Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-13
WANTS CITIZEN"
]. AS COMMISSIONER
Federation of Associations
May Ask Recognition on
District Board.
PERSONNEL SINCE 1878

Claiming that no District Comm s.
sioner appointed since the adoption
of the organic act, in 1873. has be-
longed to citizens association,
members of the Federation of Citi
zens' Associations are considering
framing a memorial to the President
requesting recognition of these bodies
when a successor is chosen for Com
missioner Gardiner. whose term ex-
pired July 10.
The matter has been discussed in
formally at a meeting of the fed
Grafton There is understood to be
n strong feeling among the members
that the time is ripe for urging rec
ognition at the White House OF the
citizens organizations. which are the
instruments for public expression
and concerted civic action upon all
matters affecting the welfare of the
speople of the District
Vacations of Commissioners.
This surprising fact has developed,
IL is claimed as result of the fed
eration's inquiry:
That of thirty-seven Commissioners
appointed since July l. 1878, there
were sixteen engineer Ofhcers f1lling
eight were lawyers, six were business
men. four were newspaper men, one
an ex-senator. one retired navy OF
ficer, one a retired Army omcer, whiie
not one was member OF citizens
association.
OF the civilian Commissioners, those
classed as lawyers are the following:
Josiah Dent, James Barker Eomonos'
William Benning Webb, John Watklh-
son Douglass. Lemon Galplne Hlne.
Vrt0f
l.. Siddons and the incumbent. COM
missioner Gardiner
Business Men on Board.
business men who have served on
the board were Thomas Phillips Nor
gan, Samuel Edwin Wheatiey, Myroh
Melville Parker, George Truesdei'
John Brewer Wight and Cuno H. Hu-
dolph-
tives of the newspaper fraternity were
Henry b. F. Mcfarland, Henry Lltch-
field West. Oliver P. Newman and the
incumbent, Louis c. Brownlow-
Seth Ledyard Phelps was the retired
Nayy officer, Gen. John Alexander
Johnston the retired Army officer and
Joseph Rodman West the ex-senator
who served ON the board OF Commas
sioners.
Another interesting disclosure re-
SMltlHK from the IeoCf
the con1missionerships is that OF the
thirty-seven persons holding the Of
fee only three were born in the DIS
trict of Columbia. They are Wip.am
Renninx Webb, who served from 6sos
to 1889: Samuel Edwin Wheatley, who
served from 1886 to 1889. and John
Brewer Wight. who was In ONCE from
1897 to 1909.
Not in nineteen years. according to
the federation, has q District born
citizen held the post Of Com missioner.
To Ask Citizen Representation.
should these facts be brought to
the Presidents attention by the fed
GRAFTON, that body. it is understood,
will point out that the present ad-
ministration probably more than any
other has sought the active co-oDera-
ton of the citizens associations and
as a matter of justice and recogni-
.tion of the services rendered should
now elevate some active and capable
representative of the citizens bodies
to the vacant commissionership.
The federation, 1t Is said. in the
event il brings these matters to the
Presidents attention. viii not submit
list of candidates but will urge
only the principle of representation
for the citizens associations