Evening star., 1920-02-14
Joint COMMITTEE
ENDS INQUIRY ON
COMMUNITY WORK
Mrs. Rafter Makes Plea for
"Get- Together" Under Sin
gle Supervision.


After four hours Of lively testi-
mony. punctuated by word battles be-
tween witnesses. the joint committee
OF the Board of Trade ard Chamber Of
C"n,m"rce last night ended the in
quiry undertaken to find out If Com
munity Service. Incorporated. con-
f1icts with the work of the school
community centers.
After several witnesses had testified
strictly for community service or COM
munity centers Mrs. Giles Scott Ratter.
pioneer IN school community center
work, made an earnest appeal for a
"get-together" of the several recrea-
itional agencies of the city under a
single supervision.
Mrs. Rafter's Appeal for Unity.
After calling attention to the fact
kbat the United States government
h 8 recreation agency and the Dis
tract government a similar depart
meat in addition to community serv-
ite tand the community centers, Mrs.
RaftSr said:
"NoNv, can't we all get together?
Men OF Washington. / ask you don't
let this: organization come in here
unless they can be brought together
under ONO supervision. and have one
HHhIlnE SAS OlHer All InS time.
is a great opportunity
Mrs. RaftA.' said that after listening
to the budgeA of Community Service
she could not help wondering at the
great amount Df work that could be
done If single supervision could be
brought about.
Coming on top of testimony for one
side or the otheN.. Mrs Rafter's ap-
peal brought a noticeable response
from the audience. which packed the
committee room or the Chamber Of
Commerce. Mrs. RNfter did not In.
dicate clearly how this merger Of
the community bodies could be
brought about.
Views Of Col G. r Ahcrn.
Col. G. P. Ahern. organizer of the
Government Recreation LEAGUE. gave
testimony somewhat similar to that
OF Mrs Rafter. He said ha believed
there was ample room in Washing
ton for Community Service ami would
favor it's continuance. provide.i a su-
created to prevent wrangling. After
reciting the history of the govern
ment Recreation League. which aim:
to tell the army of government en-
ployes where they can find recreA.-
tion, Col. Ahern said:
Il believe Community Service should
be continued because We have so few
facilities for recreation in the Dis
trict. but I make the statement with
an ff-provided you have a super
visory committee of citizens TO ad-
just differences"
Opposes Use Of School Buildings.
The drst witness last night wa,
Mrs. c. N. Chapman, who declared
herself opposed to the use of ths
school buildings as community cen
against the manner in which some
community center affairs have beer
conducted at the Thomson School
Later in the evening Mrs. A.
Driscofl community secretary at tho
Thomson. presented testimony In re-
ply to Mrs Chapman.
First TIT Of Eveni.E Starts.
The first tilt Of the evening occurred
while JuliusL Peyser was speaking on
behalf Of Community Service. Mr.. Pey-
ser asserted that the mistake of the
community life of Washington was made
when the investigation was started.
James T. Lloyd. chairman of the in
vestiRa ting committee. interrupted the
speaker and told him he was present
by the courtesy of the Board Of Trade
and Chamber Of Commerce and should
confine his remarks to Community
Service and the community centers.
Mr.. Peyser began by saying that he
had attended fifty dances Of the COM
nunity centers while he vas in the
housing and health division of the
War Department and always found
them conducted in a high-clasS man
ner. As an incorporator or Com
n,unity Service. he said. he was not
there to say anything against the
community centers.
Asserts Room for Both.
He said he felt there was ample
room for both organizations to work
in the District. He sid not believe
that because both agencies hold
dances that they conflict He cited
the various pageants that Communi-
ty Service has staged. and the set
tin8-up exercises they held for gov
ernment workers during the war to
show the diversion which Community
Service gives to recreation in the
He said he believed the community
centers could continue to do the WORK
they are doing and be enlarged. and
Community Service could handle the
broader aspects Of civic recreation
Asked about the salaries paid to
directors Of various activities by
Community Service. Peyser replied
that he believed the new thought IN
pie to do the work desired properly
He said he did not believe volunteer
workers could do the work as well,
"Wil you state" said Chairman
Lloyd. what Community Service in
tends to do?"
UT is to carry on in peace time the
work it did during the war" Peyaer
answered.
Chairman Lloyd reminded the wit
ness that there were no longe. many
soldiers here for whom recreatior
should be provided. and asked him
IL his answer was exactly what he
II think" Mr.. Peyser went on. "it
Ia lust as necessary to help the mer
and women who come here to work
for the government as it Is to help
Chairman Lloyd pressed the witness
for details OF what Community Serv-
ice proposes to do for these people
and Mr.. Peyser outlined general COM
munity activities. mentioning the
room registration service and the
travelers' aid bureau at Union Station.
4 sharp debate then followed be-
tween the witness and =. c. Graham
OF the committee as to details OF the
work Community Service proposed to
carry ON in peace time.
.'rhen' you believe" asked Mr Gra-
ham, that in addition to all the pr
eanizatiens that were here before the
war there should be another organi-
Eation?"
I"Yes" tho witness replied,
Charles w. Darr asked Mr.. Peyser
II he did not think the name commun-
ity service sounded SO much like COM
munity center as to be confusing, Mr..
PeyssY replied thai il there was any
objection to the name OF community
service he would vote Immediately to
change It.
Aims Are Outlined
rh,,.rdar p. Claxtoa. United States