Evening star., 1913-11-13
D. {. EDWARDS EXPLAINS
WORK OF ORGANIZATION
President of Federation OF Cit
izens' Associations States.
Its Purposes.
TO the Editor Of Ine Star:

In Tuesdays issue OF The Evening Star
there was a report that a resolution had
r,assed the Georgetown Citizens Associa-
ton 10 investigate the Fedef alton OF Citi-
1ens' Associations and see by what right
II claimed to represent the people OF the
District of Columbia and what share Of
the civic organizations is represented
there. In order 10 have a reply read by
the same people who read the report OF
that meeting. | would ask space i'll your
valuable paper
Tho inquiry is q natural one ana am
very glad il has come up. NO douoL
hundreds Of people would Ike some III
formation concerning its organization anu
.york The federation was organized az
,na suggestion of members of the board
II District Commissioners and meInpers
II the House Of Representatives. liner
syas a cons ant complaint that aside from
the business mems organizations OF tte
BOARD OF Trade and Chamber OF COM
.nerce there was no central organization
representing the views OF the people IV-
ing I'm various sections of Washing ton Ihe
committees in Congress and the Comnis
sioners we constantly annoyed py oeie-
eations from a couple OF score OF or
ganzations favoring or disapproNlhs OF
various public measures
Birth of Federation.
Near the beginning Of the term OF the
last beard of Commissioners. Messrs.
Rudolph. Johnston and Judson & meet
ing was called of all the citizens asso-
Citations OF the District in the board
room and each was given three
minutes in which to make known the
needs OF its particular locality. 1t was
common talk that night that il would
be a good thing if these associations
could be represented in one central
body which would look after and make
recommendations for things pertaining
10 the whole District and let the loca!
organizations make recommendations
for things that were purely local It
was so favorabiy received on every side
that steps were at once taken, ana the
Federation of Citizens ASSOCIATIONS WAS
the result
IL is now just entering its fourth
year We believe it has so far done
very good work Ii has not encroached
upon the rights of any local organlza-
tion but has recommended measures
which the delegates thought beneficial
10 the District at large. Its position mas
been fully recognized At the District
building and by the committees OF
Congress. as it has relieved them of
the necessity of dealing with so many
local organizations.
Qualifications for Membership.
list Of associations is published by
the District Commissioners which con-
tans the names of tifty-seven organiza-
tions. After deducting those which are
outside of the District of Columbia anu
those which are colored. there are about
forty-two remaining OF these. good
many are not entitled to membership in
the federation They meet only occa-
sonally when they have some particular
thing 10 recommend. Our constitution
provides that:
This federation shall be composed OF
one delegate and one alternate from each
regularly formed association or society
holding regular stated meetings, whose
object, as shown by its constitution and
hN -isWs, IS the advancement of the local
s5 general interests OF the District Of
fn.Gia.
aec arc Ictween thirty and thirty-five
.Tt onS in the District eligible to
isip ia the federation. Our MEM
5 constantly OH the increase.
are now twenty organizations rep
.Ttc1 by delegates in the federation,
TWO more have voted 10 join. The
position also is being seriously con-
a.<ctCG by good many of the other or
-tuizations, Some OF these associations
ne large and some small, but l believe ii
Hiil be fair TO say that there are about
200 persons represented by the fed
Grafton. These consist largely Of the
home owners in every part Of the city.
All Are Desired to Join.
II is the desire of the federation to have
III the citizens associations of the Dis.
tFict which are eligible to membership
ion and take part in its proceedings.
We do not claim to represent the peo
pie of the District of Columbia. but sim
piy the membership of the organization!
which are affiliated with us. We vii
lady welcome to our ranks any of tn,
reputable citizens associations, and hop
that within the next few years PRACTICAL,
III OF them will join.
=. f. EDWARDS, President.