Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-09-11

Washington, Sept. 11.--This city has
,ccorne tha hAnduuArterp OF more ma
.ional organisations and associations
than any other city in the country |
This il evidence OF the growth OF WASH
lngton ~ great national centre, put
Il ia even moro indicative OF the manner
in which the Federal government touches
upon and affects every activity ana every
interest Of the American people.
A recent compilation, admittedly IN
lists almost 800 Of these
organizations. They run the .gamut OF
human activities commercial, ,proIcs-
sional, political, patriotic, industrial
social, artistic, cducational, iTa,ernhi-
scientific, financial, religious, pniian-
thropic, and what not. Their Establish
ments range from modest quarters IN
Office buildings to magnificent edinces
that represent Investments running INTO
the millions. They give employment TO
thousands of men and women iney
expend millions OF dollars annually.
They represent the selfishne.s and UNI
selfishncss, the achievements and Hndcr-
takinqs, the aspirations and dreams OF
q great people. They seek to do every
thing from rehabilitating convicts 10
immortalizing the nations great, from
lobbying bills through Congress 70
scotching the demon rum, from .practic-
ing practical politics to inculcating high
ideals OF citizenship, from preaching
peace 10 preparing for wsr, from en-
co,IraginQ art to controlling world al
fairs, and from advancing the cause OF
labor to protecting the interests OF
capital
Some arc constructive, some destruct-
i've. Some are boosters, some are Knock
srs and all are propagandists.
Some do their work TO an accornpanl-
ment Of brass bands and invite the
whole world to know what they arc
doing. Others nre secretive and Ike
Providence, work in mysterious way
their wonders to perform.
Most of-thesc organizations are here
to influence legislation or governments
action Of one kind or another. IL y
not TO be inferred that their efforts u
this direction are anything but eslti.
mate, "a they represent people anc
| interests that have right to be hearc
| in matters Of that kind. Members o.
Congress sometimes grow FESTIVE under
the pressure and importunings TO which
they are subjected, but they recognize
the fact that in the long run they re-
ceive valuable information and assist
nnce in their law-fbaking.
Secret OF Their Success.
The secret Of the success Of thes'
organizations IL that administration
and Congresses come and 90 but the,
stay on forever and keep everlastIngl,
at whatever they set out 70 accomplish
Take the Anti-Saloon League, for ex
ample. 1t has been in Washington 70
many long years and the prohibition
amendment and the Volstead law ar
the evidences Of it's triumph The
there are the women who fought earl
and late for suffrage. The Nineteent
Amendment would not have been adde
TO the Constitution il it had not bee
for the campaign waged IN and fror
Washington.
In the contests over prohibition an
. woman's suffrage there were organize
! tons on both sides and the result
each instance is perhaps significant {
. the fact that affirmative propagand
J ia more successful than negative. |
!. other words, it is easier 70 get som'
thing done than it is to prevent il
! being done. Those who are seekin
modification of the volstead law 70 I
! to permit the manufacture snd sal
, of beer and light wines zee ray OF hol
. because they have now put the Ant
Saloon League and the friends Of prom
bition on the defensive Similarly II
advocates of the soldiers bonus behe'
that they have the better of their figl
! because they are on the aggressive ar
, campaigning for bill while their o.
5 ponents arc against 1t.
No one kind of legislation brings
many organizations into action as do
l tariff bill, and here again experien
| would seem to indicate that those wi
want something fare better than tho
t who merely oppose. Perhaps 1t IS b
!. cause proponents OF measure OF OF
t OF its specific provisions are usually mo
!. vitality interested than the opponent
: which is another way of saying that
a rule selhshness brings home the baco
e At any rate, tariff schedules that are
!? benefit directly and tangibly the farm,
the manufacturer, and this or that grol
: of interests find their way into tar
S bills more easily than free list items.
= Fine Buildings Erected.
d A few of the 300 organizations tn
e hold forth in Washington have erect
n fine buildings that contribute material
i to the beauty of the city. The -Americ
It Red Cross, the Daughters Of the Revol
e ton and the Pan-American Union
l. have magnificent homes in Seventeen
street on the way to Potomac Park tn
J. rank high among the architectm
II beauties OF the Capitol City. T
American Federation of Labor has
Is splendid office building in Mas:
d chusetts avenuel at Ninth street, q
,e close by is SINH ar structure reared a
occupied by the International Broth
lie hood of Machinists.
Probably the feature building of tn,
~ all will be the new home of the Chaml
ne of Commerce of the United States, n
s, in course of erection, while the Scott
al Rite Temple in Sixteenth street q
h. a>new edifice on the old Dean estate
e. which the Masons will spend mill,
are illustrative of what fraternal ord
k have done to enhance the attractions
Washington. The National Geograp
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