Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-10-10
NEEDS OF DISTRICT
BEFORE CIVIC BODY
Chamber of Commerce at First
Fall Meeting Takes Up
important Matters.
DISCUSS NATIONAL GUARD

Many matters of Importance to the
District of Columbia were brought be-
fore the Washington Chamber OF Com
merce at its initial fall meeting at
Rauscher's last night. w Gwynn
Gardiner, the new District Commission
err. was present and extended greetings
to the business men and women, say
ing that should he make mistakes in
his new position that they would be
of the head and not of the heart.
Action taken included the following:
Endorsement of plan for the forma-
ton of new National Guard for the
District of Columbia. to be composed
of veterans of the Spanish-American
war veterans of the Philippine cam
paign and of youths below draft age.
Amendment of a committee to de-
termine IL Washington is more waste
full with its food supply than other
cities.
Efforts to have small farmers use
cold storage space in the District. 50
that the food supply will be conserved
to the greatest possible degree, Were
urged, but a proposition for the estab-
nshment of purchasing clubs and com
munity center cooperative groups was
laid on the table.
Extension of night school work. as
advocated at the recent meeting of the
board of diree<ors. was urged
The committee which is endeavoring
to find q new home for the Chamber of
Commerce was directed to continue its
work.
Resolutions of regret for the death
of S. w. Woodward and y. II. Shea
were adopted.
Dues of members who have gone into
military or naval service of the United
States were ordered refnitted and their
names carried 'in good standing until
the end of the war
Good in New National Guard.
Endorsement to the plan for a new
National Guard was given after the
reading of letter from Col. ]. a.
papray. adjutant general commanding
rhe District of Columbia militia. and u
statement from Winfield Jones. chair
man of the committee on National
| Guard of the chamber.
Col Dapray urged that through the
| formation of a new National Guard
| bows who may later be drafted may
| now be trained and prepared for the
duties before them.
| while the War Department is doing
| everything possible to meet the situa-
| ton and to remedy the wrong done by
mast Indifference to war preparation,
and it is not likely that any organiZa-
| ton will be sent to the hshtIng fronts
/ II
| intelngently and effectively, We must all
realize that once the ball is started roll
! ing. once the fighting on battlefields
| begins and our men begin to die and
| to come home mafmed and blinded for
| life perhaps. the fighting fever will be
| upon our young men more vigorous
| than ever, and recruits who will vol
! unteer or be drafted. will not be kept
| so long in training camps before be-
| ing started for the organizations on
| the fighting lines whose dwindling
| ranks they will be intended to fill up to
| the required strength" Col Dapray
explained "And right here should come
the thought that if there is any way
possible for US stay-at-homes. for the
fathers and older brothers Of the bows
| on the firing lines. to help prepare the
next batch of unprepared youngsters,
| for the ordeals of war, it is our solemn
and sacred duty to proceed to it at
once"
Mr. Jones explained that plans were
to be perfected at meeting to be held
Friday night in the National Guard
Armory, 9th and l. streets northwest
The committee in charge consists Of
Capt. Charles Brockway, Jere Costello
Peter H. Quinn congressional medal OF
honor3. William 4. BAH. John ]. Aller,