Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-15
BETTER PENAL LAWS
Amendment Advocated by
Chamber of Commerce.
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT
Resolution Adopted Condemning
Race Track Gambling.
POSITION ON PROHIBITION
Extension of Hospitality to Visitors
From cklahcma-Tribute
to the Press
CONSIDERATION OF REPORT
POSITION ON PROHIBITION

The Washington Chamber OF Comnerce.
at meeting in the Brentano building
last night. adopted resolutions condemning
race track gambling: reasserting its posi-
ton as outlined in the Harvey resolutions
adopted at it's last meeting with reference
to prohibition and changes in the liquor
laws. directing its committee on law and
legislation to take action looking TO an
Improvement Of the pena, laws and cor
rectional methods indorsing the board Of
education's request for school architect:
incidentally condemning the lnsanitary
condition of the District Jail: rendering
the hospitality of the chamber to the
Virginia Editorial Association at its forth
coming meeting. and concerning other
matters of more or less interest The
meeting was called to order at S:15 clock.
Informal reports were made from sew
eral committees, indicating progress in
the matters under consideration. Mr..
Chaplin Brown stated that bill enlbody
ing the main points outlined at previous
meeting with reference to municipal
court had been recommended by the Com
miss:oners and is in the hands of the
proper committees of both houses of Con-
gress. Mr.. Percival NJ Brown intimated
that there is little evidence of progress
indicated at the Capitol in the matter OF
legislation affecting the Anacostia fats.
Capt. James F. Oyster drew attention
to the Forthcoming visit of the repre-
sentative party of visitors from Tulsa.
Okla. and. on behalf of the executive
committee, which had already appointed
subcommittee consisting of Messrs.
Chaplin Brown. Scott Bone and Allen D;
Albert to arrange details. recommended
tina, a reception be rendered the Tulsa
delegates at the chambers room next Fri
day evening. when speakers who will be
helpful to the visitors along the lines Of
their inquiries would be expected to adj
dress them This motion was adopted.
Correction Of the Record.
A. this point Mr.. Topham took occasion
to state that the report that the Harvey
resolutions on prohibition had been unani-
mously adopted at a former meeting was
incorrect He offered resolution. which
Mr. Hugh Harvey declared was simply
intended to undo what the chamber had
already done in the matter. After some
discussion the Topham resolution was
laid upon the table.
In the course of the discussion Mr.. John
H. Magruder paid a tribute to the courtesy
and accuracy Of the press. and remarked
that the newspapers are generally cor
rect in everything.
resolution was then offered by Mr..
Allen D. Albert. setting forth that mas
much as the law of the District OF Co
lun1bia does not provide for probation
system for first offenders. except through
the Juvenile Court or for suspended
sentence for any offenders. or for an in
deterninate sentence; and that lnasnquch
as the present District of Columbia jail
is VIGOROUSLY unsuited to the needs OF
nicipal legislation he urged to inquire II
the existing law cannot be bettered at
this session of Congress.
In support of the resolution Mr.. Albert
remarked upon the conditions prevailing
at the District Jail. from sanitary stand
point including the croWding into cell.
five by seven feet in size. of three pris-
oners. two to sleep on the moor ana one
in a cot. He argued for not only the
humanity of the probation system. but
in favor of its economic advantages. and
urged the chamber to put itself on record
in the matter Some discussion followed,
which was participated in by Messrs.
Conrad H. Syme. Siddons. Lambert, Ma
gruder and others. after which the reso-
luton was unanimously adopted.
Favors School Architect.
Mr. Conrad II. Syme suggested that
the chamber put itself on record as in
dorsing the request of the board of edu
alton for a school architect to look after
the construction and repairs Of school
buildings. and in discussing the subject
alluded to the fact that the Board Of
1TdQS Is alTed1V on record as 1dFOrlnS
the project. The motion was carried with
out audible objection.
The chamber then. upon the suggestion
of Mr.. r. P. Andrews. framed in a mo-
ton by Mr.. D. kaufman. rendered the
use of its rooms to the Virginia Editorial
Association during it's forthcoming con-
vention in this city. Mr.. ". S. Hoge's in
quiry as to whether the chamber could
Go something to assist in securing a rail-
read station for South Washington was
referred to the executive committee
4 resolution of Mr.. John l. Weaver ex
pressing as the sense Of the Chamber of
Commerce that the directors consider
the expediencx of providing a permanent
paid secretary" was referred to the board
OF directors. after an address. in which |
Mr. Weaver asserted that in order to
build up beautiful city it is necessary
to draw to its population a class of citi-
zens to supply the missing link between
me government employe and the rich
transient resident
BY unanimous consent the Hoee resolu- |
lions In relation to race-track gambling
together with the report of the commit |
tee on law and legislation. to which thev
mad been originally referred, were taken
from the table. |
Race-Track Gambling.
After some discussion. in which it was
intimated, as we'll as emphaticallv dis
claimed. that by its action at the previous
meeting the chamber had inadvertently
put itself on record as not being opposed
to race-track gambling, and further dis
cussion to the ways and means of ac-
complishing what the chamber really de. |
sired Mr.. Albert introduced a resolution |
declaring that the Chamber of Com |
merce Endorses heartily and urges the en- |
actment by Congress at the earliest day |
possible of the Sims-Carter bill for the
prohibition of race-track gambling in the |
District of Columbia
LIZ was unanimously adopted as a sub
stirute for the Hoge resolutions and the
report of the committee on law and leSis-