Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-01
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

active year. handling many matters of
Importance to business men and resi-
dents of the District. 1t has succeeded
in remedying a number Of conditions in
the city. 1t made hard fight to prevent
the increase in water rates ordered by
the Commissioners. and the fight has
been carried into the courts by members
Of the chamber.
The organization has played an inn
portant part in the entertainment of the
many distinguished visitors to the Ma
tional Capital during the year. Sir George
Reid, the Australian commissioner In
London and former premier Of the terri
tory. and Lady Reid were extensively en-
tertained by the board during their stay
in the capital last fall. In the early part
of the year troop of Australian boys,
picked students who were sent to this
country to learn conditions in the United
States, were guests Of the members OF
the chamber, who took them into their
homes.
International Congress.
The chamber took the initiative in the
entertainment OF the International Con-
gress Of Chambers of Commerce, which
brought it's delegates to this country from
all parts of the world. With Director
General John Barrett of the an-American
Union. the chamber gave a handsome re-
ception to the delegates at the Pan-Amer-
lean building.
Another organization for the entertain
ment Of which the chamber worked hard
was the International Congress on Hy-
giene and Demography. Its committee
acted with similar committee from the
Board Of Trade in this matter. The work
of the conventions committee of the
chamber has been of great value to the
District, bringing thousands of visitors
49, nt1e, of0r
at these meetings. Among the big con-
ventions which have met here during the
last year at the invitation Of the chamber
were the convention Of the National
Rivers and Harbors Congress and the con-
vention of the Brotherhood of Carpenters.
Officers for the Year.
The officers for the year have been
president, James F. oyster; first vice
president, D. J. Callahan; second vice
president. Charles ]. Bell; treasurer, A.
Lisner; general counsel, Chaplin Brown,
and secretary, Thomas Grant.
The chamber gave a very successful
annual excursion. The party who made
the trip visited Old Point Comfort. Rich
mond, Va, and made a trip down the his
toric James river. While making brief
the party witnessed the launching of the
battleship Texas.
Fund for Conventions.
At the instance Of the Chamber Of Com
merce conventions committee, a joint
committee of the chamber, the Board of
Trade and the Retail Merchants Asso-
citation has been appointed to raise fund
of $4,000 to help bring to Washington
the big conventions of the country, and
to entertain the visitors while in this
city. similar fund was raised severaf
years ago. also by the efforts of the
chamber, and proved great benefit. The
new fund is to be expended by a joint
committee of the three organizations,
upon recommendations of the OrganiZa-
lions.
The Chamber of Commerce, through its
committee on public health. took a promi-
nent part in the controversy as to
whether the Emergency Hospital was to
be done away with and Columbia. Hospi-
tai be no longer provided for by the
government. This was part of a plan
of the board of charities which also pro-
vided for the establishment Of great
municipal hospital to care for all the
INDECENT patients in the District. Acting
upon the recommendation Of its commit
plan of the board of charities and aided
in its defeat.
Retail Merchants Association.
The Chamber of Commerce saw it's
youngest and one of it's most important
auxiliary organizations blossom forth
into an Independent organization, the Re-
tail Merchants Association. The men,
bers of the association deemed it wise to
form separate and independent organi-
zation, to give it's whole time and atten-
ton to the needs of the retailers in
Washington. The separation was accom-
,,,sxI h. boo 0R <na IfncY h0t h
sides and the association has arranged
with the parent organization to have its
headquarters in the Chamber of Com
merce The association has been active
in reforming trade abuses. both while 1t
was an auxiliary body of the chamber
and since it's independence. Joseph Stras-
burger is president of the association. Its
membership is increasing rapidly.