The Washington herald., 1910-01-30
CIVIC SOCIETIES
INVADE CAPITAL
Large Movements Now Cen
tered in This City.
ONE COMES FROM HARRISBURG
American Civic Association, Joint
Conservation Committee, and the
Southern Commercial Congress
Represent Definite Efforts of Pub
Hcity-What Facts Mean.

Washington is fast becoming the head
quarters of national civic movements.
Several large organizations having the
welfare of localities as well as the larger
domain of states In view have established
their central offices here recently
While the Capital has been growing
IN favor with national organizations as
convention city, and while a number of
bodies meet here regularly, some OF them
have seen that Washington is the center
Of the activities OF the nation in matters
other than politics. and accordingly have
moved their headquarters from outside
cities here.
Civic Association Comes to Stay.
Among the conventions which regu-
larry meet here may be enumerated the
National Rivers and Harbors Congress,
the annual meeting Of the governors Of
States. and other bodies which discuss
more particularly the conservation move
ment. The National Lumber Manufac-
tUrers' Association. the National Board
OF Trade, and several engineering and
mechanical bodies have generally held
their conventions here in recent years
The number of bodies coming here regu-
larly is constantly growing.
Among the movements which have in
view the uplift OF the nation by means
OF organization In the States and the
distribution OF propaganda through a cen
trail headquarters is the American Civic
Association. This body. which until re-
Gently had its headquarters at Harris
burg. Pa. has its central Office now in
Washington. Richard B. Watrous is ma
tionai secretary. and Is busily engaged
in his Office, in the Union Trust Building,
carrying on an extensive correspondence
and the distribution Of material for the
benefit OF the members scattered through
States and cities Of the country The
work Of this association is large in scope.
including the planting Of a city park and
erecting statues therein, to the scientific
care of watersheds and protection of
their mountain slopes from the ruthless
hand of the timber and mineral destroyer
Comes from Milwaukee.
Secretary Watrous became the active
agent Of this association only a few years
ago. He was graduated from the post
of a local trade body In the city Of Mil
waukee Mr. Watrous was associated
with the city planning exhibit which was
brought TO Washington last summer. On
his various visits here he became more
and more impressed with the beauty Of
Washington and felt that among all the
cities Of the country it was in itself a
which his association was seeking to
create. 1t was on one of his summer
visits here that an article appearing in a
local newspaper convinced Mr. WatrOus
that the future usefulness Of his associa-
ton could be best worked out with the
central Offices in Washington. Accord
ingly the betterment of cities as TO their
form Of government, sanitation. and artis-
tic development in parks and public
works; the uplift of communities, educa-
t.Onal and otherwise, and particularly all
the large civic propositions which affect
the nation will now in one form or an
other pass through this Washington Office
to the thousands of members composing
the association in al parts Of this coun-
try.
Another public movement Of a similar
nature which stands sponsor for the great
conservation movement has its central