1. The Founding Fathers of this country intended the residents of the District to have their own local suffrage. 2. Congress respected this intent by enacting home rule legislation promptly after the District became the seat of our National Government. 3. The citizens of Washington enjoyed the privileges of local democracy for three-quarters of a century. 4. These privileges were "temporarily" suspended in the 1870's and have never been restored. 5. For the past 12 years home rule bills have been introduced in Congress, and on four occasions have been passed by the Senate. However, on only one occasion has a home rule bill reached the floor of the House of Representatives-and that was 11 years ago. On every occasion, the bill has died in the House District Committee without being submitted to the full House. 6. This year, despite numerous requests from citizens and from members of the House District Committee, the chairman of that committee has not even scheduled hearings on the home rule bills introduced at the beginning of the year. As citizens, we believe we are entitled to regain the democratic privileges respecting our own local legislature, which in turn will enact our own local laws. We further believe that the people of this city are entitled to elect a delegate to the House of Representatives to represent in that forum the 850,000 residents of Washington. The President of the United States, the Senate, both political parties, and many national groups of citizens have long supported our cause. A majority of the House of Representatives can make this cause successful by signing the discharge petition and voting for the home rule bill in the House. We urgently request the Members of the House to take these steps in the interest of democracy and the welfare of the people of this Nation's Capital. THE WASHINGTON BUREAU, NATIONAL STATEMENT OF MRS. MILTON ISAACSON, PRESIDENT OF THE LASALLE PTA, AN ORGANIZATION OF 1,200 MEMBERS The principles implicit in home rule for the District of Columbia require no elaboration from the representatives or membership of our organization. Indeed, they are principles for which, should the moment or demand arise, we would all lay down our lives. We earnestly urge the chairman and the membership of this committee to consider soberly, having enjoyed privileges of full citizenship, how they would countenance the curtailment, dilution, or impairment to any degree of those privileges. Those of us, who unfortunately have aspired to but never attained that ultimate grail of citizenship—the right to self-government— herewith express a resounding "Aye" to the proposition favoring home rule. Thank you for this opportunity to speak for my organization. STATEMENT OF CHARLES B. E. FREEMAN, PRESIDENT OF THE BARNARD PARENTTEACHER ASSOCIATION, AN ORGANIZATION OF 463 MEMBERS The Barnard Parent-Teacher Association has for several years and still does endorse the principle of home rule for the District of Columbia. This association is one of the many local parent-teacher associations of the District of Columbia Congress of Parents and Teachers which endorse home rule for the District of Columbia. Similarly, this association is one of the many local organizations endorsing home rule for the District of Columbia. We believe, in accordance with the decided cases, that there is no constitutional or other legal impediment to the grant of home rule to the District of Columbia. Moreover, we believe that the residents of the District of Columbia can properly and effectively administer local affairs under the privilege of home rule with due regard for the Federal interests in the Capital City. We further believe that insofar as it may be a matter of time and insofar as it may be a matter of prestige for the United States of America, home rule should be granted to the residents of the District of Columbia, the Capital City of the United States. We, therefore, urge your committee to cast a momentous vote and decide in favor of home rule for the District of Columbia. We appreciate this opportunity to present our views. STATEMENT OF LUCIUS G. ROBERTSON, PRESIDENT OF THE BRUCE PTA, AN ORGANIZATION OF 102 MEMBERS For as long as we are denied the privilege of voting we cannot exercise the moral or political right to extol the virtues of democracy or of self-government to any other nation or people. Thank you for this opportunity to speak for my organization. STATEMENT OF MRS. JAMIE ADAIR, PRESIDENT OF THE JANNEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PTA, AN ORGANIZATION, OF 600 MEMBERS The executive committee of the Janney PTA sent out a questionnaire last spring on the subject of home rule. Out of over 300 of these questionnaires mailed to the members only 20 responses were unfavorable to home rule. Therefore we would like to go on record as being strongly in favor of home rule for the District of Columbia. We would like to have the privileges accorded to other citizens of this country, mainly the right to vote and elect our own representatives. Thank you for this opportunity to speak for my organization. STATEMENT OF MRS. ULYSSES E. WILLIAMS, PRESIDENT OF AREA COUNCIL II-A OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA CONGRESS OF PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATIONS, AN ORGANIZATION OF 4,888 MEMBERS Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, it is my pleasure to respectfully submit the following statement on behalf of Area Council II-A of the District of Columbia Congress of Parent-Teacher Associations. Area Council II-A, comprised of 13 schools, endorses without reservation the principle of home rule for the District of Columbia. The fundamental principles of this great democracy of ours, the United States of America, is the