Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-17

der to the wheel the public schools
OF Washington would now be in the
hands Of outside politicians He made
a direct charge that the Board OF Trade,
instead of aiding the chamber in this
fight. had hampered the chambers COM
mittee at the Capitol
John H. Magruder asked a number of
questions calculated to show that the
agitation for the merger was due to the
fact that many of the members of the
chamber were also members of the Board
Of Trade. many of the members of the
board of directors Of thee Board of Trade
were members of the Chamber of Com
merce and of its board of directors. He
was informed that about 200 members of
the chamber were also members Of the
older organization. that nearly all the
directors of the Board of Trade We're
members of the Chamber of Commerce
and six of the members of the directorate
of the Board of Trade were also members
Of the directorate OF the Chamber Of Com
merce.
Mr.. Magruder asked If he could intro
duce a resolution at that time providing
that in the future director of the
Chamber of Commerce should be a di-
rector of the Board of Trade. but was
told he would have to bring it mp at the
next regular meeting of the chamber as
the special meeting had been called mere
~ for the discussion Of the merger
Mr.. Worthington Opposes.
George Y Worthington took the stand
that the Chamber of Commerce had be-
come strong and influential body. full
of energy. and if merged with the Board
Of Trade would not only lose its identity.
but would also lose its energy. and that
the united body would be neither COM
mercial organization nor civic improve
ment organization. He said that if MEM
her. of hn tu-n .arty. 1Yrt1n = = how
had not time 10 give to both. they should
resign from one or the other and devote
their energies TO that with which they re-
manned identified
Charles c. Lancaster. who Vigorousl,
attacked the merger plan. declared ne
saw a conspiracy concealed III the move
ment aimed against Capt. James F. Oys-
ter. president of the chamber. and also
against the chamber as an organiZa ton.
He insisted that it would be a traitors
act to seek merger with the Board of
Trade and dramatically exclaimed: II
any man attempts to haul down the flag
of the Chamber of Commerce, shoot him
the spot.
merger. insisted that the history of COM
merce in the United States showed that
business best fostered bN co-opera
ton and that a united commercial and
civic body representing the entire popu-
lation of Washington, would be able to
accomplish far more for the city than
the two separate organiZa tons. He said
that other cities had faced the same
proposition. among them Baltimore. st.
Louis. Los Angeles, and all had benefit
ed immensely by merging their trade
bodies. Mr.. Shannon took the ground that
ii was right and proper for the chamber.
the Younger organization. to make the
first proposal of merger He paid tribute
TO the high character of the membership
of the Board Of Trade
Oliver MetZerott made short but
strong speech in favor of the merger. He
declared that the Chamber of Commerce
had been formed TO promote the best
interests of the citizens of the District
and that he believed their best interests
could be promoted by union with the
Board of Trade.
1T make no difference what you call
the united body. said Mr. MetZerott.
Call ii Chamber of Commerce, Board of
Trade. or Chamber of Commerce and
Board of Trade. or get a new name en-
tirely. That is minor matter and
should have no weight in the considera-
tiOn of this question