The Washington times., 1916-12-03
Institution In Baltimore Is
Found to Be BuIwark Of
~ Civic Progress.
::IoF SPONTANEOUS GROWTH
Progressive Leaders In WASH
\ lngton Suggest Usefulness
]. Of Such Plan Here.

a VI
- For some time washington citizens
who keep an eye on the progressive
sshings other cities are doing have
Deep casting envious eyes at Bslti-
.y,ore's City Club.
VI Last week a group OF delegates who
went over to the Conference OF Chart
.ties and Correction came back highly
.enthusiastic over the Baltimore City
club.
~ Some OF the washingtonians were
IN a committee with Baitimoreans
(which was planning the closing ses.
,Ston of the conference which aimed to
drive home the need of housing law
An Baltimore similar to that In Wash
.tnston.
H. 1--WE have the speakers, we have the
arguments, all we need Is place
lthst will insure an audience OF the
representative men In Baltimore
&uoth one wsshingtonisn. That's the
,bis problem for this meeting"
|" How Bsitimere Does IL.
80 "Nothing easier oveShere," retorted
~ BaItimorean, That's where we have
~ on Washington. All we have to do
- to call up the City Club. That Will
S&ive us the time, the place, the audi
Vince, and the sort of. publicity we
Want"
. The meeting was held last Thursday
.eyening. and the result was so startling
,sllat II set most every Washington dele
gate thinking about this city club idea.
y, Baltimore's big men came around, rs
- matter Of course. the mayor was there,
and before the meeting was over the
mayor had promised to appoint n COM
omission to frame a housing law Ior
Zone so easily that group OF delegates
"How did they get such a club started
p who thought OF that city club
E.why can't Washington have a club
Edo they generally do thing. in such
'what else has the City Club done for
b The answers 20 these questions entail
n story Of n remarkable civic organiza-
tlon. the story OF how few men can
yet together In community and create
q powerful civic force and how ball
once started rolling. grows and grows
like Jacks historic beanstalk.
How Baltimore Club started.
y To answer one question at n time. here
N how Baitimore's City Club started;
Back In 1910 a certain young man with
rare gifts as n sub-ceiiar politician. con-
nscted with "A social service agency. saw
= obspce 10 line up n personal political
machine I'm MARYLAND that would have
made Tammany take notice.
He got a bill through the lower
Ssv Sse m o. ,n1 nj. assoeIss,o w uitim"te.
~ himself, pass upon the STATE SUP
Sidy to every charitable institution
in the commonwealth-and anyone
who knows Maryland knows that
a
maryland gives state ala 10 mors
arstitutions,. privately conducted
q Tho bill passed the lower house
state senate before anybody "soi
worker "smeiied a rat" got together
, group OF other civic workers, went
down 10 Annapolis, and simply by
pointing out TO the Senate COMMITTEES
fhe Joker In this bill, laughed II out
.cf the iexisiature.
: Coming back on the rear platform
Df the car one OF these young men
said:
u,,, W.. aniw luck aSst w. rsurht
G''isn't IL anybody's business TO look
out for things OF that sort? why
don't We all know what rs going on
Gown AZ Annapohs any oe''er 'hah
oo'
Case OF Everysssys busisess.
= Its q case OF everybody's bust
nssa being nobody's business" Anoth.
.,or,ad sDo 20, Lnnr anv Mac,
f'oi.eu' Do Sou Nno" "y go
in Baltimore where the busy men
who ought to know about these
Yhinxs get together and talk them
ave."
- RaitImore. inst like Washington.
Ma lis trade bodies' It's assoclations
Gorkins FOR specisi sections its So
Tisi Service club like .Washinston's
Monday Evening Club. and more re,
Torm bodies than the average city.
dsut there was no place where the big
fnsn OF the town. the men really i'm.
terested in forward moyeme nj :
which would AFFECT the whole city,
ihs men who ought 10 have been In,
formed on all proposed legislation,
Dol tosether ana talked thinks over:
SIatform of the car that night were
progressive young men, greatly In,
tsrssted IN the Guys Dusiness ana
1romptu luncheon club
49, -. r.s,
hey eiectea no onicers, msoe no
2iss, but one or them simply wen'
&own to the old City Hotel, since dis
&S...a nv an ofaca huiIding told tbs