Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-16
Members of Civic Bodies
Would Probe Accusation of
House District Committee.
SUGGEST THAT COUNSEL
ATTEND ALL HEARINGS
Believe It Is Time for Washingto.
mans to Protect Good Name of
City-Mass Meeting Favored.

Resenting the attack made on the in
tegrity of local business men in the
charge that condemnation juries fire.
quently have been packed" and be-
lievinG that the time has come when
Washingtonians should no longer re-
main passive in the face of the con-
tinuous investigation of District affairs
being conducted by the House District
committee. members of the Chamber of
Commerce. Board of Trade and Fedora
tion of Citizens Associa tions are con-
sidering petitioning those organiza-
tions to participate in a concerted effort
to investigate the various charges pre-
ferred and demand that the District
be represented by counsel while it is
under fire.
Officials of the organizations which rep
resent the business and civic interests of
the National Capital have been discussing
the need of an undertaking Of this char
acter and it is believed to he likely that
a mass meeting of the membership of the
three bodies will be called at an early
date to consider whether District citizens
shall continue to remain inactive in the
face of the indictments of the House
committee. which. it is admitted, if unan-
swered, may have the effect of giving
the District bad name abroad.
1t is known that the plan of mass
meeting to consider the situation is
favored by several officers of the Board
of Trade and Chamber of Commerce,
while IL is thought that the Federation
these organizations I'm any movement de-
signed to bring out an expression of
public opinion regarding the House Dis
trict committees investigation.
Declare Now Is the Time.
1t is pointed out by those who are
back of the proposal for a mass meeing
that. in view of the serious charges pre-
ferred by the committee, now is the time
of all times when the associations which
are the mouthpieces of the business and
civic interests of the city should come
forward and demand that the allega-
tions be sustained and the District
given a chance in court.
one suggestion made is that a joint sub
committee be appointed which shall have
authority thoroughly to canvass the
situation and appoint counsel to repre-
sent the citizens of the District at the
House committees hearings.
Those VINO advocate this proposal claim
that the Chamber OF Commerce, Board OF
Trade and Federation of Citizens Asso-
Citations should be sufficiently alive To the
interests OF the city to keep thoroughly
informed of the work of Chairman John
may be In position to give their sup
port to the committees recommendations
which the civic and business organiza-
tions consider for the good of the city
and resent attacks made on District of
ficials and Washington citizens whicf
cannot be sustained by facts
Investigation Is Suggested.
II is suggested that the three orsaniza-
tons should provide the machinery fol-
an intelligent investigation of all the
recommendations that have been made
by the House committee, including the
proposal thit the District pay to the
federal government approximately 81. .0OO,
600 as interest on the 365 bonds, this
charge having been contracted prior te
the act of 1878.
Taxation and assessment matters alsc
are TO be included in the proposed in
vestigation and, in fact. everything that
is done by the House committee is t.
be scrutinized Dy the local organizations
II the plan for having them unite in this
work materializes.
The District has been under fire since
1910 and in that time has been prac-
ticany unrepresented at the District
committees hearings. 1t is pointed out
Washington business men believe that
the stories which have ben sent over
the country growing out of the In
NcStisatlOn may CreaI0 the Impression
that District government affairs are in
a deplorable state. 1t Is their conten-
tion that II the municipality is provid-
ed with counsel at the hearings the
chance of injustice being done District
men or affairs will be reduced and
, that the active interest manifested by
Washingtonians in the proceedings
will be an indication Of civic pride
which will have a beneficial, effect on
the impression that will be formed out
side as to the conditions obtaining