Evening star., 1921-09-03
PRESIDENT TO GET
PLAN Of WELCOME
TO FOREIGN ENJOYS
Formal Proposal for Civic
Committee Expected to Be
Taken Up Next Week.

President Harding feels there should
be genuine and becoming spirit of
hospitality evinced on the part of the
resident population of the National
Capital during the period of the con-
ference to be held here this fall for
the discussion of placing a limitation
on armament
The chief executive is anxious that
the many distinguished visitors from
abroad who will be here during the
sessions be made as happy and as
comfortable as possible. In his opin-
ion the representative citizens with
the leaders among various local bodies
and organizations should do their
share in making this possible. They
should aid in the promoting of fair
ness and good sense on the part of
the citizenship in the treatment ac-
corded the visitors, he believes.
FavOrE Civic Committee.
In this connection he is favorably
inclined to the creation of an official
central civic committee to aid the
State Department in arranging for the
reception and entertainment of the
delegates. their respective st3ffs and
assistants and the hundreds of others
who will be on hand more or less in
the capacity of onlookers
The President already has made
this fact known. Although the plan
has not been formally brought to his
attention. he has been acquainted with
the proposition and appeared greatly
impressed with the possibilities of
having such a body of local men as
sisting in making the visitors com
Portable. 1t is understood that the
matter will be brought to him in
formal manner next week. and it is
the opinion Of those who are in a
position to speculate on such things
that he will start the machinery in
motion for the creation of such a COM
mittee.
Anxious for CO-Operati0n.
1t is believed by those who are aHx-
ious to have such body working in
with the officials of the
State Department lntruSted with the
of the whole affair that
the committee should be formed some
thing after Nhe nature of the former
inaugural committees, with one direct
ing head and with a number of sub
chairmen selected because
of their particular qualification to di-
rect some part of the detail work as
signed to the general committee. For
instance, this conomi.tee could assist
in arranging for the transportation.
the street decorations. the housing
and the working facilities and many
other problems which will arise when
the time arrives. Also this committee
could see to it that the expressed wish
of the President regarding the spirit
Of hospitality and fairness be carried
out to the letter and that the good
name of America and of the District
Of Columbia be maintained throughout
the world-that no one of the visitors
would return to his home disgruntled
or bitter because of any treatment re-
ceived while in this city. The local
business men and officials who have
been advancing the idea of creating
this committee are anxious that there
should be no violations of this spirit
of fairness and hospitality and that
the coming event should not be taken
by some residents to be a time for a
money harvest.
Warnings Are Received.
Already there have been warnings
of this nature brought to the atten-
ton of the President. One example
made known at the White House, is
to the effect that the owner of GER
tain residence which has been offered
for sale at $4,000 has offered it to
one of the nations to be represented
here, to house the staff to accompany
it's delegates, at a rental Of $4,000 a
month. 1t is known that the President
looked. upon this as evidence of poor
and of greed. 1t is known
also that the matter of housing the
coming ENJOYS and their assistants
was among the subjects discussed by
the cabinet yesterday. This incident
Of alleged attempted profiteering is
known to have been brought to the
attention Of the cabinet and that
from the President down. the opinion
expressed was that such violation
Of the spirit that ought to be main.
tanned calls for a cure by the good
sense and fairness of the people OF
Ball Act Cited as "Cure."
It has been made known at the
white House that the President is
extremely serious in his ambitions
regardinE the complete success of
the conference and that the visitors
must be accorded a becoming hos
pitality and among other matters
brought to his attention in this con-
aection the exercise Of the Ball rent
act should readily serve as one of
The "cures'' mentioned in connection
with possible attempts at profiteer-
ing.
Before the President takes up for
nal1y the proposition Of appointing
/ central civic committee. the matter
will be given consideration by the |
State Department.
It has been announced at the White !
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