Evening star., 1952-06-11
kefauver Takes
Firm Stand for
Home Rule Here
Senator Opens Drive
For Primary Support
At MoyfIower RolIy
By Crosby S. Moves

mary, firmly supported by local
party leaders and riding a solid
home-rule platform.
These facts emerged yesterday
afternoon, when Candidate Kefau-
yer plunged into a weeks inten-
sive campaigning here, applauded
by some 800 well-wishers at the
Mayf1ower Hotel.
The Senator from Tennessee
stressed the Importance of the
local contest. The result, he said,
will be observed throughout the
Nation because of the melting
pot characteristic of the Capitals
population. It is the last prefer
ential primary in the country. It
is the only primary in which Mu-
tual Security Administration Ave-
rell Hartman has entered his
name. It will be the only direct
test of strength between the two
men.
Late for Reception.
Senator Kefauver, delayed on
the Senate floor, showed up for
his reception about an hour late.
The hotel ballroom was jammed
to the galleries; gallons of orange
juice, running from automatic
fountains, had been quaffed, local
campaign leader Gerhard P. van
Arkel and National Campaign
manager Gael Sullivan had de-
livered themselves Of eulogies and
exhortations.
On his arrival, the candidate
launched into a prepared speech,
plugging his record of service
with the Senate District Commit
tee. 1t concentrated almost ex-
clusively on the issues of home
rule and the Washington transit
situation. There were a few par
enthetical digs at the opposition,
delivered in a tone of dreamy
sarcasm.
There was little in the speech
which bore on the central issue
of the election so far-at least so
far is the Hartman forces are
commemorative issue of civil
rights and segregation.
Omission Noted.
Immediately after the program,
Mr.. Harriman'S local campaign
manager. Joseph L. Rauh, jr.,
called attention to this omission.
"We believe that the demo-
cratic voters Of the District i
will settle the question on the side
of civil rights" Mr.. Rauh added.
AS matter of fact, Senator
Kefauver had met the issue, ques-
toned by reporters after his talk
he said:
II have always thought the en-
phasis here in the District should
be put on giving the people the
right of determining these things
for themselves. That, as I see it,
would be the democratic way of
solving the problem.
He had said much the same
thing in his speech:
"You have been told, and I'm
sure that. you will be told again
and again. that a vote for the
right man will solve this local
problem or that local problem.
That isn't quite honest. In the
first place problems are not solved
for you. What you need is the
right and the opportunity to de-
eide what to do and then you
will be able to solve your prob
lens for yourself"
Active in Home Rule.
Senator Kefauver reminded his
audience that 1--WE been working
here in Washington for IA years,
and I've always been especially
active in doing what I could to
bring about home rule for the
District of Columbia"
Lately" he went on, "I've been
hearing about another candidate
for high Office who's been talking
about home rule. He says he's
lived here for 20 years, but frank
ly it's only in the last 20 days that
I ever heard anything from him
about home rule. Twenty years.
20 days. Fourteen years, IA
years. Well, I'll just leave it
up to you"
Asking why the District should
be "a captive city," Senator Ke-
fauver declared:
When you establish home rule,
then you can decide in a demo-
cratic way just how you want
your schools run; whether YOU
want more schools, and where you
want them located. Why should a
Congressman from a far distant
place in the Nation be the one
to tell you how to run your
SchoolS?"'
Turning to another popular
local issue, the candidate de-
clared:
"The well-being of a community.
of its people and its businesses, de-
pends greatly upon the kind of
public transportation that is avail
able. If the public transit system
is rendering good service at rea-
sonable fares then the community
is fortunate. But where the local
utility fails to live up to the re-
Quirements of its franchise, where
it milks the property and allows
service to deteriorate. while at the
same time crying for fare in
creases, then the. community has
a most serious problem.
Calls for Hearings.
The speaker said he wants to
be fair with both the Capital
Transit Co. and the public and
renewed his demands for public
hearings on the proposed transit
fare increases.
After the speech, Senator Ke-
fauver and his wife posted them
selves at the door and shook
hands with nearly every member
of the audience. His supporters
were urged to get into the cam