Evening Star Newspaper, December 18, 1935, Page 3

D.C. EMPLOYMENT Council Action on District Jobs Question Follows Peake Dispute. Employment of qualified Washing- ton residents in District jobs was urged last night by the Southeast Council of Citizens' Associations, fol- lowing charges that the Board of Public Welfare had sidetracked the organization’s request for a hearing to consider appointment of Col. Wil- liam L. Peake as superintendent of District penal institutions. E. J. Newcombe, a former member of the board and a representative of the Congress Heights Citizens' Asso- ciation, said Elwood Street, the board's director, in replying to a letter from the council, had said the request would be considered at the Decem- ber 10 meeting of the board. This, he added, was followed by a letter December 13 stating the board had considered the council’s request for & hearing. Told Letter Not Submitted. A few days later, Newcombe said, he was told by a member of the board that the letter had never been submitted to the welfare group for action. Copies of the recommendation for employment of Washingtonians on lo- cal jobs were ordered sent to the Dis- trict Commissioners, the chairmen of the House and Senate District Com- mittees and the chairman of the Sub- committee on Appropriations for the District. Action on proposals to merge the metropolitan and park police and abolish the post of director of traffic was postponed at the suggestion of A. F. E. Scheer, chairman of the Joint Conference of Northeast Citizens' As- sociations. Committee on Site. After the council had indorsed a proposal to locate the Jefferson Me- | morial in the Southeast section, Chair- man William A. Maio named William J. Smith, Joseph L. Gammell, R. C. Darnell, Mrs. A. R. Miller and C. A. Barker as a committee to select a suitable location. The council voted to stage a three- month membership drive, setting its goal at 1,000 members. A cup will b2 given the association obtaining the largest percentage of new members. MRS. W. E. HIGMAN SUES Wife of Treasury Division Head Seeks Reno Divorce. A Reno divorce is being sought by Mrs, Ella Evans Higman, wife of Wil- liam E. Higman, head of a division of the Treasury Department, according to a dispatch received here today. Higman declined to discuss the suit, which was filed yesterday. Mrs. Hig- man, whose address was given as 2100 | 1 street, left the city Frida; SPECIAL NOTICES. WANTED — RETURN LOAD _ATLANTA. Alabama, Wash. to points North. Dec. 21 to 2. Special return rates all_cities. ANDERSON VAN SERVICE. Natl. 7670. THE ANNUAL STOCKHOLDERS' MEETING of the Mutua! Purchasing Association will be held in the office of the association, 4. 1319 F st. n.w., Wednesday, 272, 1936, at 8 p.m G. CHESTER COLLISON. SR ~__ Secretarr. TRUCK RETURNING WEDNESDAY FROM D. C. to Conn. via Phiia. and N. Y, about 18t of vr.. desires return load. Clev. 5837. NOTICE_THE ANNUAL MEETING OF the stockholders of the Hall Association of the Grand United Order of Odd Fellows of the District of Columbia will be held at h T sts. n.W.. ol 27, 1935, at 8 o'clock P.m.. for the election of directors for the ensuing year and for the transaction of uch other business as may properly come fore the meeting e10rS ekl MANNING. President. WM. 1. LEE, Vice President. Acting. SAMUEL W. WATSON. Secretary. * $PECIAL RETURN-LOAD RATES ON FULL Pt part loads to all points within 1000 iles: padded guaranteed service. v tional 1460. Jan. (Signed.) . 3 Y. ave. ATRS R__RENT__ SUITABLE FUR SafboE PARTIES, banauets. Neddings e lavaila eiling chairs fof airs. inval I Sont'or sle. TATES STORAGE Co. 418 ITED STA' A ein Ot w MEtropolitan 1844 FREE_SAND AND GRAVEL MIXTURE dways, rough concrete. fll. Dl LT I CAMOND TERRA COTTA $ORKS. Blair rd. and Underwood st. 0.W PAILY TRIPS MOVING LOADS AND PAR’ DAL TR O Baiio. Phila. and New trips to other Eastern eitles. en Service Since 1896." THE DAVIDSON TRANSFER & STORAGE . phone_ Decatur 2500 MARRIAGE ANNOUN! 24-HOUR SERVICE. GOODHART'S 1214 H_St o HERE'S AN IDEA — A money, _sext time At odn " réroductions of - Statements. Fooks, Fatent Drawings, Forelgn Reprints. etc, let us give you a tree estimate. We Teptoduce by photograph no roof- feading_ necessary._ Samples free. Columbia Planograph Co., 50 L St N.E____Metrobolitan 4861 _ A DEAL FUNERAL AT §75 vides same service as one costing $500. B easte . “insurance money.” Call DEAL witn' 25 experience. Lin- coln 8200 AUCTION SALES—FUTUVHEi pAYS. THOS. J. OWEN & SON, AUCTIONEERS. 