Evening star., 1960-02-03

Jne KIM OF sell -Qetermlnatl0n
of which we have been speaking
to all the world. Senator Long,
Democrat of Hawaii, voted with
his Republican colleague for
District suffrage, as did both
Alaskan Senators, Democrats
Bartlett and Gruening.
Keating Commended
Senator JavitS, Republican of
New York. commended Senator
Keating for "seizing the right
opportunity" to press this very
desirable" District amendment.
Constitutional amendments are
a rarity. he pointed out. He
said that only the Heating ini-
tiative had given the Senate
the opportunity to act for vote
less Washingtonians.
/ From the Democratic side Of
the aisle. Senator Bible said he
thoroughly subscribed"
/ He stressed, however, that
national representation was
neither a lever nor a substi-
tute" for home rule, the term
popularity used to describe a
locally elected municipal gov
ernment.
] "It would be a mistake to
withhold national representa-
ton for home rule, or home
rule for national representa-
tion," said Senator Bible, who
like Senator Heating. is be-
hind both proposals. I'VE must
advance down both roads"
1859 Bill Stymied
The Senate last year passed
a bill to provide for an elected
mayor and city council. But
the legislation has not moved
out Of committee in the House.
A discharge petition to dis
lodge the measure from COM
mittee has gathered about $50
of required 219 signatures
on the House floor.
A constitutional amendment
long sought by Distrit resi-
dents was suggested first in
substance by a young protege
of Thomas jefferson, attorney
Augustus Brevoort Woodward
in a pamphlet.
Such an amendment was ad-
vocated by Theodore w. Noyes
in The Evening Star in 1888.
Formal introduction in Con-
gress followed in 1888 and 1889.
Varying in form, the. amend
ment was offered in practically
every Congress in succeeding
years. A Citizens Joint Com
mittee on National Representa-
ton, formed in 1917, united
civic, business, labor and vet
Grams organizations Of the Dis
trict behind the move. This
band of supporters for years
stood together behind the pro-
posal.
Won Seven Hearings
The amendment won seven
hearings. For times it was
favorAbly reported by Congress
sional committees.
In 1888, District citizens or
ganized a referendum and
$4,000 Washingtonians voted
for national representation.
The returns reflected a l3 to
l sentimennt for suffrage.
Pressure reached a peak In
l945 in Congress when Presi-
dent Truman echoed a national
representation call of other
Presidents beginning with
President Monroe in 1918.
Since then, amendments have
stacked up in the hopper.
Representative Broyhill, Re-
publican of Virginia. N recent
Congresses has submitted nu-
rnerous amendment forms IN
an attempt to simplify the
amendment procedure.
Spurred by Editorial
Last year, an editorial IN
The Evening Star noted that
District residents were in the
same category as a citizen of
Alabama. Arkansas, Mississippi,
Texas and Virginia VINO failed
to pay his poll tax. They
couldn't vote.
Following this editorial sug-
gestion that the anti-poll tax
amendment be amended to en-
franchise District residents,
Senator Keating linked the
two.
| Senator Kefauver, Democrat
of Tennessee, scheduled hear
ings and his Judiciary Sub
committee reported the District
amendment-separate from the
poll tax amendment-by a vote
OF 5 to l. Only full Judiciary
Committee Chairman East
/ land. Democrat of MissiSsinni