The Washington times., 1914-11-10
REPRESENTATION IN
CONGRESS IS URGED
Piney Branch Citizens to Ask
All Associations Join in Cam
paign.

Practical agreement to urge all citi-
zens' associations in the District to
get behind movement for a delegate
in Congress, with powers similar to
1nose OF the Territorial delegates, who
should be appointed by the President
and whose salary should be paid from
District revenues, was reached at a
meeting of the Piney Branch Citizens
Association last night.
A committee Of three was named TO
draft resolution to the Federation
Of Citizens Associations, outlining the
views Of the association.
1t was practically the unanimoas
sentiment of the meeting that the as
ISOLATION should enlist the aid of all
similar organizations in the Capital in
urging a District delegate. The only
difference arising was over details of
The plan, and the executive committee
was given power to compose these diff
lerences in passing upon the form OF
resolution.
Two plans of procedure were put up
10 the executive committee One was
TO adopt resolution urging the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations to in
augurate a campaign for a District
delegate, and the other was to arrange
through the federation for a committee
of three members from each of the
rhirty-two citizens associations in the
gressional representation desired and
10 fight for the success of that plan.
Urges Delegate Proposal.
e. 6. Clarkson. Piney Branch dele
safe to the federation, brought the Dis
trict delegate question to the front last
The greatest difficulty we have"
said Mr.. Clarkson In addressing the
meeting, lis that there is no one in
Congress to look after the interests of
the District Members of Congress
are too engrossed in their own State
affairs to give proper attention TO Dis
trict affairs. District business comes
before the House in haphazard way.
District day comes around and there
cause some members have matters af-
fecting their own communities, which
they consider more important, District
day is set aside.
:'One of the members of the District
Committee told me he belicved-it would
paw the District to give some expert
enced man 5000 or $4,000 just to sit
around the Capitol study bills affect
ing the District, and educate men,
bers Of Congress ,s as to these e bills: s.,on..o
with the same powers as the Territorial
delegates, who should be appointed by
he President, whose salary should be
paid from District revenues, and who
II was Mr.. Clarkson's idea that the
machinery OF the Federation of Cti-
zens' Associations should be utilized in
conducting the campaign. j. r. Robb,
alternate to the federation, suggested
the plan for the general committee to
rake UP the matter independently of the
federation.
May See President.
Mr.. Robb believed that if a COM
mittee of three members from each
Of the thirty-two citizens associa
lions should take up this question
with enthusiasm. probably calling in
a body at the White House to seek
sthe Presidents support, the move
nent would gain greater impetus.
George A. Finch saw disadvantage
IN the plan of having the President
appoint such a delegate. because he
believed a delegate elected by the
people would be more responsive 20
the peoples will than one appoint
cd by the President, with the pos
sibility that the position might go
20 the lame ducks" Neither was he
satisfied that the salary Of such
delegate should be paid from District
revenues He would waive these OBJ
jections. however. to get a District
delegate, believing that any flaws in
the plan adopted could be corrected
later.
The meeting was unanimous in vot-
ing authority to the executive COM
ntttee to voice the associations ap-
proval of the District delegate prop
osition.
Aside from the District delegate
matter. the only action taken at the
meeting was to adopt a resolution
calling upon the Public Utilities Gem
mission to compel conductors of the
two traction companies to announce
all streets from Park road north on
Fourteenth street and Georgia av-
enue.