Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-04
Views on Home Rule

(See editorial: "Clash of IntereStS."D
In The Stars editorial Of February
81 against District home rule I find.
among other things. fantastic notion
Of the extent to which the Federal in
terest must dominate the affairs of this
Federal City and force Congress Gn-
Guiding any District representation We
can get in it, to keep its hands on even
the more distinctly local of those affairs.
A look at the general run of items
handled by the District committees and
the District appropriations subcommit-
tees of the two houses will show how
much there is that has no real Federal
concern except as it may add up alto
gether to a well-run capital city. The
best people for Congress to'entrust such
matters to are the residents who are.
as a group, most familiar and most
affected-certainly so If they ARE mt
for self-government." as your editorial
makes an emphatic point of stating that
the people of Washington are.
The condition which really breeds the
Illustrations" and the clash between
purely local and purely Federal inter-
ests" is the necessity of bothering Con-
gress with the local legislation instead
of having local government with real
power to go ahead with its end Of the
partnership and bringing a busy Con-
gress in only on those points where
major Federal cooperation is needed.
Clashes with really Federal interests
were not characteristic of the days
when the District did have local voting.
though there were Illustrations due to
limited resources, spasmodic congress
sional interest and Intellectual forms Of
local government such as other cities
were also suffering from in those days
but have learned better about since.
1t is probable that. if we had District
representation in Congress. our local
delegation on Capitol Hill would be al
lowed much more influence on action
affecting the District than their small
numbers in the two houses: but run
ming city by its delegation in higher
legislature is not good plan of local
government. Furthermore, how much
good would our desired spokesman in
Congress be for representing us in
really national matters in addition TO
major cooperation between Federal
and local interests here. if they were
also saddled with the mass of local con-
Germs which Congress and their own
local constituents would certainly wish
upon them if there were not already
full-fedged local government handling
such things?
Those who advocate national repre-
sentation first and home rule afterWard
COR not at alb are. in effect. asking for
a thoroughly frustrated representation
in it's really national functions, followed
by two conflicting local governments If
home rule is then given, after the habit
of bypassing municipal agencies to get
to and from our representatives on
Capitol Hill has become established by
lack of local government with powers
over local budgets and other local leg
islaticn denied to our present appointed
local boards.
George w. HOdgkins,
Historian, Central Suffrage Conference.
\
May compliment you on your help
full and illuminating editorial, MO
tives and Home Rule" of February 27?
Your last few lines bear repetition;
Home rule would provide no such
representation. 1t would merely trans
fer a heavy responsibility without the
means of meeting it, That would be
a bad day for all of the people of
Washington"
With the above agree wholeheart-
eddy.
Paul Chiera.
The following is quoted from your
recent editorial, Motives and Home
Rule:
"Of course the people of Washing
ton are fit for self-government in every
respect, and always have been. But
there can be no real home rule in Wash
ington without representation of the
people in their Government. :. -"
Not so long ago I wrote Senator Price
Daniel junior Senator from Texas.
quoting him as saying that he repre-
sented the people of Texas, and claimed
him as one of my Senators. His reply
was that he represented the people of
his State and also all of the people of
the Nation. These were not his exact
words, but if you need to recheck I am
sure he would confirm and amplify the
proposition that Congress represents
and binds the Nation and therefore
every Senator and Representative acts
for the whole people.
Every Senator and every Representa-
tive in Congress is servant to the
whole people, including both the sover-
eign electors of the whole Nation and
the native-born and resident electors in
the District of Columbia and also the
electors from other States who are
pilgrims from their own domiciles.
Bensica.
Editors note: If he represents
those of us who live in Washington,
we should have voice in electing
him.
Arlington Zoning Vote
Thank goodness, Arlington has three
men on the County Board who had the
courage of their convictions to vote for
rezoning the Broyhill tract. These men
voted for what was best for Arlington