee
Several Viewpoints
For himself, Mr.. Harris said fae
had found there we're three or
four viewpoints as to what ought
to be done among his subcom-
mittee members. So far, he in
dicated last night, none of these
has jelled..
From other sources, there were
reports that one of the viewpoints
was that the subcommittee ought
to send to the full District Com
mittee a plan for the election Of
non-voting District delegate in
the House. Under this plan all
the rest of the proposal for an
elected city government would be
junked.
Meanwhile, even some sponsors
of the bill have almost given UP
hope that Congress could complete
Legislation action on the home rule
plans at this session of Congress.
While many were hoping that the
issue could be moved from the
Harris Subcommittee to the full
District Committee, there were
doubts as to whether the latter
would complete it's action on bill
in time for action by the House
before adjournment of this session.
Both opponents and supporters
iof city suffrage bills, however,
seemed in agreement that regard
less Of possible failure of final
action at this session the issue