freedom of its people to choose those who shall govern them and the right of no taxation without representation. The District of Columbia, which is the Nation's Capital, is the only municipality in the United States which does not enjoy these rights. Our American heritage demands that the citizens of the District of Columbia be given the same rights of self-government in local affairs that other communities throughout the country possess. It demands, further, that these residents shall not be deprived of their inherent right to congressional representation and suffrage in local and national elections as the majority of the permanent residents of this city are now deprived. Area Council II-A, therefore, respectfully urges this committee to favorably support the principle of home rule for the District of Columbia. Thank you for this opportunity to speak for my organization. STATEMENT OF H. HERBERT BAIRD, PRESIDENT, RUDOLPH PARENT-TEACHER Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, on behalf of the Rudolph ParentTeacher Association, I wish to present the following statement: The Rudolph Parent-Teacher Association strongly endorses the principle of home rule for the District of Columbia. The various forms of home rule to be reviewed by this committee, though not meeting the full wishes of the total population, do provide some improvement over the existing methods of local government administration. The Rudolph Parent-Teacher Association therefore endorses legislation that will give the citizens of the District of Columbia representative self-government. I wish to thank you for the opportunity of providing this statement in behalf of the Rudolph Parent-Teacher Association. STATEMENT OF MRS. WINIFRED B. BENTLEY, PRESIDENT OF THE MONROE SCHOOL PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, on behalf of the Parent-Teacher Association of the Monroe Elementary School, an organization of 300 members, I have the honor to present the following statement supporting home rule for the District of Columbia : The Parent-Teacher Association of the Monroe Elementary School heartily endorses the principle of home rule for the citizens of the District of Columbia. As parents and citizens it is our belief that we have a fundamental right as well as a duty to have a voice in the government of our city. We wish to insure these rights for our children and for all future generations. We believe that the primary duty of American citizens is to accept the responsibilities of governing themselves. We urgently request your favorable consideration and support of the principle of home rule for the citizenry of the District of Columbia. Thank you for this opportunity to speak for my organization. STATEMENT OF JEHU C. HUNTER, PRESIDENT OF THE PETWORTH PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION I am Jehu Hunter, president of the Petworth Parent-Teacher Association, an organization of 284 members. The Parent-Teacher Association of the Petworth Elementary School endorses the principle of home rule for the District of Columbia. Legislation for home rule would restore to the inhabitants of the District of Columbia the powers of local self-government which are a basic privilege of all American citizens. Congress would, through such legislation, promote among the population of the District the sense of responsibility for the development and well-being of their community which will result from the enjoyment of the powers of self-government. Furthermore, such action would relieve the National Legislature of the burden of legislating upon purely local District matters while important national legislation remains pending. It is a fact that the development of a community and the solution of its local problems is more effective when undertaken by those persons who are most closely concerned. STATEMENT OF MRS. HAROLD KRONSTADT, PRESIDENT, ALEXANDER SHEPHERD PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION The Alexander Shepherd Parent-Teacher Association, an organization of 350 members, at its meeting in March 1959 voted overwhelmingly in favor of home rule for the District of Columbia. We strongly urge that you give prompt and full consideration to measures providing home rule so that the early adoption of such a program may be possible. Thank you for this opportunity to speak for my organization. STATEMENT OF JEAN LEWIS, PRESIDENT OF THE WHITTIER PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION We, the members of the Whittier Parent-Teacher Association, an organization of 500 members, hope this year of 1959 will see and enjoy home rule for the District of Columbia. Thank you for this opportunity to speak for my organization. STATEMENT OF MRS. CHARLES SMALLWOOD, PRESIDENT OF THE ADAMS Home rule will afford our citizens in the District of Columbia a chance to actively participate in our government; thus, we will nave our say on problems dealing with taxes, health, education, and welfare. Thank you for this opportunity to speak for my organization, an organization of 463 members. FRANCIS JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION, Hon. JOHN L. MCMILLAN, Chairman of the House District Committee, DEAR SIR: The Francis Junior High School Parent-Teacher Association of Washington, D.C., joins with our official, civic, educational, religious and other leaders in petitioning your committee to promote the passage of pending legislation which will grant the most complete suffrage to the citizens of this city. No argument is needed to establish the justice of self-government for any American city. Political rights exercised through home rule by the residents of Washington, D.C., will promote the national and international welfare of our great country. We implore you in your wisdom on