Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-01-31
Report of President Andrews.

President Andrews. in his annual re-
port, outlined the work which had been
accomplished by the associat ton during
the last year. He urged suffrage for
the residents of the District of Column
bia and said they need an American
voice" He also advocated the passage
of bad check" law.
Charles J. Columbus, secretary of the
association, in his report urged the
members to use the associations sery-
ices more than they do. IF members
would use our credit bureau religious
~ they would have no use for the col
lection bureau" he declared. He told
of the large amount of work done by
the association for its members dur
ing the last year.
Talks against discount" systems
derson and Mr.. Strasburger. II was
the opinion OF the speakers that dis
count systems had resulted in no good
to the merchants.
Secretary Columbus urged the mem
bers to refer applications for "one-
time" advertisements from organiza-
tions wishing them for entertainment
programs and similar things, to the
office of the association Attention
was called to the rules of the organi-
zation which prohibit merchants from
giving such advertising without the con-
sent of the executive committee.
Boosts Booster" Trip.
A. V. Hoffman, told Of the growth Of
the credit mems section. Sol Herzog
urged that more meetings of sections
should be held. Votes OF thanks were
extended the general counsel, Mr..
Rosenberg. and to the president, Mr..
Andrews. for their work during the
last year. Joseph Berberich, newly
appointed chairman of the committee
in charge of the spring booster trip,
expressed the hope that this year it
would be the largest ever and assured
the members it would be Tive out
ing" Upon motion of Mr.. Cans a
Stephan of the National Guard of the
District of Columbia, who is a mem
Der of the association, and is now on
the Mexican border.
These new members were elected:
Nejib Hekimian. Harry Sherry, VOLTS
Walkover Shoe Company and William
Knabe & Sons.
Chairmen of Sections.
| Appointments of chairmen of COM
mittee sections were announced as fol-
lows:
r. p. Andrews. paper dealers; S. NJ.
| Avery. booksellers; J. NJ. Bird. mil
linery; z. D. Blackstone. florists, Mrs.
NJ. Brooks. business women; G. V.
Buck. photographers; ]. NJ. BurreIl
coal and wood; Q. ]. De Mon, pianos:
George S. De Neale, department stores !;
| Jacob Eisenmann, dry goods; Isaac
Cans. mems clothing; Simon Gordon,
grocers; E. C. Graham, electrical sun,
plies: George E. Hebbard, merchant
tailors: ]. Philip Hermann, furniture:
A V. Hoffman,, credit men; s. W
Stratus. jewelers.; S. A. Kimberly, ice;
NJ A Leese. optician; Louis Levy. laun-
| men: Claude E. Miller, automobiles:
Gerson NordlinRer. ladies' garments:
H. T. Ofterdinger, cigars and tobac-
co: j. c. Parker. souvenirs; Ellie Sheetz.
confectioners; Joseph l.. Shipley. mas
ter printers. Charles G. Stott, station
ers: Anton Stephan, china and glass
ware: Joseph Strasburger, shoe dealers.
George Topham. leather goods; Sidney
est. haberdashers; Edward w. Yea,
ladies tailors. and H. Zirkin, furriers,
Need of American Voice.
Need of an American voice" by both
the business interests and the general
| citizenship of Washington was en-
phasized by President Andrews in his
| report. He cited this as a great need
f, spoke of the demand for a referendum
| on the proposition to have prohibition
| in Washington and took I'D the matter
| in its relation to taxation in the Dis.
trict of Columbia.
| Dealing with these phases. President
| Andrews said, in part:
| We face that eternal need-a real
| American voice for the people OF the
District of Columbia 1t is not the
purpose of the Retail Merchants AS
| ISOLATION to indulge in politics nor ia
| this a partisan matter. As red-bIooded
1 American citizens, we cannot disasso-
ciate ourselves from the needs of this
| District. Through the lack of suffrage.
or a real voice in the determination OF
our local affairs. business has suffered.
and business will suffer even more as
| time goes on.
The question of prohibition has en-
crossed the attention of this commu-
| nifty for some time back 1t is A big
! question 1t involves the right of the
| individual to perform acts that for
| but which It is proposed to place un-
| der a prohibitory ban. 1t is proposed
| to have Congress pass on this great
question without full. free and legal
expression on the part of the people
that it will affect. The proponents of
this so-called prohibition have raised
u moral issue in the matter, but as a
matter of fact the only thing that will
be accomplished by the prohibition bill
that has passed the Senate will be to
make it impossible to buy spirituous
liquors in Washington, but make it
| mandatory that those who desire
| liquors shall send their money into
other territory.
| "As business men we are called upop
from time to time-aimost every day
| to contribute to funds for the develop
| ment of this and that purpose. We
have promoted the Buy in and Boost