Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-09-18
Statehood
Urged dsRoute
To Home Rule
Maryland, Virginia
Should Give Lond,
Official Suggests

A revolutionary scheme under
which the Washington area
would seek statehood was pro-
posed last night by District
Budget Ofncer Walter L. Fowler
as the only practical solution To
the attainment of home rule
and Metropolitan Area co-ordi-
nation.
AS a first step, the veteran city
ofiicial said, Congress should
retrocede the District to the
State Of Maryland. Then both
Maryland and Virginia should
relinquish jurisdiction over por-
tons Of the present Metro Area
region could apply to Congress:
for status as a 5lst state Of
Columbia"
Mr.. Fowler outlined his idea
with a strong appeal for either
support, in an address to the
District Institute Of Certified
Public Accountants at the
Shoreham Hotel.
Mr.. Fowler first developed
the idea of a Metro Area State
in 1858. but had given 1t nc
previous publicity. Earlier this
year. however, Irving Brant,
Washington historian. proposed
an almost identical approach In
Capitol Hill testimony on Dis
trict home rule. One aspect or
which they differ is that Mr.
Brant proposed that Congress
reserve the small White House
Capitol-Supreme Court area
downtown as the Federal "seat
of government"
Restriction q Factor
The basis Of Mr.. Fowler
plan was an argument that tn,
Districts restricted land area
more than any other factor
forecloses the possibility thar
true home rule will be granted
the city.
BY the same token, he con-
tended, voluntary co-ordinatec
activities by the Independent
political Jurisdictions of tn,
metropolitan Area will never
be sufficient for the area II
function as q single socio'
economic region"
In a lengthy review of HON,
lrule efforts over the last 2!
years, Mr.. Fowler said thl
c ampaigns have becom,
"stultifled" in conflict ant
characterized by futility."
| He said the trouble has beef
that different factions hayl
wasted their energies in fight
ling over whether home rule
meant representation in Con
gress or an elected local govern,
ment, and that he believes tn
chances Of either coming abou
are virtually nil"
IF our fathers had playeC
around with liberty like mer
have played with home rule TO
the District of Columbia, WI
would still be colonies Of thu
British Empire" he declared
New Solution
In view of the apparently in.
surmountable obstacles" to tn,
old home rule proposals, h
said. there is need for a pro,
posed solution Of an entirel,
new character" He added:
Something is needed to stil
the thoughts Of those truly in.
terested in giving both local anC
national representation to the
Districts population. Each re.
vitalization Of the old idea,
has resulted in nothing more
than a rehashing of old argu.
ments and progress has beer
forestalled. We see nothing
ahead. aSthings stand, but thu
same old arguments, the samt
old conflicts in thinking and the
same old apathy en- the part Of
the people.
I'VE know there are many or
Capitol Hill who would like Il
give us back to Maryland
as our financial difficulties be-
come greater so does their dis
gust at our insiStent demands
for more and greater contribu.
tons"
Mr.. Fowler's new approach
is statehood, but ne contendec
that the District would have M
chance of acquiring it with it.
present small land area, ST.
per cent of which is tax-exempt
BY way Of example, he argued
that Alaska's great land ares
was the prime factor in it,
gaining statehood, despite thu
fact that its population is much
smaller, and produces much
less Federal tax revenue. thar
4 the Districts.
Land Needed