The Washington times., 1917-05-25
UNIFIED EFFORT
FOR CITY REALIZED
Forward Washington Move
ment SOdfying Forces.
VAST BENEFITS DISCUSSED
Nations Capital to Be Helped on
Progressive Path by Merger.
VAST BENEFITS DISCUSSED
lcontinued dom Flrst PaEel

CONTINUED from First Page)
purpose-the development OF wash
inEton along commercial and civic
lines that will be to the best interests
of the people who make their homes
here.
Besides between forty and fifty
citizens associations. Washington
has the Real Estate Exchange. the
Builders and Manufacturers Ex
change, the Merchant Tailors' Ex-
change, the Board OF Trade, the Re-
tail Merchants Association, the Re
tail Jewellers Association. the Auto
Trade Association. the Washington
Association OF Credit Men. the Wash
ington Pharmaceutical Association,
the Washington Civic Association,
the Monday Evening Club, the Cham
Der Of Commerce, and a numoer OF
other organizations.
Each OF these organisations is
striving to make the city bigger and
better, but with 80 many organiZa-
tions there necessarily Is a great
deal OF duplicated and wasted effort.
DtvisIoas In Prospect.
The plan Of the Forward Wash
inEton Committee is to bring all
these bodies together, and at the
same time to let them retain their
individuality as bureaus Of the cen
trai body. 1t is planned to have a
drugEists' bureau. q retail merchants
bureau. q real estate brokers bureau,
and various other divisions repre-
senting the various interests, but
each would be q unit OF the big or
NnnfRmFfAr Zach U-nr1d haUa the
power OF the big organization behind
II in It's efforts to carry out Its par
ucuiar aims.
Organizations built up along this
line already have been tried out in
Boston New York San Francisco,
Chicago. and other large cities.
There has been some discussion az
to what the central organization
should be called" ssid Mr.. Bell. Since
the Washington Chamber of Com
msres has fostered the movement,
and since there are more than 500
chambers OF commerce throughout
the Omitted States. Il has been thought
BY many that the name should be the
Washington Chamber OF Commerce.
ThtH. however, is not q matter OF
prime Importance. It does not matter
what the organization Is called-call
II the Board of Commerce, or the
Warrington Civic and Commercial
Association, perhaps. The important
thing is to have the organization.
The work OF q small body of men
in more than doubling the member
ship Of the chamber in five days
work is certainly creditabIe. feel
that the community owes its thanks
TO those men who have sacrificed
their own business affairs to make
this greater organization possible
i feel that the people of Washing
ton have given . great amount OF
thought to the need Of q strong com
mercial organization. I have heard
the question discussed by all classes
Of business and professional men, and
the people are awake to the need OF
an organization that can speak and
act for Washington with some de-
gree OF authority.
HeedInE PresIdent'a Behesf.
The Forward Washington move
ment Is in reality the carrying out
Of President Wilson's call to the
country to speak, act. and serve to-
gether. I have therefore looked upon
this campaign as more than a local
movement feel that it will have a
national Significance II il finally ac-
CoAApiA1hcS lIh puIpote OF unlllnB lne
man-power OF Washington into one
effective organization. 1t will inspire
other cities to organize for efficiency.
Il am sure that I voice. the senti-
ment Of all citizens and all members
Of Congress that Washington Is bad
ly overorganiEed. The existence,
however, Of 80 many organizations in
our city proves that we all firmly be-
neve In organized endeavor.
"Unconsciously, we have fallen into
the practice OF having a separate
association for each OF the various
activities that has seemed necessary
for the good, either of the community
or OF some particular branch OF trade,
or Of some section Of our city. until
we have q multiplicity of them. The
active men in each Of these orgsniza-