172, PRO! OF A MODERN R EE- ATTIC STONE-FRONT APARTMENT BUILDING. CONTAINING SEVEN ARARINENT it ;. ZT! = X ToN. . C. TOGETHER WITH A THREE-STORY RESIDENCE ADJOIN- ING, CONTAINING TEN ROOMS AND THREE BATHS. Whereas _default having occurred in the payment of the principal of and interest on the debt secured on the hereinafter de- Seribed land and premises by & certain Geed of trust bearing date November 21st, §024, and_recorded November 24th. 1924, in Liber 5394, folio 138 et sea. of the Land Records of the District of Columbia, as well as in the payment of D. C. real estate taxes on said property. at the writ- ten request of the present holder of the bonds secured thereby. the undersigned, wilsell at public auction in s TH) [ the premises at THREE OCLOCI B) EENTH DAY OF DECEMBER. A.D. 1935, the following described land and premises, situate, lying and being in the County of Washingion, “’;'h“m District of Columbia. : Lot 3 ORY-AND. 43 | national control. " THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, Dn. €. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBE‘R 18, 1935.% SOUTHEAST ASKS |Referendum Promises to Washington Greater Full Adviéory Vote to Show Strength of D. C. Voters. Full Vote Adds Force to | District’s Plea for Fair Laws. (Prom Editorial Correspondence of 1913 and 1916.) Because the scope of application and the usefulness of the initiative, referendum and recall have been ex- aggerated it does not follow that they are of no value whatsoever and should not be utilized at all. These devices are of the most value in the smallest political subdivisions, where their ef- fect corresponds to the action of a town meeting, as in connection with city government. They are of less value in the States and are hardly claimed as yet to be applicable at all nationally. The initiative, referendum and recall may also have valuable application as supplements of representative govern- ment in special cases where public opinion should be taken into account in legislation and administration, and where the securing of that expression of public sentiment through the ordi- nary forms of representative govern- ment is denied by the Constitution— for example, in the District of Co- lumbia, where Congress in acting for the people under the Constitution should heed and give effect in local concerns to local sentiment and yet is deprived of power to learn this public sentiment in any conclusive way by absence from the District of all representative elections and afl elec- tions of any kind. These devices | might in contingencies serve a very useful purpose in securing expressions of local public sentiment, to which Cdngress, as exclusive legislature, might respond. Congress has on occasion in the past adopted the referendum for the | District to the extent of permitting its people to vote upon some question vitally affecting their interests, as in Buchanan’s administration, in 1858, when the people of the Capital voted on a broposed code of laws. Congress thas not always heeded these expres- sions of local public sentiment after they have been rendered, especially in cases where it had not authorized the election and where the corporate au- thorities had attempted to exercise the initiative. For instance, in John- son’s administration the President vetoed an act of Congress affecting the District which in its terms disregarded and reversed the almost unanimous voice of the community expressed in an unauthorized referendum vote, and Congress passed the law over the President’s veto. The act in question 2 ‘ established Negro suffrage in the Dis- trict and in the local referendum vote which preceded the House's action it was favored by only 35 votes in Wash- ington and one in Georgetown. Presi- dent Johnson's message, vetoing this act (1866), is a clear and interesting discussion of the relation of Congress to the Capital and of the obligation of the District's constitutional legislature on American principles to heed and give effect to reasonable local senti- ment and wishes. Local Referendum and Recall. As long as the Nation is the Dis- trict’s multimillionaire citizen, by far the largest property owner and quasi taxpayer in the Capital, i will not surrender control of the tax-raising and tax-spending function in the Dis- trict, and the exclusive legislative power of Congress will be maintained, and probably also the appointing power vested in the President. It has been affirmed by several Presidents end is generally conceded that all American rights should be given to the Americans in the District of Columbia which’ are consistent with this full national control of the Nation's city. There would be no interference with such control even if the Americans in the District of Columbia voted for President, or if the District had rep- resentation in both houses of the Con- gress, which exercises this unlimited It is, however, gen= erally held that a constitutional amendment is necessary to enable the District to be represented in the House, Senate and electoral college; if this is conceded there is,a practical denial of such represenhu’on for many years to come. Without amending the Con- stitution it is possible, however, for the progressives of all parties in | ficial in its effect. Congress to experiment upon the District with the initiative, referendum and recall in a manner which will recognize some