Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-04-05
HOME RULE
T rode Board Backs
Control by Congress

tional points: That a governor
not a mayor was needed to ne
gotiate Metropolitan problems
with Virginia and Maryland;
that the governor should be Of
the same political party as the
President to avoid squabbles
over local and Federal inter-
ests; that the councilmen, to
meet twice a month, need not
be paid as much as $1,000 an
nually.
! Also that ministers be banned
from running for office because
of conflict Of conscience and
duty; that voting age be 81
and residence requirements one
year; that borrowing provisions
be frightened, and that the
courts, School Board, coming
commission, Public Utilities
Commission, Redevelopment
Land Agency. Armory Board
and National Capital Housing
Authority be independent of
an elected city council.
District Republicans would
like to see a joint select COM
mittee inquire into the whole
problem of self-government,
free from pressures generated
by a presidential request, Mr..
Shipley said.
Sees Time Wasted
Mrs. Jack GottSegen, speak
ing for the National Council
of Jewish Women, supported
the concept of self-government
for the District, but added that
she felt Congress should be
able to legislate local matters
when the national interest is
involved.
Congress spends too much
time on things which local
representatives could handle"
she said.
She also backed the Federal
payment formula contained in
the administrators bill.
Another witness, j. c. Turner,
president of the Central Labor
Council, speaking for home
rule, added that the city should
conduct partisan primaries if
local political parties are to
build good organizations.
Asked by Senator Miller, Re-
publican Of Iowa, whether Con-
gresS should retain its power to
legislate, for example, local
labor laws, Mr.. Turner said, IF
we're going to have self-gov-
eminent, we ought to have self
government. We're willing to
take our chances"
Additional Witnesses
Others who testified:
Culver B. Chamberlain, a
representative of the Unitar-
ian Laymen's League, said that
the league deems full suffrage
for the District of Columbia
as a great social and moral,
as well as a political issue"
and strongly supports local
Self-government.
Robert E. Martin, represent
ing the National Capital Area
Civil Liberties Union, said that
the American Civil Liberties
Union and it's local affiliate
Endorse Fundamentally the
principle of local self govern
ment for the District of Co.
lumbia."
Barry Bison, 1921 Kalorama
road NV. suggested that the
home rule question could be re-
solved by retroceding to Mary
land the residential areas in
Washington.
A statement by the Rev. Vir-
gil E. Lowder on behalf of the
National Capital Area Council
of Churches was read into the
record. The statement favored
home rule for District residents.
Warns of Slavery"
Among witnesses testifying
against home rule was Mrs.
Ernest w. Howard of the Dis
trict Federation of Women's
Clubs, who warned that passage
the administration home rule
bill would make District resi-
dents political slaves"
Mrs. Margaret Fischer read a
on behalf Of Hildur
Frasier Of the Crestwood Citi-
zens Association which asserted
that the Nations Capital is @the
responsibility Of all American
citizens. 1t should not be and
can never be the moral or fl
nancial responsibility of District
residents alone"
Mrs. Robert Burns, president
of the American University
Park Citizens Association,
stated that her association "op-
poses home rule for the Dis
trict Of Columbia because it is
impractical, unnecessary and