Evening star., 1913-02-18
Discords Arises in East Wash
ington Association.
WARM DEBATE OF ISSUES
Trouble Over Proposed Endorsement
for District Commissioner.
OTHER QUESTIONS 1RRITATE
Recall" of Presiding Officer AT
tempted and One Member Threat
ems Another With Violence.

|
| Sweet accord fed the February meeting
! last night of the East Washington Citi
I zens' Association Immediately after a
quintet Of colored singers from Madison
! Industrial Training School had concluded
a program Of music. These singers, with
| their mcIedious voices, supplied almost the
| only. harmony of the evening. Voices
| were raucous in debate and recrdmination
| when the members present got down to
| business i'm their rooms In East Wash
! ineton Hail.
| There was threat of violence from NJ. l.
| Weller against Capt. W. NJ. Potter. when
| the latter accused the former of abusing
| the President" Modification of the state
| ment into criticism of the President
| Mr. Weller regarded as a different mat
| ter, and let it go at that without the
| LAYING on of hands that he had openly
! promised.
Capt Potter was the center of dissen-
| sion throughout the evening. When the
president of the organization, James l.,
| Parsons, refused to put "a motion made
| by Capt. Potter. DR. e. NJ. Emmons tired
! to accomplish the substitution of a pre-,
| siding officer who would put "A parlfa-
mentary motion. 4 point of order was
| interyened and the opposition did not
| have the necessary two-thiids vote, al
| though In the majority. to dominate the
| situation.
Combats the Charge.
Cant. Potter. in the efforts to obtain
| Endorsement of the candidacy of DR..
| Charles NJ Emmons for the board of
| Commissioners. combated Mr.. Wellers
! objections to an Intrusion of politics"
into the affairs of the organization Capt.
Potter declared that. on his own motion,
the candidacy of Mr.. Weller had for
merly been SO indorsed. and formed a
precedent Mr.. Weller doubted 1t, ana
demanded to see the record, when was
not forthcoming.
The trouble started during discussion
of a resolution offered by Capt. Potter,
which had for its object an Endorsement
of the bill to provide AN eight-hour work
day for women in the District of Column
bia without overtime. Mr.. Weller OBJ
jccted to the passage of the resolution,
not. he said. that lie did not favor an
eight hour law, but for the reason that
It contained no minimum wage scale. In
support Of his resolution Capt. Potter ar
gued that the enactment of the Dill INTO
law would be of material assistance to
the woman workers.
Roth Mr.. Weller and Mr. Schulties de-
clared themselves in hearty accord with
the spirit Of the measure. The present
bill, however, If it becomes law. they
said would do more harm than good.
A u,
Delchef participated in the discussion
S. w. Curriden said that the Importance
of the affair suggested a large discussion
Mr.. Girouard moved the reference or
the resolution to the executive commit
tee BY vote of II to 10 the association
| backed Capt. Potter in his objection to
| the reference of his motion to the eXecu-
! tive committee.
Chair. Refuses Recognition.
| Capt Potter sought to have a vote
| taken on his resolution. James l.. Par
sons, president, would not put the mo-
| tion.
| His refusal brought DR.. Emmons to
his feet with a motion that the associa-
| ton proceed to the election of a president
| who would put the motion. A point of Or
| der was raised by Mr.. Weller. The chair
decided the point we'll made. The opposi-
| tion did not have the requisite two-thirds
| vote to overrule the chair and the discus
| sion ended.
| The next cause of friction developed
when Capt Potter sought the indorse-
ment of the association for DR.. In
| mons. candidate for a District commits
sionership. Mr.. Weller and others OBJ
| jected to such an Endorsement. they stat
| ed, because it would be bringing politics
! into the association, and for the further
| reason that the association has not been
| in the habit of indorsng people for office
THE association indorsed you for Com
missioner upon my motion said Capt
| Potter to Mr.. Weller. 1T is so recorded
on the minutes of the association"
THAT is true said DIR. Emmons sec
| retary.
Mr. Weller demanded to see the min
utes. The entry was not found, last
night. although Capt. Potter said lie had
! seen 1t.
| Il knew nothing of such Endorsement
| said Mr.. Weller. IF the discussion of
1 st tt11s IdA.J
| would say that the democrats not
looking to republican Endorsement for
| candidates.
Alleges Discourtesy to Taft.
| Capt. Potter charged that delegation
had gone to President Taft in behalf of
Mr.. wellers candidacy for the commits
sionership. and that afterward. in Ma
sonic Temple, Mr.. Weller had abused the
President.
THAT is not true Mr. Weller de-
clared, advancing toward Capt. Potter
IF these statements continue l may lay
hands on YOU.
Then" explained Capt Potter. you
criticised the President"
THAT is an entirely different PROPOSE
! tion," Mr.. Weller added
| Charles S. Shields spoke in favor Of the
resolution and took occasion to attack
| Commiss! !oner Rudolph for "a statement
contained In a report to congress.
President Parsons ruled that the reSolu-
| ton did not come within the scope of the
| objects Of the association. DR.. EmmOns
candidacy was not indorsed.
| DR.. Emmons. as chairman of the COM
mittee on charities and corrections. said
Congress had made no provision for the
construction of additional accommoda-
tiOns at Washington Asylum Hospital.
| He realized, however. that the institu-
| tion VIII not be moved from it's present
| site this year Supt. Whitaker of the
workhouse at Occoquan. he stated, says
he can construct a building at that place
| for the accommodation of 100 chronic
sick at cost of only 81 500.
Mr.. Shields told OF the defeat Of the
| affnrf 10 ha at me from