The Washington times., 1919-07-24
CAPITAL BEST
CONVENTION
CITY IN j. S.
Chamber of Commerce Plans to
Restore Washington to Pre-
War Basis.
BY BILL PRICE.

Bring the conventions back to
Washington.
That's to be the slogan of the
Chamber Of Commerce in a campaign
about to be instituted by q committee
Of that body, which will hold it's pre-
liminsry session tonight. Until the
war came more than two years ago,
filling hotels and boarding houses
with army and navy officers and
Thousands Of men having dealings
with the various branches of the
Government Washington was the
greatest convention city Of the United
States, probably Of the world. The
chief rival was Atlantic City.
There was no use asking conven-
tions to come here after the war
started. Hosts Of people interested
In Government activities could not
get rooms in hotels, apartment houses
or anywhere else and went to BaIti-
more or nearby points in the even
ings
situation Better Now.
That situation does not exist today
and hotel men are cooperating with
the Chamber OF Commerce in its
plan to restore Washington to its
old place as the convention city OF
the world. The hotels can once more
accommodate large numbers Of visi-
tors.
of seating capacity for conventions or
other gatherings The Chamber be-
lieves this is now solved.
The ball room Of the willard Ho-
tel will seat 1000. while for larger
gatherings the chamber believes ii
has assurance that Liberty Hut will
be available after it is relinquiShed
by the Y. n. c. A.
Liberty Hut is the property of the
United states. 1t was built for Billy
Sunday BY private subscriptions
raised in this city upon a Govern
ment reservation, part OF the plaza
between the Capitol grounds and
Union Station
Elliott Woods, superintendent and
architect and superintendent OF the
Capitol, does not believe the Govern
ment will take any steps to destroy
Liberty Hut until it also arranges for
tearing down the dormitories for
girls employed by the Government.
That may be some years OF. as things
now look.
Liberty Hut will seat 1000 people,
and in q pinch 5000 can be cared for.
City DOubty Attractive.
Data secured by Secretary Seymour,
Of the Chamber Of Commerce, shows
that over 200 conventions of large
organizations Of the United States
have not arranged their meeting
places for next year. AS this versa
tile purveyor OF smooth language
puts it, IF Washington was the most
attractive city in the United States
before the war, 1t is today .doubly at
tractive, because il lie now the center
OF the world in all sorts OF activi-
ties"
The American Bankers Association
meets in st. Louis this year, and the
District Bankers Association is con-
Ridering the matter Of extending an
invitation to meet here in 1920. The
American association has quarters in
washington, and there is a prospect
that IL may locate its national head
quarters here.
1t is estimated that the annual con-
Vention of the bankers would leave
81 .o00. 900 in Washington, scattered
among hotels and business houses.
1eneftting nearly all lines OF bust
pess and making strong friends for
Washington.
Atlantic City. which recently had
the Elks' convention, is understood to
be 100000 better of from the pres
Snce Of these live wires.
Convention Committee.
The convention committee Of the
Chamber OF Commerce is composed of |
the following: J. A. Finigan, chair |
man: James B. Henderson. vice chair |
man; z. c. Graham, William G. Car
ter, George W. Harris Sol Never,
George s. DeNesle, Frank NJ. Low. w. !
W. Everett, Phil King Henry Lans-
lsurgh, n. z. Horton, y. L. BurcheIl !
George p. Sacks. J. A. Whitfield. FIen,
ing Eewbold. Edgar D. Shaw. John F !
jarvis. A. L. Cline. G. Thomas DUnIop
Il. NJ. Crandall, +. S. Hight. T. Al
Mckee. z. c: Owen, George +. Schultz
<. S. Downs Corcoran Thorn, NJ. Gold
enberg.
Besides getting in direct touch.
through correspondence, with officials
~ the big organizations that will
uRme convention cities and dates for
next year, the committee is expected /
10 arrange for a personal representa-
tive OF the chamber to visit the Of
i,cials, IL necessary. laying before
IGem the advantages OF Washington
ils a convention center and its ability