The Semi-weekly leader., 1922-10-25
WASHINGTON real.
NATIONAL CENTER
Capital Is Headquarters fer More
Organizations Than Any Other
American City.
VAST RANGE OF ACTIVITIES
Their Establishments Range From
Modest Quarters In Office Buildings
to Magnificent Edlhees-Run Ca
NUT Of Human Activities.


NUT Of Human Activities.
Washington, D. C.-This city has be-
come the headquarters Of more ma
tional organizations and associations
than any other city In the country.
This Is evidence Of the growth OF
Washington as great national center.
but 1t Is even more Indicative of the
manner In which the federal govern
ment touches upon and affects every
activity and every interest of the
American people.
A recent compilation, admittedly in
complete. lists almost 800 Of these or
ganizations. They run the gamut of
human activities-commercial, profess
slonal, political. patriotic, industrial,
social, artistic, educational, fraternal,
scientific, financial, religious, philan-
thropic and-what not. Their establish
ments range from modest quarters In
Office buildings to magnificent edifices
that represent investments running
into the millions. They give employ.
.ment to thousands Of men and women.
They expend millions Of dollars an.
nually.
Vast Range Of Activities.
They represent the selfishness and
unselfshness, the achievements and
undertakings, the aspirations and
dreams, Of great people. They seek
to do everything from -rehabilitating
convtcts to immortalizing the nations
great, from lobbying bills through con.
gress to scotching the demon rum,
from practicing practical politics to In
culcating high ideals Of citizenship,
from preaching peace to preparing for
war, from encouraging art to con-
trolling world affairs, and from ad-
vancing the cause Of labor to protect
ing the interests Of capital.
Some are constructive, some are de-
structive. Some are boosters; some
are knockers, and all are propaganda
lists.
Some do their work to an accom-.
paniment of brass bands and invite the
whole world to know what they are do
ing. Others are secretive, and, like
providence, work in mysterious way
their wonders to perform.
Most Of these organizations are here
to influence legislation or governmental
action Of one kind or another. 1t Is
not to be inferred that their efforts In
this direction are anything but legiti-
mate, as they represent people and
interests that have right to be heard
in matters Of that kind. Members Of
congress sometimes grow restlve under
the pressure and importunings to which
they are subjected, but they recognize
the fact In the long run they receive
valuable information and assistance In
their lawmaking.
The secret Of the success Of these
organizations is that administrations
and congresses come and 60, but they
stay on forever and keep everlastlngly
at whatever they set out to accomplish.
Fine Buildings Erected.
A few Of the 800 organizations that
hold forth in Washington have erected
fine buildings that contribute material
ly to the beauty of the city. The
American Red Cross, the Daughters Of
the Revolution and the Pan-American
Union all have magnificent homes In
Seventeenth street on the way to Po-
tomac park that rank high among the
architectural beauties of the capital
city. The American Federation Of
Labor has a splendid Office building in
Massachusetts avenue at Ninth street
and close by is similar structure,
reared and occupied by the Interna-
tiOnal Brotherhood of Machinists.
Probably the feature building Of
them all will be the new home of the
Chamber Of Commerce of the United
States, now in course of erection, while
the Scottish Rite temple in Sixteenth
street and new edifice on the old
Dean estate on which the Masons will
spend millions are illustrative of what
fraternal orders have done to enhance
the attractions of Washington. The
National Geographic society Is another
organization that has q fine home Of
its own.
OF the political organizations estab-
Iished in Washington the most impor.
tant are, of course, the Democratic and
Republican national committees. Each
occupies a great suite in downtown
Office building and each maintains
force and equipment that Is prepared
to do anything except make money.
The Socialist party also maintains
Offices here, as does also that organiza.
tiou that Is undertaking coalition Of
the farmer and labor vote and that
may ultimately take the form of a
new party. The woman's national
party is represented In Washington
and the. organizations that fought for
and against suffrage maintain head
quarters, although much of the polit.
Ical activity of women is now linked
up with the organization work Of the
national committee Of the old estab-
lisheG parties.
Greatest of all the national organ
Izatiuns maintaining headquarters here
and Oiae that is popularity supposed 70
represent all the penpIe all the time Is
the government itself. II Is the colos-
sal machine and alI the others are but
.ogs or wheels within wheels. Fred.
eric j. Haskin In the Chicago Daily
News.
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Farm Bureau Notice.