American attributes in the Americans at Washington, and .which will promise benefit rather than injury to the local community. For instance, all three Commissioners might be re- 11" | quired to be appeinted from the Dis- o above described land is des| ks of the assessor of the District of CGotumbia, for_taxation purposes. as lot 32, 0 sauare 2574). together with all build- ings and improvements of every kind and description, erected or placed tbereon, in- ciuding ail engines, boilers, dynamos, heating and lig! Fefrigerating plant, and g o elevators, us, easements. ts. privilege pDY enances and hereditaments to said prem- belonging or in lnyilw appertaining. Terms of sale: One-fourth of the pur- chase price to be paid in cash. -the balance to be rel resented by Dotes of the aser. payable in equal nd two years after dae of sale. with rate e revenue stamps. etc.. to be at the of the purchaser. The terms of sale to be complied with within fifteen davs from date of sale. in default of which the prop- erty will be resold at the risk and cost of the defaulting Furchner after five days """“’;’,‘f',‘.‘,gfi‘{;.";:,“‘: l: pme news- aper publis! in Washington. D. PARSNION TRUST COMPANY OF THE OF COL Trustee. iE E_PLE A G, Vice President. 12-d&cdbs en%'c .’fx“" u -'i-;i. above Sale s bostponed until PRI TWENTY - D, 1035, at the semte hour the same an1s iR T THE TRUSTES. y (Seal) Attest: IRVING A trict (as is mow the requirement in respect to the twe civilians); and power of recall might then be given to the District in respect to these Com- missioners, or any of them, such re- cali not being operative in' itself, but dressed with a powerful persuasive —you will need Marlow’s cite. Order a supply at Marlow 811 E St. N.W. FROM NOW ON comes., Once you have enjoyed the solid comfort from this dependable, economical fuel you will never be sat- isfied with any other. Call NA. 0311 Today. 77 Years of Good Coal . Service Coal Co. Consideration of Local BY THEODORE W. NOYES. The present proposal to establish the referendum as a means of ascortaining the wishes of the residents of Washington on important questions recalls previous discussions of the question. That the subject is not a new one here is shown by the following excerpts reprinted from editorial correspondence in The Star at earlier periods. Some of these past discussions related to the holding of referenda on specific questions, but the arguments are timely and applicable to the general proposition of recording the views of the residents for the guidance of the Commis- sioners and Congress on any major problem. coupling the initiative and recall with the principle of the referendum also is dealt with in these former discussions. force to the President, the appointing power, who would fill the vacancy caused by the recall. With the Com- missioners thus $elected from the com- munity and indirectly responsible to it, the power of initiating local legis- lation and requiring a vote by Con- gress on such propositions, and of referendum to the limited extent of advising influentially upon local bills compulsorily referred to them, might be vested in the Commissioners. The Commissioners now have under the law power of initiative in respect to the local appropriation bill, and in practice other local bills have been perfunctorily referred to them by Dis- triet committees for their opinion; but the Commissioners are not now responsible in any way to the local community which they represent, and the power of recall in respect to them, even though exercised indirectly | through the President and subject to his veto, could hardly fail to be bene- The President now has practically absolute and unlimited power to recall in respect to the Com- missioners, which he would not lose if | the community had in addition the suggested limited power of recall, which might on occasion require him to name a successor to some incum- bent who had incurred the commu- nity’s strong displeasure. Possible Slight Help to Voter. | These devices may also have in-| directly a beneficial effect upon the voter as well as upon the represent- ative who is put upon his good be- havior by them. To the extent that these devices tend to educate the voter on right lines and to arouse him not merely to enjoy an American privi-| lege but to perform a civic duty their discussion and use are vindicated. If in any municipality or State of the Union the discussion or the adoption of these devices will help to stir the public conscience, to arouse the aver- age voter to a knowledge of existing evil conditions and to a fixed deter- mination to do his part as a citizen armed with the ballot to put an end to these evils, then by all means let us have the discussion and the ex- periment; for the vital necessity of | the situation will be met when the people are aroused, irrespective of the specific results in a particular com- munity of the machinery of the new system. The