Evening star., 1915-02-11
GIVES "REMINISCENCES
Of SIX PRESIDENTS
Claude N. Bennett Addresses Con-
necticut Avenue Citizens
Meeting
Strongly Emphasizes Importance Of
Every Day" Man in City's Life.
Sectional Needs Discussed.


Connecticut Avenue Citizens &ssoci-
alton with a. talk on "Reminiscences of
Six Presidents at a meeting held in
the assembly hall of the Army and
Navy Prcparatory School last night At
the conclusion of his address Mr. Ben
nett was given 4 rising vote of thanks
by the association.
IN pointing out the difference between
the pcrmanency of a citizens associa
ton and the transient nature of such
Institutions as Congress Mr. Bennett
took occasion to. speak of the Whir1i-
Big of time that brings political Off
cials to pass in and out like ships in
the night and declared that the wor-
chip of high officials always seemed to
him a peculiar thing. He strongly en-
phasized the Importance OF the every
day man" doing his everyday work as
against the Importance or the tran
eient men who come along.
IF We could get strongly in our minds
the worth whilenesS OF the average
man., declared the speaker. II would
help us in every way
Mr.. Bennett. however. exempted the
office of the President in his remarks
Presidency the Greatest Job.
The presidency" he said, Stands for
the people, and is pretty nearly the
greatest job in the world. 1t is the
greatest job in the greatest republic In
the world, of a republic to set the pace
for the world-the pacemaker, and we
hope the peacemaker, of the world
Nearly all the Presidents have been
great men, in Mr.. Benefits opinion
Beginning with Harrison. the speaker
told many stories that at-elternately
amused and touched his hearers. BY
way OF contrast. he spoke OF Presioeht
then told of the other side of his ma
ture President Harrison, he declared,
was the first President to put up
Christmas tree in the IN hlte House,
band to play for the children on the
White House grounds Easter Monday
Following stories of Cleveland and
MCKINLEY. interpolated with appro-
v ilich Mr.. Bennett at all times is full,
he told about Roosevelt and Wilson
Roosevelt he declared to be the one
man who never got beh1nd the rooeS
OF his Office to show his authority,
and President Wilson he characterized
as IA rare combination of apparent dif-
hGence and modesty. on one hano' anu
or the other a determination TO nave
his way about things.
Plea for New Bridges.
The need for a new, safe and artistic
bridge. of permanent character, to re-
place the patched-up, unsightly. unsafe,
inadequate, obsolete and decrepit Cal
very Street bridge formed the theme Of
a statement to the association - by
George c. Wedderburn, chairman of the
special committee on bridges. The en-
thusiasm which the string OF deroga-
tory adjectiveS aroused on the part OF
the members of the association spoke
plainly of the interest which the citi-
Zens of this section feel in the need OF
new bridges at Calvert street and at
i<IingIe road. After reviewing the his
tory and condition of the Calvert street
Hridse, built in 1891, the report declares:
The kiingle Road bridge is regarded
by the street car company as even more
unsafe than the Calvert Street bridge,
which is probably less than the
,Aqueduct bridge, which has recently
been reported unsafe by the army
engineers.
THE necessity for the immediate con-
struction of new bridges at Calvert
street and at Klingle road concludes
the report, 'is thought to be clear and
well esta ablished, and users of these
bridges are asked in self-protection to
push the recommendations of the en-
gineer of bridges for the District of Co
lumbia.'
For Free Dental Clinic.
on motion of DIR. Emery A. Bryant
the association passed resolution IA
vorable to the establishment of a free
dental clinic for school children in the
District. \ resolution, introduced by
Fred A Emery, indorsing the applica-
tion of residents of Chevy Chase
Heights for the opening of 3Sth street
rom its present terminus to Chevy
Cb@Sc Circle was carried.
: resolution favoring the change Of
ne opening of grade schools In Chevy
i!s.c from 8 am. to $50 am. was
r.fcrre,i to the committee on schools.
= TesoiTtion introduced by Mr.. Emery
ring the increasing of the width of
Crs.cCticut avenue to 100 feet between
G'r lines was referred to the eXecu-
-I"c committee for report at the next
lacetlug- resolution asking the Com
-li-sio-.v vrs TO enforce the use of alleys
.-y ;lsAInen. freshmen. etc. whenever
possible, was referred to the committee
Jn streets and alleys
The matter of the boundaries Of the
association was passed to the next
meeting, and the question of relations
between the association and the Chevy
chase Association was laid on the table
President Cage rreSideS