Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-14
American Association Holds
Sixth Annual Convention.
GREETED BY MCFARLAND
Delegates Urged to Help to Make
Washington Beautiful.
MUNICIPAL IDEALS IMPROVE
William Dudley Foulke Comments
on Nationwide Movement-Min-
lister Justiz Discusses Cuba.

Nearly 100 experienced workers 70,
municipal reform and its corollaries gath
cred at the opening session of the sixth
annual convention Of the American Civic
Association. in the red room Of the New
Willard, this morning.
The constitution of the association
states its purpose to be 1.-The cultivation
of higher ideals of civic life and beauty
in America, the promotion of city, town
and neighborhood improvement, the pres
ervation and development of landscape
and the advancement Of outdoor art
Men and women, prominent in their own
communities as promoters of civic re-
form, addressed the delegates.
The convention will last until Friday
when it ends with an evening reception
to the delegates at the home of Mrs John
B. Henderson, on 10th street The Wash
ingtOn Chamber of Commerce is serving
as host to the gathering.
There will be three sessions each, to-
are to be held In the red room. The SEES
sion tonight will be held in the assem-
bly, hall.
Welcomed by Mcfarland.
The opening session was called to order
at 1O:45 o'clock by J. Horace McF'arlanG
of Harrisburg, Pa, president Of the as
ISOLATION. He introduced H. B. T. Mac
farland, who made the address Of well
come.
Mr.. Mcfarland said in part:
washington, the city beautiful, the
city useful, the common capital Of our
common country. welcomes you with
peculiar heartiness because your aims
ora hor oil 1rfv TO
out George Washington's plans. which
are his prediction of the future greatness
OF the young nation. and to make this
in all respects the model capital Of the
world.
But we are we'll aware that much re-
mains to be done. and We propose to do
it. To that end We welcome the presence,
the criticism. the inspiration Of your as
ISOLATION, than which none has done
more for the best municipal development :.
and for the conservation Of the higher
civic interests, as well as the esthetie
resources Of the nation.
'All American citizens are at home in
the American capital all of them wish
1t we'll and are glad to contribute to its
welfare. You can contribute ideas, which
are more precious than money"
President Mcfarland urged the dele
gates to work on their representatives in
Congress to procure for the District need
ed legislation and appropriations for the
improvement Of the District of Columbia.
The opening session was given over to
reports of conventions and gatherings of
other organizations with kindred aims
and ambitions
Foulke Discusses Civic Ideals.
A resume Of the conclusions Of tho Ma
tional Municipal Leagues recent conven-
ton in Bulalo. N. Y. was given by the
president Of that organization, William
Dudley Foulke Of Richmond, Ind.
''Civic ideals and aims said Mr..
Foulke. ARE higher. Throughout the
country We can see a growing and i'm
proved public spirit which Is particularly
noticeable on the part OF cities which In
the past have borne bad regulations
These cities are improving through the
improved spirit of their citizens. to which
the city officials are becom-
ing responsive.
1.-THE commission form Of government,
in whole OF In nodded form, is fixing re-
sponsibility on certain officiais. Men OF
political rings and representatives of the
lower elements. when that responsibility
Is SO fixed, begin to act like reputable
public servants"
I'm uniting in the work of civic better
ment women's clubs find their best work, :"
Pa, speaking to the theme, THE Cen
eral Federation of Women's Clubs" Mrs.
Biddle said that organization boosted a
Of $4,000 women through
out the country, all of whom maintained
a well-dehned attitude on questions Of
citizenship.
In the absence Of Charles milford Rob-
inson of Rochester, Frank Chaplin Bray
of Chautauqua, N. Y, read the report
on the London Town Planning Confer
ence," to which Mr.. Robinson had been
q delegate.
John L. Sewall, executive secretary of
the "Boston-1915'' movement, told of the
planA Of that movement and how the ef-
fort to bring about certain scenic re-
forms there before 1916 had stirred up
interest In the Inhabitants of the Hub.
Conditions in Cuba.
'.Since Cuba became a republic, through
the generous aid Of this powerful coun-
try, the progressive citizens of the is
lands have undertaken the work Of mod
ernizing it's local public life,'' said DR.. F.
Correra Justiz, the Cuban minister. in his
address 1--WE entered into a new state
Of things with our independence, and one
Of the first acquisitions was a new or
ganic law Of the municipalities.
1.-THE Cuban municipalities are legally
empowered to carry out any necessary
work for their establishment. We are
seriously studying the matter Of develop
ing a greater Havana worthy of its
splendid accessibility. Even now it is
a great city with more than 100000 In
habitants, and SO clean that, according
to the latest vital statistics, our average
mortality has been lower than that OF
Oft in