Evening star., 1912-09-13
WOULD URGE CONGRESS
TO APPROPRIATE FUNDS
Entertainment of Convention
Delegates Considered Hard
ship on Business Men.

An effort to have Congress make a
regular annual appropriation for the en-
| tertainment OF delegates to the big inter-
national and national conventions which
come to Washington will be made by the
Board of Trade, provided q plan sug-
gested by John L. Weaver. at a meeting
OF the executive committee Of the board
this afternoon, 10 adopted.
II am tired Of the hundreds of letters
which we citizens Of the District receive
asking for funds to help entertain dele
gates to conventions in Washington" said
Mr.. Weaver at the meeting. I'm great
many cases these conventions are here
1 upon the invitation Of the country, but
the government dumps the burden Of en-
tertaining its guests uron the citizens of
Washington. This international Congress
on Hygiene and Demography IS case in
point Eminent men from all parts of
the world are coming here at the invi-
tation of this country. Congress appro
| priated 100000 for this congress, but
| added a proviso that none Of this money
was to be expended in the entertainment
/ of the delegates In other words. it is up
to us to go down in our pockets to en-
tertafn the guests of the country. It's an
outrage"
| Mr.. Moses Agrees.
| Arthur c. Moses, acting president Of
the Board of Trade, concurred in Mr..
Weaver's opinion. Mr.. Moses pointed out
that in other municipalities direct appro-
priations were made from the public
funds for the entertainment Of conven-
uons. He said that the board ought to
learn to just what extent such appropria-
j tions were made elsewhere.
Mr.. Weaver suggested that the District
Commissioners should include an item
/ in their estimates for the District budget
for the next fiscal year which would
provide for the entertainment OF the dele
| gates to conventions here.
| 1t was suggested that the best method
| of reaching Congress in this matter was
| through the delegations which are coming
| to Washington for future conventions.
| These delegates should write to their
| congressman it was said. urging that fit
| ting appropriation be made for their en-
tertainment in the National Capital.
Little Chance, Thinks Mr.. Brown.
| Walter A. Brown declared that judg-
ing from the attitude of the present
! Congress. which has insisted that the
| police and f1remen's pension fund
| should come entirely out of the funds
| OF the District and not be paid in part
by the federal government although
| the government received the protection
/ in each case, there was mighty little
chance of an appropriation for the en-
] tertainment OF conventions here, no
| matter how worthy the plan might be-
| letter from John Dolph. chairman
| OF the joint committee of the Board of
Trade and Chamber of Commerce IN
charge Of the entertainment of the
| delegates to the International Congress
| on Hygiene and Demography, asking
/ $500 to help in the entertainment, was
laid before the committee. 1t was the
opinion Of the members of the COM
mittee that to make such guarantee
was without the province of the
board. and the request was therefore
! declined
| The acting president was authorized
| to appoint delegates to the deep water
| ways congress which is to be held in
| Little Rock. Ark.