Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-27
|DEF|M|TEPLANFOR
D. c. VOTE NEEDED
Representative Focht Out
lines Congress- Viewpoint
to Citizens Association.

Residents of Washington should
make themselves personally &C
quainted with members Of Congress;
they should invite more congressman
to address their meetings and finally
they should all get together and COM
pletely outline what they want, elimi-
mating the unnecessary so that Con-
gress can get the whole picture of
what is wanted and not a half pic
ture, nor one which savors Of favor
itism.
These statements were made by
Representative Benjamin X. Focht of
Pennsylvania in an address at a
meeting Of the Mid-City Citizens As
ISOLATION last night at the Thomson
School. Mr.. Focht gave an intimate.
talk on which he touched on many
subjects bearing on the government
Of the District of Columbia. it's future
and the Inequalities" which he said
exist here.
Gain Wrong Impression.
He said members of Congress often
come to Washington unprejudiced and
without partisan feeling. When they
see the many wealthy homes. some
owned by millionaires. the feeling is
TO soak en- These magnificent
homes. however. he said, are not often
owned by native Washingtonians, but
by persons who come here to enjoy
the social life. SO the conclusions
drawn are not proper to the average
Washingtonian. But. he said. the
average Washingtonian does not get
close enough to Congress and when
he does get close he does not send the
proper representative. nor does that
representative present the facts in
the way they may be made clear to
Congress.
I'VE know you want representation
in Congress, so-called suffrage for the
District" said Representative Focht.
1T is your right as it is that of any
American citizen to demand the right
to elect your representatives. But
your men who are asking for this
have failed to present a concrete
plan worked out to the smallest de 4
tail so Congress may see the whole
picture. The people must work in
harmony and know what they want
before coming to Congress. Here is
one inequality. Many of your schools
are running on half-time. while you
are trying to make the government
departments pay full rate for their
water.
Would Double waRr Rates.
The residents of Washington get
water at far less than the rate in
other cities. The cure is to double
the water rate and raise enough
money TO keep the schools running
full time. You also have $4,000 900
of unexpended District taxes in the
Treasury. Spend it. for while it lies
there Congress thinks you raise too
much money and fails to match it
up"
The association. on motion of Charles
S. Shreve. Eeaffirmed it's Endorsement
OF the joint resolution providing for
representation in Congress for the Dis
trict of Columbia. MIR. Shreve said the
joint resolution introduced in the Sen
ate by Senator Chamberlain and in the
House by Representative Austin is the
same thing the District Suffrage
League Is working for, and said aid fac
tons should get together for vote
in each house of Congress.
Protests $3.50 Abolition.
Vincent L. Toomey offered a motion
protesting to the Senate against the
action of the House in increa sing the
tax rate and abolishing the half-and-
half. He explained that residents OF.
Washington already burdened with
heavy taxes have had an Injustice
thrust upon them with the two-thirds
tax rate increase. The motion of pro-
test was carried.
Appointment of Harry T., Ges.ford
to be, major and superintendent of
police WAS indorsed on motion of
Charles s.. Shreve. The association
also Endorsed the selection of a major
from the ranks of the force. The sum
OF $40 was Apr opriated for the Saliva
ton Army. Two new. members were