Evening star., 1952-01-27
ain, Flonne-Ru!e. Bottle Neors PerennioL CIinoox

90 into force until and unless Con-
gress decided to take charge.
Enough Senators apparently were
convinced q trial 1of the plan was
worthwhile. There were oratorical
appeals both for and against. There
were warnings Of international re-
! percussions as Senators were told OF
Moscow broadcasts of drives to pre-
vent democracy in the American
Capital.
District Committee Chairman Nicely
called on all his famed oratorical
powers to persuade his colleagues
that to save the meaning of democ-
racy Congress no longer could con-
tinue to class Washington residents
with "disfranchised murderers, kid
napers and rapists."
Calm-spoken, earnest Senator Hol-
land of Florida. an early advocate OF
home rule, discounted the constitu-
tional worries but agreed there was a
field of doubt" as to whether the
council could be empowered to en-
act general District legislation be-
yond the limits of such ordinances as
now may be promulgated by the
Commissioners.
Urging enactment of the bill, he
voiced hope for tests in the highest
courts of the fullest powers the
council might be granted.
II Veto Is Vetoed
Senator Ferguson, Michigan Re-
publican, emphasized one little-no-
ticed point concerning the power OF
Congress to override an act OF the
council. He brought out that, Con-
gress could vote to repeal a council
act, but that if the President agreed
with the council he could veto the
congressional repeater. Therefore,
Senator Ferguson explained, it might
require two-thirds vote by Congress
to wipe out the councils action.
Thus. suffrage proponents could
argue this would give the District
! more real" self-government than
detractors had imagined. And OPP
ponents could argue, that, If so, it
means the council, with support Of
the President, could defeat the Will
of a majority of Congress.
One of the selling points for the
home-rule bill was stricken from the
measure in the Senate on the mo-
ton of Senator SaltonStall, Massa-
chusetts Republican This was pro-
vision pledging Congress to Federal
payment amounting to 90 per cent
of the tax revenues Of the District in
the previous year.
Under the pending budget for
1858, it would have meant, II carried
out, Federal share Of about $23
million, or more than double what
now is granted.
HypoeriticoI Position
Senator Saltonstall said Congress
would be put in hypocritical po-
sitior to okay this in the home-rule
bill when current experience shows
4 that the lawmakers have, declined
even to grant the full $12 million
Federal payment promised In present
basic law.
Another question Is whether the
council could amend or repeal exist
ing acts of Congress regulating Dis
trict affairs.
On this point. the Senate COM
mittee report states: 1T Is contem-
plated that the District council may
amend or repeal any existing act Of
Congress dealing solely with the Dis
trict." It also says: With respect
to future legislation by the Congress,
!. it will be necessary for the Congress
to decide in each case whether the
council should be permitted to amend
or repeal legislation dealing with the
District.
AS the week ended, battle lines
were forming. Each side has. until
February 20 to muster strength. for
discharge petitions cannot be filed
until bill has been bottled up in
committee so days. Then the shoot
ing starts.