The Washington times., 1915-03-13
CIVIC BODY LEADERS
PROMISE TO AID IN
DISTRICT TAX PROBE
Plans Laid for Presenting city's
Side at University Club Con.
ference. r.
MEETING IS HARMONIOUS
Executive Committee Named to
Prepare Plan Of Action and
Report to Citizens.

Cooperation with the Congressional
committee in It's investigation Of the
equity Of the haif-and.half principle,
and the assurance that this city well
comes an impartial inquiry, is the sIo-
gan today Of washinstonians who met
at the University Club yesterday and
made plans for presenting the Districtc
side of the controversy.
The gathering Of washington business
men, representative Of five civic or
ganizations, was harmonious. It was
the consensus Of opinion that the dis
| trict should prepare its case carefully
and present II intellIgently through reg
| ularly appointed spokesman. An execu-
tive committee of five, with Henry u.
r. Macfarland as chairman, is to pre-
pare plan of action to be presented to
the joint citizens committee. u.
A separate committee of Ave has been
| named to consult with the Commission
ers regarding the inquiry and to assist
in gathering data wanted by the investi-
gators.
ePrsonnel of Committee.
This special committee of five com
| prises Mr. Macfarland, chairman; r. c.
| Brandenturg, president of the Board OF
| Trade: P. r. Moran. president Of the
Chamber of Commerce; Ross p. An
| drews. president OF the Retail Mer-
| chants Association. and Edward r. Col
| laday, president of the Federation OF
| Citizens Associations.
| The meeting OF the Joint citizens com.
mittee yesterday voted unanimously 20
| welcome the aid Of all civic organiza-
| tions in presenting the Districts cause
| to the Congressional committee. The
permanent executive committee of 1ve,
which Mr.. Macfarland is to select, will
| report subsequently plan whereby thc
views of various civic organizations
may be presented in orderly manner to
the investigators.
| This same committee will acquaint the
| Congressman Monday with the desire OF
| District residents to cooperate in the
| inquiry ordered by Congress.
| There Was a general discussion at the
meeting Regarding the half half con,
closed doors. In order that there may
be a liberal interchange of views, but
Chairman Macfarland said that no dis
4
! and every. citizen present seemed Inn
| bued with the one desire to get together
and present. intellisently the Districts
That the existing arrangen,ent is fair
ments was the informally expressed
opinion Of the speakers. but It was &C.
lknowledged that the representatives Of
the District must 90 before the Con
gressional committee with facts and not
mere assertions on this point The ap..
five. which will be practically ways
| and means committee, was determined
upon as the best way to handle the stu
anon and prepare Satmpaign OF aanon,
in existence until the inquiry shall have
ended.
The work Of the permanent executive
as the probers decide when the inquiry
is to be held and how it is to be con-
Quoted. Members Of the Congressional
committee are to meet nee Non Monday y, Hernns ssntn,
Chiffon. and probably will announce
their tentative program for conducting
the inquiry.
order by Mr. Macfarland, who first read
the Underwood resolution calling for an
inquiry into the justice OF the fiscal re.
lations between the District and Federal
MIR Macfarland said the Congressional
| committee was composed OF able and
impartial men, and fair report might
be expected.
All Would Cooperate.
He stated that the civic bodies repre-
scented had all voted to cooperate
heartily in presenting the facts and ar
guments sustaining the present fiscal
| relation.
Mr.. Macfarland was elected chairman
Of the meeting and Richard B. Wat
rous, secretary. General discussion fol-
lowed in which the necessity for prompt
organization Of the civic forces in this
particular crisis of the city's life and for
| thorough and accurate preparation. and
presentation of the facts to the joint Sc
lect committee together with the magni-
tude of the task were emphasized. 1t was
| repeatedly stated that the Congressional
inquiry was welcome. and that the
whole community would cooperate to
aid in the presentations OF the facts
| For the convenience of the joint select
| committee as well as the concentration
| of the efforts of the community, the
speakers agreed that the meeting should
be constituted joint citizens committee
TO remain in existence during the prog
| ress of the inquiry.
| The executive committee was author
lied to state to the joint committee Of
Congress that the committee desired to
aid the joint committee of Congress in
| every way in its power, and would be
| glad at the proper time to present to
| IL tne laCtS pertinent TO tne queslloH
| before the joint committee Of Congress.
| The chairman stated that he would en-
| deavor to appoint the committee soon.
| 30 as to inform tho joint committee of
| Congress at it's meeting on Monday that
| the representative Joint committee OF
| citizens had been created and to tender
Its assistance to the joint committee OF
| Congress.
Representatives Chosen.
The committee of 100 was represented
| at the meeting by II. b. r. Macfarland.
Harvey W. Wiley. George Truesdell,
Richard B. Watrous, and Charles s.
Bundy; the Federation of Citizens As
sociations by Edward c. Colladay,
| William L. Fowler. d. A. Edwards.
| William NICK. Clayton. and j. @. Nc
| Grath; the Board of Trade by John Joy
| Edison, John r. Larner. Theodore W.
| Noyes, George Truesdell. Corcoran
| Thorn, and Edwin c. Brandenburg; the
| Chamber OF Commerce by II. B. r
! Mcfarland, T. w. Noyes, James F.
| oyster, y. J. Callahan, f. G. Graham.
! Chaplin Brown, II. Il. Classic. A. Left
| wlch Sinclair, and a. Schulteis, and the
| Retail Merchants Association by Il r.
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