Evening star., 1918-04-10
SPEAKS. FAVOR
OF D: c. SUFFRAGE
Representative Caldwell Also
Shows Progress in Produc-
stion of AirpIanes.
BEFORE COMMERCE BODY

i
in the control of the city, was advo-
Gated by Representative Charles r.
| Caldwell Of New York at the April
meeting of the Chamber of Commerce.
| Gil 18th street. last night.
! Mr.. Caldwell said that while 1t mas
always seemed unthinkable to him that
SO large a body Of people should be
disfranchised. there are many serious
problems. such as the financial reia-
tions between the District and the red
eral government, to be considered In
discussing suffrage for Washington.
II can see no reason, however, why
any American citizen should not vote,
the speaker continued. "and 1 believe
the wise men of this country ought to
| be able to get together and work out
some plan to give you a measure of
self-control. And you can feel that
you will have my vote If such
/ proposition ever comes up in the
House."
| Henry B. F. Macfarland pointed out
| to Mr.. Caldwell that the Chamberlain
resolution is just such plan, since it
opens the way for giving the District
representatives in Congress and in the
electoral college without doing away
| with the control which the federal
government now exercises over the
| Capital city.
W., B. & A. Railway Loop Discussed.
| A lively discussion of the proposal to
| loop the cars of the Washington, Bal
| timore and Annapolis electric line
around the block bordered by H street,
| 18th street and New York avenue fea-
tured the business session.
| c. j. James moved that the chamber
| oppose the loop, on the ground that 1t
! would obstruct H street. now the prin-
ciral thoroughfare for motorists
| through the business section. After
| the motion had been debated for more
than thirty minutes the matter was
referred to the public utilities COM
mittee
Frank Metzerott stated that the
Washington. Baltimore and Annapolis
| line is planning to spend more than a
| million dollars on the erection of a
terminal for it's cars in Baltimore. and
| he could see no reason why 1T should
| not build a terminal in Washington.
Mr. Metzerott asserted that the COM
pany wants the loop around Masonic
| Temple for the purpose of sidetracking
| it's cars in H street. They never will
build a terminal here if they can use
| a public street for car space, he said.
company be required to take its cars
off H street altogether and build line
| of it's own through K street and es-
| tablish it's Washington terminal in the
vicinity of 5th or 9th streets north
west.
After P. T. Moran. chairman of the
committee on schools had told how
teachers are leaving the local schools
every day because of the meager sal
aries, a motion was adopted recon-
mending to Congress that a minimum
wage Of $1,000 a year be paid the
teachers.
Chaplin Brown said America could not
raise too high the standard of educa-
tion for its rising generations.
Gel. Robert N. Harper reported prog
which is working with the Cumber-
| land Chamber of Commerce to have
| the Chesapeake and Ohio canal become
connecting link for the establish
| ment Of trade relations between the
| two cities.
Col. Harper said the committee had
discovered that probably it would re-
quire nearly a million dollars to con-
Georgetown to handle efficiently the
vast amount of coal which it is pro-
posed to bring down the canal.
The committee is still hopeful how
| ever. of broadening the use Of the
canal he said. AS soon as the report
| on the condition and value of the canal
now being prepared by Army engineers,
| is completed. Col Harper said, the con-
mittee representing the chambers of
Washington and Cumberland probably
will confer with Mr.. McAdoo as to
what the government can do in the
way of making use Of the canal to
relieve railroad congestion into Wash
| ington.
Other Business Considered.
A resolution was adopted indorsing
the school garden movement Of the
United States bureau Of education. A
special committee Of the chamber will
be appointed to further the movement
in Washington.
The plan Of the Council Of National
Defense to establish return load bu-
reaus in all big cities was Endorsed
by the chamber. and the directors were
given power to consider the advisable
ity of establishing a return load bu-
reau in Washington. Briefly. the plan
is to have the Chamber Of Commerce