spirit of these devices is in line with the tendencies of develop- meni of public sentiment in the United States toward the more direct participation of the people in Govern- | ment. Two movements among the | people are steadily in evidence in the | United States: (1) The strengthening | of the national idea, the national spirit, the mational Government (with or without a diminution of the power of the State) and (2) enlargement of direct participation of the people in this Government. The development | of the Nation, spelled with a big N, | hes been effected especially through | the Civil War and the Spanish-Amer- ican War, and is obvious and univer- sally recognized. So also the develop- ment of direct participation and con- | trol of the people in Government. In | the beginning the electoral college, in conformity with the intent of the | Constitution-makers, ~selected the President of the United States in ac- cordarnce with the independent judg- ment of its members. It soon came | about, however, that without any | change in the Constitution the Presi- dent was elected practically by the, direct vote of the people and the electoral college became a mere form. | The movement to elect Senators by direct vote instead of through the Legislature by amendment of the Con- | stitution has shown itself dominating | and irresistible. In the States & great variety of devices of more or less value have been used to ascertain more quickly and accurately the people’s will and to give it fuller effect. Direct nominating primaries, proportional or minority representation, initiative, referendum and recall are all the out- croppings of a strong and ‘wholesome public sentiment and popular ten- dency. Every thoughtful discussion of the value and limitations of the initiative, referendum and recall leads up to the conclusion that the primary and vital fault of our political system is with the non-voting public. The neglect of civic ebligations, the failure or re- fusal to exercise the privilege or duty of voting at the primaries and elec- tions is the motable evil of the time. The vital need is: (1) To make of the voters wiser and better voters and (2) to make the wise and good voters vote. General Apathy’'s Non-Voting Army. The indifference and apathy of American voters in response to the call to the performance of civic duties are. startling. The same lesson is taught in all of our elections, in nomi- nating primaries, new style as well as old, and in all ballotings at the polls, both State and national. ‘The figures concerning the stay-at-home vote in the election of last November (the national election of 1912) are appalling in their significance. * % kX [The foregoing was printed in 1913, when the initiative, referendum and recall were being discussed generally as possible instruments of ‘Government thioughout the couatry. Again, in 1916, the advisability of recording the sentiment of District residents on im- Famous Reading Anthra- once before bad weather | munity. | to allow to Congress the controlling | Constitution. In all other respects the | | legislation of - Congress NAtional 0311 The advisability of portant issues bécame a live topic. The following excerpts are from a discus- sion in editorial correspondence of the referendum proposal at that time, printed in The Star in the Spring of 1916.] Referendum Benefits, 1. Congress will recognize in a prac- tical, definite way its peculiar obliga- tion, in legislating for the unrepre- sented District, to ascertain carefully and to carry out scrupulously the rea- sonable wishes concerning its own local affairs of the unrepresented com- munity itself. The American principle of representative government demands that every legislature shall voice in legislation the opinions and wishes of | those whom it represents. Congress as local legislature of a community which has not elected it, even in part, must in equity approximate compli- ance with this American and repre- sentative principle by acting as if it had been chosen by the Capital com- It must as & consequence represent in such local legislation rea- sonable public opinion among its Capi- tal constituents, in due subordination, however, to the paramount national interest. This local public opinion on legislative issues of sufficient import- ance to warrant the trouble and ex- pense involved is wisely and reliably ascertained through a carefully safe- guarded referendum vote. This principle of legislation and its application to Congress as the Dis- trict’s legislature are not the mere creations of the imagination of the presumptuous Washingtonian. Some of the Presidents of the United States are included among the thinkers who have vigorously and convincingly taught this doctrine. “Put Yourself in His Place.” The first President to urge specific- ally the application of the injunction | “Put Vourself in His Place” to legis- | lation for the District by a legislature not