this occasion to champion these people's right to vote to put an end to our shameful disfranchisement and to rescue this municipality from its voteless status under which it has been incarcerated for such a long time. Your decision in our favor is vital and will be echoed from far lands of the world. Your committee will have carved a niche in the history of our land the great value of which will be beyond measurement. We appreciate your honorable allowance of our request. Very truly yours HARRY L. STANTON, Chairman, Executive Committee. RAYMOND PARENT-TEACHER'S ASSOCIATION, RAYMOND SCHOOL, Washington, D.C., July 28, 1959. Hon. JOHN MCMILLAN, Chairman, House District Committee, HONORABLE SIR: Please file this statement as part of the official printed record. Thank you. Mrs. HENRY THOMAS, President. STATEMENT OF MRS. HENRY THOMAS, PRESIDENT OF THE RAYMOND SCHOOL PARENTTEACHER'S ASSOCIATION The Raymond School Parent-Teacher's Association, an organization of 286 members, unanimously endorsed the resolution on home rule adopted by its parent body in convention May 4, 5, and 6, 1959, Washington, D.C. This resolution endorses the principle of local self-government for the District of Columbia. We agree wholeheartedly that too long the citizens of the District of Columbia have suffered from too much taxation and not enough representation. It is beneath our dignity and self-respect as American citizens not to enjoy the right to a voice in the disposition of our own tax money for the welfare of our most precious possessions-our children. As parents we would feel better satisfied to pay high taxes if we could guarantee that our money would be expended to take care of our educational needs. Self-government for the District of Columbia will also promote better community life. Without representation and a voice, John Q. Public feels that nothing can be done to better his situation, so why bother. Given a voice in local affairs, he gains hope, feels that he is really a part of his Government, and soon participates actively in resolving community needs. How can our children visualize the importance of the principles upon which our country is built unless they have the opportunity to see their parents actively participate in local affairs? How can we motivate our children to accept national responsibility without giving them an insight into the problems of and responsibilities to a democratic government by our participation at home? We vigorously urge that District citizens be given the right to shape their own destiny as free American citizens and not as slaves. We feel that local selfgovernment is inevitable in spite of prejudice and inertia. Thank you for this opportunity to speak for my organization. STATEMENT OF VIVIAN A. WATERS, PRESIDENT OF THE WILLIAM B. POWELL PTA, AN ORGANIZATION OF 300 MEMBERS The membership of the William B. Powell PTA commends the House District Committee for its past performance in matters relating to the affairs of the District of Columbia, Ours is a strongly unified stand for home rule for the District of Columbia, and we respectfully urge the committee to enact legislation favorable to the granting of this privilege to our citizens. Thank you for this opportunity to speak for my organization. STATEMENT OF MRS. ELSIE W. MITCHELL, PRESIDENT, WEST SCHOOL PTA Home rule for the District of Columbia would vest the administration of education in the hands of those who have the greatest interest in its advancement-the parents of the District children. Furthermore, the educational experiences which the children would gain from direct contact with a functional unit of democratic government would improve the quality of education and citizenship immensely. SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY HOUSE ASSOCIATION, Washington, D.C., July 28, 1959. To the District of Columbia Committee of the House of Representatives on Home Rule. DEAR CONGRESSMEN: A man without a vote is a man without a democratic government. We that live in the District of Columbia find ourselves supporting a government without a voice. It is really taxation without representation. On behalf of the hundreds of individuals that we serve we recommend that the Congress of the United States pass a home rule bill. Sincerely requested, JAMES E. LEWIS, Jr., Executive Director. STATEMENT OF MRS. BARRINGTON D. PARKER, PRESIDENT OF THE MCKINLEY HIGH SCHOOL PARENT-TEACHER ASSOCIATION, AN ORGANIZATION OF 680 MEMBERS The Parent-Teacher Association of McKinley Technical High School at its regular meeting, held in the auditorium of the school on March 18, 1959, unanimously voted to support the effort for home rule for the District of Columbia. Our association took this action in the belief that one of the benefits of home rule would be an improvement in the public education in our city. It is our conviction that responsibility for schools should be placed where the primary concern for these institutions now rests-with the citizens of this city. The Parent-Teacher Association of the McKinley Technical High School, therefore, joining the District of Columbia Congress of Parents and Teachers, respectfully urges that the District of Columbia be granted the right of home rule as soon as possible. Thank you for this opportunity to speak for my organization. THE BROOKLAND SCHOOL, PTA, Hon. JOHN MCMILLAN, Chairman, House District Committee, DEAR SIR: It is hard to believe that Congress which has constantly been advocating a policy of peace, along with promoting the ideals and principles of selfgovernment to the remotest corners of the world, should fail miserably to give this right to its own District of Columbia citizens. Democracy should be taught at home as well as abroad. Is Congress ashamed of its "American citizens"? |