Evening star., 1961-03-29

~ " 49, sAAS AsA4AGR NAAA 0NA0AA AMANAS
| Off the parent poll tax
amendment went to the House
Committee with two attach
lments 1.-The District suffrage
lproviso and q separ4te amend |
ment to fill House vacancies in |
times Of emergencies by gliber- |
material appointments.
| Ckgey Chairman Celler faced |
Ia dilemma. He was positive |
the three-headed resolution |
could never survive O House
vote. The poll tax provision |
alone although he favored Il |
would be enough to kill the
District vote. he felt.
SO. he detached the District
section and held hearings on
the local suffrage proposal |
alone.
Formed BY NOyes
Recognizing the new oppor-l
tunity. civic leaders reactivatedl
the Citizen Joint Committee o1I
National Representation for the
District Of Columbia. r. EIwood |
Davis. Washington attorney.
was named chairman.
This committee had been
formed in 1917 under the lead.
ership of the late Theodore w. !
Noyes. editor Of The Star, who
had begun the District fight |
for suffrage IN 1883. He re-.
mained It's champion until hisI
death In 1886,
About this time, the suffrage
drive received another boost |
when Senator Kefauver per4
mitted The Star TO print the
confidential report Of his SUBJ
committee urging the amend
inent. It was q concise and
vigorous condemnation Of the
senseless deprivation Of Wash-
ington voting rights.
The House committee dropped
from the amendment q section
that would have allowed the
District representation In the
House. II limited District elee.
tors. not TO . proportion Of
population, as In the States.
but to the number enjoyed BY
THE least p0puIous States.
cutbaekss psinting
Both cutbacks were deeply
disappointing to Warrington
residents. But the House COM
mittee would not be shaken.
Other House members were
! prepared to try TO reinsert
these strengthening clauses by
amendment on the floor.
The proposal went to the
| powerful Rules Committee with
chances for floor amendment a
l distinct possibility. It came
tout Of the Rules Committee and
onto the floor with o ';closed"
Irule-no amendments allowed.
Rules members, including
Chairman HOWARD Smith,
Democrat Of Virginia, feared
the bill with the Senate num-
Der would be amended on the
| floor to revive the poll tax.
bar. To eliminate any chance
of this happening. Chairman.
Smith got Mr.. Celler to REIN
troduce the reported District
resolution with q House mum.
Der. II was 'reintroduced, re-
reported BY the judiciary
Committee and sent to the
House floor by the Rules COM
mittee within % hours.
/ This parliamentary tactic
blocked any attempts TO resur-
rect the poll tax amendment.
At the same time, It frustrated
members who were willing TO-
expand the District amend.
.iment.
Last Tense Moment
D. !. y
Masters Of House strategy
were satisfied, however, that
the District resolution, as re-
ported by the House commit
Itee. was the only one that
could clear the Senate and the
required three-quarters Of the
States. 4.
But there was . final tense
moment.
4 The House passed the res0-
luton with o House number. J.
III II had gone In that form
back 20 the senate for clear
ance. 1t would have had TO be
referred TO the Senate com.
Imittee and sure death.
Perhaps the most critical
moment In the life Of the
amendment came Just after
the HollSe vote. Mr., Celler
moved to restore the senate
number" Unanimous cCn-
sent Is required for such 4
. change. A single objection
would have stalled the reform
! perhaps for another century.
The Senate number" was
: restored, however. and the
+ resolution went hack TO- the
Senate for unanimous approval
on the floor. BY June %, 1850,
! the fate3of the Amendments was
} thrown into the 50 STATE EAgis-
llatures.