Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-12
UNION SUGGESTION
Board of Trade and Chamber
of Commerce May Combine.
MANY INDORSE MOVEMENT
Proposition Laid Before Members of
Chamber Finds Friends.
FOR UNIVERSAL TRANSFERS,
Congress Will Be Asked to Compel
Street Car Companies to Pro-
vide Interchange.
FOR UNIVERSAL TRANSFERS,

OF the CnamDer OF commerce tIiu tho
Board of Trade was informally laid be-
fore the members of the chamber at Its
meeting last night by number of speak
ers and received hearty Endorsement.
President James T. Oyster declared that
if a vote We're taken by the membership
of both bodies more than 80 per cent of
the voters of each body would be in favor
of the amalgamation.
! William F.. GUIDE, former president of
the chamber also spoke in favor of the
plan, declaring that influential members
OF the Board of Trade were ready to APP
prove the plan for a united body. He
said too that a single organization for
| civic Improvement and the advancement
| Of the business interests Of Washington
would WELD a strong influence for needed
| legislation
| at present" said Mr.. GUIDE. when
| two committees, one representing the
! Chamber of Commerce and the other
the Board of Trade. appear before the
| con gressiOnal committees urging legis-
lation which is not identically the de-
sire of both. influence is lessened.
Members OF Congress are only too will
! ing to find reasons for not granting
appropriations and legislation for the
| District of Columbia. 1t Is true, 100
that the work done by both bodies Is
duplicated to a large extent now
I
taken so far looking to the amalgama-
| ton of the two bodies, it is believed
that an active campaign will be waged
to bring about their union and that
committees will be appointed to de-
wise a plan whereby the amalgamation
may be perfected.
To Seek Universal Transfers.
| The chamber adopted a resolution di-
recting the committee on law and legis-
lation to prepare the draft of bill to
| be submitted to Congress requiring the
street car companies of the District
to interchange transfers and requiring
the street car companies to carry all
school childen at one-half the fare now
charged adults. with an added proviso
| that children under the age Of six
years. accompanied by parents or
guardians. be carried free of charge. |
The matter was brought up by
Charles w. Darr and the resolution
was adopted after a spirited debate.
Mr.. Darr said there was no doubt that |
the public was heartily in favor of the |
universal transfers. Speaking Of the sug- |
on cars for half fare. Mr.. Darr said he
had inquired into conditions In other |
cities and found that laws such as he
proposed We're in force In a number OF
places, sincluding Baltimore.
John H. Magruder suggested that 1t |
would be wise to learn first whether such |
a Law would be fair to- the, railway COM |
panies before urging Congress to ADOPT
it, Charles C. Lancaster took the ground
that it would be far better to urge upon
| Congress the enactment of the proposed
public service commission law, which the
chamber has already approved, and then
|let the public service commission make
| such recommendations to Congress re-
garding universal transfers and half fares
| for school children. Mr.. Lancaster TOOK
| the broad ground that appointment Of
a pubic service commission, with DOW
| ers to supervise all the public utilities
| corporations in the District and to rec
ommend such changes In all OF them mas as
more benefit to the District than to at
tempt a pecemeal reform.
| Friends of the resolution. however,
| declared that Congress would make a
careful investigation to determine
whether the proposed law would work
| an injustice to the street railways be-
| fore 1t took action.
Hall Clock for Mr.. GUIDE.
| A handsome hall clock. with cathedral
chimes. costing $3.50. was presented by
the members of the chamber to Will
! liam F. GUIDE, former president of the
organization, for his services in it's in
terest The presentation speech was
made by D. j.. Callahan. first vice presi-
dent of the chamber, who paid a high
\ tF1Dute 10 MI. 0uuc iOI HIS uutlItuS
efforts in behalf of the chamber and
the District of Columbia. The gift was
| a surprise, and was made by voluntary
subscriptions collected by a committee
| consisting Of o. j. DeMoll, e. II. Droop
a Burklin, e. j. Murphy. Edward
Schneider and Walter Brownley. Mr..
GUIDE thanked the members for their
| gift.
The chamber referred the request OF the
National Aviation Company for a prize
during the coming aviation meet at Ben
ming to the aviation committee. A reso-
luton offered by A. Leftwich Sinclair.
| chairman of the law and legislation COM
mittee. calling on Congress for an ap-
preparation Tor an inebriates' hospital for
the District was Endorsed by the chamber
A request from the American Associa-
ftion for Highway Improvement that the
chamber affiliate with that body was laid
| on the table.
| The chamber extended an invitation to
the local chapter of the United CONNER
cial Travellers to attend its next meeting.
George c. Seibold, secretary Of the Co
lumbia Typographical Union, presented
the chamber with framed picture of the
Union Printers Home at Colorado
Springs, Col. President r. c. Roberts Of
the Columbia Typographical Union also
Imade brief address.
EnnlI nv cuhcCc DIV