Evening star., 1960-04-03
D.C.V VofePIar
Gains BACKING
InCongress
Members Predict
House Approval
Of Amendment
By GRACE BASSE7
Star Stan Writer

A move to grant Washington
residents the right to vote for
President, Vice President and
delegates to the House gained
support yesterday, with House
hearings three days of.
Key members of the Senate
and House have Endorsed the
principle. Community leaders
representing a broad cross
section Of opinion have organ
lied to urge adoption Of a
suffrage resolution by a House
Judiciary Subcommittee. A
majority of Subcommittee
members have declared them
selves for the idea.
The Senate passed a similar
resolution on February 2. Clear
ance by two-thirds vote Of
Congress and three-quarters Of
the State legislatures would
amend the Constitution to gain
for Washington residents presi-
dental voting rights enjoyed by
all other Americans.
Daily Vocabulary
Supporters are hopeful that
the climate of this presidential
elections year is right for con-
gressional action. The words
voting rights" repeated over
. and over again in this sessions
civil rights debates. have be-
come part of the daily vocabu-
larry of every congressman.
And opposition to voting
rights of the noncontroversial
kind urged for local citizens
would be hard to defend back
home.
Both Senate and House reso-
lutions would allow Washing
tonianS to choose presidential
electors and House delegates.
Five electors could be sent to
the electoral college. under the
Senate version. and three, un-
der the House alternate. Each
resolution probably would re-
suit in three delegates to the
House, with voting rights to be
determined by Congress.
Amendment Needed
A Constitutional amendment
Is necessary. not because the
constitution forbidS voting by
residents of the Nations Capi-'
tai but merely because it fails
to include District in the now
perfunctory electoral college.
Electors as defined in the con-
stitution represent States.
Bipartisan backing is exem-
plified by major sponsors, Rep
resentative Celler, Democrat of
New York. chairman of the full
House Judiciary Committee,
and Senator Heating, Republic
can of New York. In the Sem
ate both Majority Leader john
son of Texas and Minority
Leader Dirksen of Illinois voted
for District suffrage.
In the House, such District
Committee members as Loser,
Democrat of Tennessee and
Abernethy, Democrat of Mis-
sissippi. have pledged support.
Representative Smith, Demo-
crat of Virginia and chairman
of the powerful Rules Commit
tee, said he had mo objection"
to the local vote in national
elections.
Area congressman, Republic
can Representative Broyhill of
Virginia and Democratic Rep
resentative Foley and Lankford
of Maryland, are for it. Mr..
Broyhill has sponsored two al
ternate resolutions aimed at ac-
complishing objectiveS of the
Celler proposal.
The presidential and the
House elections are provided
for separately in the Broyhill
approach.
Mr.. Foley predicted House
passage of a proposed amend
ment. MI. Abernethy said he
doubted there would be Is votes
against the presidential vote,
should it reach the floor of
the 437-member House.
From the Washington COM
munity, spokesmen for 20 or
ganizations have asked to be
heard at hearings scheduled
for 10 am. next Wednesday
and Thursday before the Celler
Subcommittee. They are:
F. Elwood Davis, chairman of
See VOTE, Page ALA