chosen by it was William Henry Harrison in his inaugural address. He said (1841): “The grant to Congress of exclusive jurisdiction in the District of Colum- bia can be interpreted so far as respects the aggregate people of the United States as meaning nothing more than power necessary to accord a free and safe exercise of the functions assigned to the general government by the should be adapted to their peculiar position and wants and be conformable with their deliberate opinion of their own in- | terests.” In a veto message (1867) President | Andrew Johnson elaborated this doc- | trine, saying in part: “In all matters then affecting their | domestic affairs the spirit of our| democratic form of government de- | mands that their wishes should be | consulted and respected. * * * It was evidently contemplated that all | local questions would be left to their | decision at least to an extent that would | not be incompatible with the object | injuriously the prestige and authority | for which Congress was granted exclu- sive legislation over the seat of gov- ernment. * As a general rule sound policy requires that the legisla- ture should yield to the wishes of the people, when not inconsistent with the Constitution and the laws. The meas- ures suited to one community might not well be adapted to the condition of another; and the persons best qualified to determine such questions are those whose interests are to be directly affected by any proposed law.” ‘Washington has in several instances cast these advisory referendum votes, &s upon a proposed code of laws and upon Negro suffrage in the District. Where Congress authorized the ad- visory vote it followed the advice given. ‘Where the referendum was unauthor- ized the vote was disregarded. 1f Congress should now authorize the Pproposed referendum it would be act- ing in accordance with precedent and in conformity with a principle govern- ing its local legislation which is recog- nized to be wise and fair. A District referendum would benefit the people of Washington, not only by strengthening observance of the just principle which bases local legis- lation upon local public opinion, but also by demonstrating the political strength of the Capital community and thereby expediting the grant to it by constitutional amendment of repre- sentation in Congress and the electoral college. The District is seeking to demon- strate the strength, the intelligence and the resources of the American community collected at the Capital. This demonstration is essential to the speedy enactment of a constitutional amendment giving the Americans of Washington American voting repre- sentation in Congress and the electoral college. Such a demonstration will assure to the District immediately greater legislative consideration from Congress, even if the constitutional amendment is not quickly adopted. That the Districc may enjoy the maximum of this benefit it is essential that the full vote of tie Capital com- munity as it exists today shall be de- veloped. The referendum law should therefore be so worded as to insure this full representative vote, including women as well as men, and including 15 DEAF Is your hearing blurred? Do you hear voices without under- standing the words? ELEC- TRO-EAR does for your hear- ing what eyeglasses do for your sight. Uses a 10c battery which you can buy anywhere, tucked finside the case. More power than most people need, ARE and versatile hearing device, . Simple! and weighs less thaw 7 ounces complete. A compact Price.__. Wishes Full Vote Expedites Grant of National Representation. Full Vote Includes Those Who May Also Vote in States. Government clerks and our working- men. in public and private employ, whether they do or do not vote on State and national issues in gpme State. There is nothing in principle in this participation in an adviso: municipal vote as residents in ti unique “Ten Mile Square” to affect in any way whatever legal residence in a State any of them may possess, or the voting privilege which accom- panies it. A Strong Voting Constituency. The voting constituency disclosed by such a vote would cause the District to rank, numerically, morally, intellec- tually and materially, well up in the list of small States and to surpass a number of them. The last national census (1910) shows that the District exceeds in population six of the States. In valuation of realty for local taxes it makes & remarkable showing in com- parison with the States and other much larger cities. In national taxes like internal revenue taxes, including the excise, corporation and individ- ual income taxes, the District contrib- uted more than 22 of the States, and the per capita contribution of the Washingtonian was greater than that of the citizenry of 36 of the States. [Today, nearly 20 years later, the District is still found to be paying into the national tax fund more than 23 States and 2 Territories, more than 9 