Evening star., 1922-03-22

oid III lHo near luluEo MS q hSSois va
the model marine insurance law just
enacted by Congress for this city.
Representative Benjamin K. Focht
of Pennsylvania, chairman OF the
House District committee. told the
gathering he looked for tide of
business activity for Washington and
also touched upon the city's municipal
problems.
b. & o. "SellinE' Washington.
How the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road is endeavoring to sell WASH,
ington to the nation was described
by Archibald Fries. junior vice pres
ident Of the road.
Representative Edmonds speecn
was an elaboration of report read
earlier in the evening by David M.
Lea, chairman of the boards COM
mittee on insurance. in which ne ex-
planned in detail the merits OF the
new marine insurance law.
The meeting adopted report oi
the committee on streets and avenues.
William w. Everett. chairman, faVor.
ing law to require the cleaning OF
snow from sidewalks. The commit
tee also told OF it's successful eHorts
in having the Senate increase IN the
District bill the appropriation Tor re-
pairs " SlIectS.
Star Campaign Praised.
The meeting approved recqmmen-
dation of the committee that The star
be thanked for it's recent campaign
for better street paving IN tne newly
built-up sections
Fred G. Coldren. chairman or the
parks and reservations committee, ap-
pealed tc all members of the organi-
Zation to use their influence with
members of the House, to support the
item inserted in the District bill by
the Senate to begin the purchase of
Klingle Ford. Piney Branch and rat
terson parkways.
The bill, he. said. now contains an
initial appropriation of S30O,OOO. Ihe
item. he continued. Will have 10 go
before the House members for ap-
proyaI after the conferees have fin
ished their work. There is a serious
danger, Mr. Coldren said. of the Piney
Branch tract being ruined by contrac-
tors within the next year II its pur-
chase is not begun at this time.
Proposes Better Tourist Camp.
Mr.. Coldren also advocated an ap-
preparation with which to fit up in
better style the automobile tourist camp
in East Potomac Park The speaker
said it has been estimated that $500
automobile tourists will pass through
Washington this spring and the camping
facilities for them are now inadequate.
In opening his address Representa-
tive Focht referred to the Districts
new insurance law as the first real
piece of great legislation produced by
the Sixty-seventa Congress. After dis
cussinc the insurance law briefly, Mr..
Focht turned to local municipal QueS-
tions.
The Sure-FOOted Elephant.
fn ha $al Street
bridge. which citizens have been en-
deavoring to have replaced with new
structure. Mr.. Focht said:
You have a rattle-trap bridge out
here. Take the elephant out OF the
Zoo and he won't walk over it"
the chairman of the House District
committee asserted the companies should
be taken by the neck or taken some
way and made to consolidate"
Mr.. Focht said ne could not under
stand why the heads Of the two systems
out terms of merger He predicted
that a union of the traction companies
is inevitable 1t may not be brought
about directly by legislation, but it is
bound to come, he said.
One Thing ut n Time.
In summing up the needs of Wash
ington, Mr.. Focht urged Washing
tonians to get behind one thing at
time and work for that until 1T is
achieved. He referred particularly to
the necessity for standing behind DR..
Frank w. Ballou, superintendent OF
schools, in obtaining the much needed
new buildings.
Representative Edmonds, who
played big part in putting through
the new marine insurance law for
the District, declared that when he
began to study the question he was
surprised to learn that more than IS
per cent of American marine insur-
ance is being sent out of the country
and placed with foreign companies.
ums have been going abroad annu-
ally, the speaker said.
Court Decision Obstacle.
The first thought of those who
wanted to put a stop to this condi-
ton was to pass national legisla-
ton that would enable American in
surance companies to handle this
marine shipping business. 1t was
found, Mr.. Edmonds said, that this
could not be done because of a court
decision holding that insurance is
not a commodity and could not be
treated as interstate commerce.
The next best thing to be done.
Mr., Edmonds said, was to have Con-
gress enact model marine insurance
law for the District and try to have
the state legislatures adopt it later.
Will Give City Advantage.
The enactment of that law for the
District, he declared, will give this
city a great advantage over the states
in the establishment Of marine in
surance enterprises in this country.
1t will take at least two years to get
action in the states, he said, and dur
ing that time the District will have
an open field on this business.
''In Congress we were met with the
question, why should marine insur-
ance be done in the District"" Mr..
Edmonds said. my answer to that
is. Why shouldn't it be done in the
District?"
Step Toward Reformation.
The American people have become
so accustomed to letting Great Brit
ain provide the insurance, the bank
ing facilities and the ships for Amer
lean commerce that England has be-
come the financial center of the world,
Representative Edmonds asserted
The model marine insurance law of
the District, he continued, is a step
toward changing that condition. Mr..
Edmonds said he had reason to be-
lieve that a number Of big insurance
companies would soon make. wash
ington their headquarters.
Mr: Fries, in explaining what the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad is doing
to boost Washington, said:'
The Baltimore and Ohio railroad
is vitality interested in the District
of Columbia. This city is one of the
most salable points along our sys-
tenn and we have been selling
Washington to this country: We be-
'1ieve Washington should be the mec-
ca of all patriotic American citizens.
We believe that every American
should make, not one, but many pill
grimages to Washington.
Conducting Personal Campaign.