Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-29
MAY OUTLINE HIS VIEWS
IN A SPECIAL MESSAGE
Thinks Government Should Help
Make Capital Beautiful.
HEARS VIEWS OF CITIZENS
Committee From Federation Of Citi-
zens' Associations Received at
White House-Improve-
ments Urged.

President Taft is unqualifiedly in
favor of continuing the half-and- half
appropriation feature of the organic
act of 1878. affecting the District, and
will probably so recommend I'm n spe-
ciaI District message he will likely
send TO Congress some time within the
next lIonth or SO
The President stated plainly and pos
itiveiy today to a committee OF the
Federation of Citizens Associations
that he wanted to see Washington a
great national city. fitting capital of
a great nation. and have people of all
sections feel an interest in it's welfare
He did not see how this could be done
unless the government contributed its
share toward that upbuilding and
Identification. He felt that the half
and-half proposition was fair to the
general government and should re-
main the basis of the operations be-
tween the District of Columbia and
the United States.
Special District Message.
ne TIeSlueHl tOiu his CAlleES tnat he
was considering a special message re-
garding District affairs, and he then
asked that the visitors inform him of
the questions in which the District was
most vitality interested. William Nick.
Clayton briefly presented the desire of
the District people to have the organic
act of 1873 remain unchanged, and he
also called attention to the desirability
of a public utilities commission. which
the President recommended in his reg
ular message to Congress last year.
The President still favors public
utilities commission for the District.
Glenn Brown of the committee ur~ed
the President to press Congress for the
adoption of the park commission plan
of the District as permanent law He
said that this was important, and he
believed sentiment in Congress was
growing in that direction every day. He
knew, as the President stated, that
there was strong opposition among
few influential men in Congress to this
plan. but he believed this could be over
come. Mr.. Brown also called attention
to the desire for the opening of Rock
Creek valley. The President showed
much interest in the park commission
plan. and to Rock Creek He said
he should like to see a beautiful park
system running all the way across and
around the District from Rock Creek.
Points Need of Stadium
Allan Davis, principal of the Business
High School, told the President there
should be a stadium for the pupils and
cadets of the Washington schools. and
thought this could be arranged in con-
nection with the park commission plan.
He also urged the President to press
for teachers retirement bill. He
pointed out that Washington was far
behind other cities In this respect.
Edwin G. JudSon, secretary of the
federation. brought up the question of
a permanent firemens and policemen S
fund in the District. saying this was a
cry ng need. The President was sur
prised TO know that there is no perma-
nent system for caring for aged fremen
and policemen and their widows and
children. Mr. Judson said that statis-
tics gathered by him showed that forty
cities of the country. many of them
smaller than Washington. provided in
liberal and systematic manner for their
defenders.
The universal transfer question was
not touched upon by the committee,
the President seeming to have all that
he wanted for special message. He
took notes Of the subjects laid before
him.
The committee was composed of the
men named and ". III. Richardson. treas
urer OF the federation. Mr.. Richardson
Is president of the Benning Citizens
Association.