States combined, and more per capita than 38 States.] ‘The argument for full and adequate national representation for such a community and not merely for the mockery of the tender of a voteless, | negligible, almost impotent delegate in the House would be irresistible. Fer the fact would be made plain (and in no other way would this demonstration be possible) that our business and pro- fessional men, the educational, scien- tific, literary and artistic elemenis of our population, our working men in public and private employ, our Gov- ernment clerks and other Government employes, our Winter residents in process of conversion into Washing- tonians combine to constitute one of the strongest, most intelligent, most public-spirited and most American communities in the Republic. Special Benefits in D. C. One does not need to become a rad- ical progressive and a thoroughgoing advocate of the referendum as a pana- cea everywhere to favor a District referendum. The most reasonable criticisms of the referendum allege that the scope of its useful application has been ex- aggerated, that the device is of the greatest value in the smallest political subdivisions as in town or city, less in the State and, except possibly for the adoption of constitutional amend- ments, of no value in national legis- lation. It is objected that the refer- endum tends to increase unduly the number of elections, and that inter- jected into a representative govern- ment it tends to belittle and to weaken of the elected representative legisla- ture. None of these objections applies to a District referendum. It cannot un- duly and hurtfully increase the num- ber of local elections, for there are no others. It cannot weaken the author- ity of the regularly constituted local legislature, because outside of Congress the District has no such legislature to be weakened. ‘The referendum finds its most valu- able and unobjectionable application as a supplement of representative gov- ernment in special cases where public opinion should be taken into account in legislation and where the securing of that expression of public sentiment through the ordinary forms of repre- sentative government is denied by the Constitution—for example, in the Dis- trict of Columbia, where Congress in acting for the people under the Con- stitution should heed and give effect in local concerns to local sentiment and yet is deprived of power to learn this public semtiment in any conclusive way by absence from the District of all representative elections and all elections of any kind. The referendum will serve in the District a very useful purpose in securing reliable expres- sions of local public sentiment con- cerning important legislative issues to which Congress, as exclusive legisla- ture, may wisely and equitably respond. The proposed referendum, thus_free locally from objections urged against it elsewhere, will benefit the District (1) by strengthening in congressional recognition and favor the sound prin- ciple of due consideration, for local sentiment upon which all wise District legislation is based; (2) by expediting the enactment’ of & constitutional amendment which shall give to the 360,000 (now over a half million) Washingtonians all the political and judicial rights of Americans which are consistent with national control of the Nation’s city; and (3) by increasing congressional appreciation of the strength, intelligence and character of the District electorate with the result of greater legislative consideration by Congress both before and after the adoption of the constitutional amend- ment. Two parts— that is all $35 Special Free Demonstration by a Trained Operator of This Wonderful Electro-Ear at our Store Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of This Week 9 AM. to 9 PM. THE GIBSON CO. 917 G St. N.W. {pflncipk was being discussed here D.C. REFERENDUM PLAN I PUSHED Allen’s Advisory Vote Bill| Expected to Be Live Con- gressional Issue. The proposal to establish the ad- visory referendum method of allow- ing District residents to express their views on important local questions from time to time promises to be a live issue in the session of Congress convening January 3. Taking the lead in advocacy of the plan, Commissioner George E. Allen has a referendum bill already prepared. The Board of Commis- sioners has not yet given formal con=- sideration to the measure, but Com- missioner Allen has made known that he individually will seek to have the measure introduced in House and Senate if the board decides not to sponsor it. Allen’s bill would not weaken the power of Congress over the Nation's Capital, nor would it curtail the au- thority of the Commissioners in carry- ing out local laws, since the first section of the measure provides: “The result of any such referendum shall be advisory only and shall not be binding upon the Commissioners or compel them to do any act or re- frain from doing any act. Not