Evening star., 1949-02-17

| TcdSOIl CIldG IL 1elG GlldG WlCllOul
representation in Congress, which
has legislative control over the
District, the city would not have
real self government"
The draft of a home rule bill
proposed by the Home Rule Com
mittee, Mr.. Purcell said, would
give broad legislative authority
to the proposed city council in
the same way that Congress has
delegated such laW-making
powers to the territories.
Such legislative acts would be
subject to modification or repea.
by an act of Congress at any
time. Mr.. Purcell explained also
that the delegation of such au-
thority would not limit the pres
ent power of Congress to initiate
and enact District laws of any
character that it now holds.
Mr.. Purcell made clear there
was no conflict between his group
and the members of the Demo-
cratic Central Committee. He
said the separate bill had been
submitted primarily because it
would be easier to handle in the
separate draft if the Senate SUBJ
committee decides to recommend
home rule without the reorgani-
cation features.
AS to reorganization. the new
bill calls for the creation of a
commission of 10 members with
directions that it report to Con-
gress a plan Tor revamping the
city government machinery by
January l. 1852.
No Dual Voting Difficulties.
Senator Smith asked whether
the proposed dual voting" pro-
visions in the suffrage bills would
cause any legal difficulties. This
had reference to proposals that
persons residing in the District
but maintaining legal domicile in
their home States would be per-
mitted to vote in the city elec-
tions here although they also vote
in State and national elections.
Mr.. Purcell said he saw no diff
ficulties and recalled that sub
committee of the House, on the
Auchincloss home rule bill last
year had questioned officials OF
States. Replies were received
from 40 States and in 80 of these
the reply was there woulo be no
impeachment to the State voting
rights of person voting in Wash
ington's city elections. he re-
ported. ~
Mrs. Smith then wanted to
know if this thought also would
apply to dual voting" III the
election of a District delegate in
Congress.
Mr.. Purcell said he saw no diff
ficu!ty there, either. Mrs. Smith
asked if the argument could not
be made that such a voter would
be voting, in effect, for more than
one Representative in the House
the delegate here and the Rep
resentative from the home State
The witness replied he saw nc
concern over that since the dele
gate would have no vote i'll Con-
gresS.
Lusk Opposes Home Rule.
Opposition to home rule was
voiced by Rufus S. Lusk. president
of the Washington Taxpayers AS
Sociation.
Mrs. Smith wanted to know why
and the witness replied he feared
that under an elected form OF
government, the city would not
have as good an administration
as it now has.
/ Senator Kefauver asked him il
one of his reasons for opposing
home rule was a thought that
District taxes might be increased
Yes" Mr.. Lusk said.
The Senator then asked him
how many members the Taxpay-
ers' Association had. The witness
said 200. Senator KefauVer ther
asked him to put the names of the
members in the record. Mr.. Lusk
said he did not want to do that
but would be willing to give the
names to the subcommittee in ex-
ecutive session.
Support for home rule proposals
was voiced by Mrs. Milton Dunn
for the VoteleSs D. c. League o1
Women Voters.
She urged that there be joint
hearings by the House and Senate
District Committees when a f1na
draft of the new District charter
is prepared.
so that we may look for early
success this year."
Mrs. Dunn said it seemed wist
to her group that the charter
a1;,l, c1noa