more than two referenda shall be held in jany fiscal yeer, but any number of | matters or questions may be submit- ted at any referendum.” Guide to Sentiment. | It would, however, make available | |to the Commissioners an effective | method of ascertaining the sentiment and wishes of the community before | they exercise the judgment within | their province, Commissioner Allen favors national representation for the people of the District in Congress, but he feels that, pending the achievement of that goal, the advisory referendum would prove beneficial in giving the residents of the District a means of expressing their wishes on vital local isstes. At present the Commissioners sel- | dom take action on an_ important question without first holding public hearings to gauge the sentiment of the community, as expressed individually or thrcugh representatives of organi- zations. The holding of referenda, however, would produce a more eom- | plete and city-wide expression of opin- | ion than is possible at public hearings. | The use of the referendum is not 2 | new suggestion in Washington. It | was utilized several times in the eariy days of the city’s history. The pres- ent proposal to seek general legisla- | tion on the subject grew out of the unsuccessful effort the Commissioners made in September, 1934, to take an advisory vote of the residents of Takoma, D. C, on the question of whether they preferred that area to be wet or dry in the granting of alco- holic beverage licenses. After the city heads had been restrained by an order of the District Supreme Court from holding that particular referendum | | Commissioner Allen announced he | would seek legislation giving the Com- | missioners specific authority to hold ire(erendl from time to time on any | important municipal question. The | subject was not pushed at the last session, but indications are that more serjous attention will be given it this Winter, Recall Provise Urged Earlier. When the referendum method of | testing local sentiment was advocated in earlier periods of Washington’s his- tory there was coupled with it usually the suggestion for adoption also of the | principles of initiative and recall— subjects that are closely related to the referendum idea. The initiative would imply giving the community a chance to express itself on the initiation of legislation to be submitted to Congress for final action. When the referendum more than 20 years ago a suggesti also was advanced that the mf:licl::: government could be made more re- sponsive to the wishes of the com- munity, if local residents were al- lowed also to take an advisory vote on the recall of the Commissioners, or any one of them, if, at any time, they, 3; :ny one of them, pursued policle‘ ntrary to the ses ey ntiment of the It was not proposed that the re- sults of such a recall vote should be final, but merely to give the President —the appointing power—the views of the community, just as the referen- dum would give the Commissioners and Congress the views of the com- munity on legislative matters, Commissioner Allen said that, while | he is for the principle of the initia- tive and the recall also, he has not included these features in his refer- endum bill. He indicated he does not believe it would be possible to secure enactment of the three-fold proposi- tion of initiative, referendum and recall. o Eligibility of Voters. ‘The Allen bill about to be put for- ward defines the qualifications of those who would be eligible to vote in the advisory referenda as follows: “A person voting at any such elec- tion must be a citizen of the United States, 21 or more years of age, and that it's the vania's hard in the yellow must have been domiciled within the District of Columbia for at least one year immediately prior to the election, and must be without voting privilege in any other place, in any matter whatsoever, and, in the event such election is called for a part only of the District of Columbia, he must, in addition, have resided in that part of the District of Columbia for three months immediately prior to his reg- istration.” ‘There are many residents of Wash- ington—Government employes and others—who live here for long periods of time witnout losing their right to vote in State and national elections elsewhere. As Commissioner Allen’s bl is now worded, these residents would be excluded from any referen- dum held in Wash'ngton. Close Attention Expected. ‘When the referendum principle was | being discussed here years ago, it was contended that, in order to get a com- plete expression of the seatiment of the community, these persons should be eligible to participate. It was pointed out that the right of these persons to vote State and national elections in one of the States, should act preclude them from casting a bal- lot expressing an advisory opinion on questions purely of a municipal nature in voteless Washington. ‘The wording of the bill on the point is a detail to which Congress is ex- pected to give attention when it con- siders the referendum bill. The bill also outlines the detailed machinery for holding referenda, un- der the supervisicn of a board of elec- tions of three members, to be ap- pointed by the Commissioners. The duties of the board are defined in the bill, such as the laying out of clec- tion precincts, the designation of voting places and other necessary arrangements, . 1,100 ARE GUESTS AT WHITE HOUSE | Diplomatic Reception List Includes Fletcher, Hur- ley and Davis. Eleven hundred men and women, representing the capitals of the world, assembled in the White House last night for President and Mrs. Roose- velt’s reception for the diplomatic corps. Numbered among the guests were Henry P. Fletcher, chairman of the Republican National Committee; for- mer Secretary of War Patrick J. Hur- ley and Mrs. Hurley and Senator and Mrs. James J. Davis of Pennsylvania, formerly of the “cabinet line.” Derns Are Absent. In the absence of Secretary of War Dern and Mrs. Dern, that depart- ment was represented by Assistant Secretary of War Woodring and his pretty blond wife Helen, daughter of Senator Coolidge of Massachusetts. Mrs. Thomas J. Walsh, whose hus- | band died on their honeymoon, just after he had been named Attorney General, wore white lame with a great diamond sunburst in the center of the bodice, a diamond tiara, dia- mond earrings and bracelets and jeweled circles as starts for shoulder straps. Mme. Cantacuzene. Mme. Cantacuzene, born Julia Grant in the White House when her grand- father was President, carried a white peacock fan against her rose gown. Promptly at 9 o'clock the Marine Band, clad in scarlet jackets, struck up “Hall to the Chief” as the Presi- dent, preceded by military and naval aides, proceeded into the blue room, where he and Mrs. Roosevelt took up their stand before a screen of smilax, palms and ferns to receive the repre- sentatives of 55 nations and their other guests. BLIND HIT SOLICITATION Association of Workers Protests Methods. Solicitation of funds for the blind without naming the group or organi- zation to be helped was protested in | a resolution adopted yesterday by the District Association of Workers for the Blind. Such solicitation is a detriment to C. C. C. DRIVERS GET FUNDS FOR PERMITS McCarl's Ruling Virtually Re- verses Ban on Purchases With U. S. Money. Federal funds will now be available for purchasing District automobfle drivers’ permits for local C. C. C. camps, Controller General McCarl ruled yesterday. This virtually re- versed a previous ruling that held up payment on a voucher for this pur Yesterday’s action releases for serv ice about a dozen trucks that have been tied up at Fort du Pont and wiil facilitate future work at the National Arboretum and elsewhere in the District. Officials of the National Capital parks will proceed immediately to purchase permits from the Traffic Bureau. e Boys’ Club Booms Party. Elaborate preparations are being made for the Christmas party to be given to younger members of ths Northeast Boys’ Club at 8 p.m. Priday in the club house, 1667 Kraemer street northeast. Toys will be supplied by local newspapers in co-operation with the Council of Social Agencies. THE CORNER IN MEN’S WEAR Will remain open every evening up to Christmas until 9 P M. SOL HERZOG i~c Crner F St. at 9th Turn your old trinkets, jewelry and watches into MONEY at— A.Kahn Jne. Arthur J. Sundlun, Pres. Christmas Gifts For Your Physician Friend We specialize in supplies for Physicians. We carry the very items they need in their practice, so if you are | contemplating the purchase | of a suitable Physician's Gift, this is the logical place to get it. Always remember our price is low and our ! quality is the very best. Wa THE GIBSON CO. 917 G St. NW, | D For Piam:s {?} Vls Kitt’s I A \ . | Test Colonial. trial ton will convince you that comes from Pennsyl- Ask your neighbor. Look up “Colonial Ceal” your Telephone Book. COLONIAL ANTHRACITE The Finest Coal Meney Can Buy. For Immediate Delivery, DIAL NAT. 5178 “respectable blind people,” the asso- | ciation contended, as the campaigns | usually are conducted by professional | promoters or racketeers. | Furnace Parts e A NN N Y NIV Weney LAWYERS’ BRIEFS RUSH PRINTING BYRON S§. ADAMS A single finest fuel coal mines. section of R. S. MILLER, 805 THIRD ST. N.W. No Matter What the Price . . . You'll Get More Value at Kitt's Story & Clark Grands, vertical type________$385 Settergren Baby Grands, Lot XV Model, in walnut ____ Estey Baby ‘Grands The same in walnut. Story & Clork Gronds __$425 The some in_walnut__$445 Knabe’s Latest Beouty, a gaivly tone of a baby grand . _$485 Geo. Steck Grand Harpsichord Model _ __ Early American Model Pewter Inlaid Ma- hogany _ Weber 5-Ft. Baby Grand_$695 Knabe Baby Grands ____$785 The same in walnut__$845 Knabe Mignonette Grand, Queen Model in wal- nut ---$945 KITT'S