Evening star., 1922-03-21
F0CHT LOAN BILL
CLAIMS ATTACKED
Commissioners Measure Has
Support, Says Citizen Com
mittee Member.

Asserting that Chairman Focht OF
the House District committee was. IN
error when he stated that his reme-
dial loan bill had universal indorse.
ment, Evan II. Tucker, member or
the citizens committee on remedial
loan law, in a statement SAID that
the evidence is just the opposite. he
gives details of the action of several
of the civic bodies for the purpose
of impressing his point.
In recent speech on the floor or
the House, Chairman Focht stated
that there might be thousand peo-
pie against his bill, where there are
250.0O0 for it. presenting at the same
time a list of twenty-eight organi-
cations which, he said, were In favor
of his bill.
Mr.. Tucker pointed out that the
Chamber of Commerce, Board OF
Associations. are the leading three
civic bodies of the city, representing
membership of $1,000 persons.
These have all taken action In favor
of the Commissioners loan bill, not
the Focht bill.
Aualyzfng further the action of the
various civic bodies, Mr.. Tucker says
that of the twenty EIGHT ON Mr.
Focht's list twenty-five are citizens
associations.
the Prince Georges county and the
Seat Pleasant associations. seem to be
located in Maryland. and the reason
for including them in this demand for
legislation in the District is not ap-
parent the statemen: continues.
"Of the remainder. six are colored
associations, who are entitled to ex-
press their opinion on such subjects.
law cannot be wisely followed in op-
position to such citizens as Alexander
Wolf. James T. Lloyd and George A.
Finch. chairmen of the law commit
tees of the Board of Trade, the Cham
Der of Commerce and the Federation
of Citizens Associations.
Mine of the others are members OF
the Federation of Citizens Associa-
tions, and of these the Brightwood
Citizens Association indorsed the
pawnbrokers' bill on May IS. 1921. but
after a full report by it's law commit
tee at meeting of the federation on
June 4. 1921, a motion by the Bright
wood representative to approve the
an overwhelming vote. and the fed
GRAFTON then approved the Commits
sioners' bill. H. r. 5015. unanimously.
with representatives of the Benning
Citizens Association, the Citizens
Northwest Suburban Association, the
West End Citizens Association, the
Southeast Citizens Association and
the Georgetown Citizens Association
present and joining in this action.
Statements of Associations.
VI tue OlHeT three W IllCl are UltHl-
bers of the federation, one could not
be reached, but the acting president
of the Chillum Castle Association says
1t has not indorsed the pawnbrokers'
BILL and the president of the Central
Citizens Association says that he has
held this position for the last six
years and has no recollection of any
such action.
"A letter from the secretary of the
Georgetown Citizens Association says
lk -: a.. ,,al-
ers' bill has not been received or con-
sidered by his association since he
became secretary in the early part Of
1920, that the former president has no
recollection of any such action, and
that the statement that the bill has
been approved is erroneous.
"The secretary of the Benning Citi-
zens' Association writes that it went
on record as approving the Commits
sioners' bill, H. Il. 5015. and never has
favored the other bill. H. r. 5000.
THE president of the Bradbury
Heights Citizens Association writes
that it has not indorsed the pawn
brokers' bill, but is in favor of the
Commissioners bill:
1.-The president of the East Wash
ington Citizens Association states
that his association did indorse a
pawnbrokers' bill some time since,
but has taken no recent action.
1.-THE LangdonWoodridg Citizens
existence for several years, as its
territory is practically covered by the
Rhode Island Avenue Citizens Asso-
citation.
"The East End Suburban Citizens
Association is defunct. Its former
president says that it has not had a
meeting for three or four years. and
that many of its former members be-
long to the Northeast Washington
Citizens Association, which has
unanimously indorsed the Commits
sioners' bill.
''Mr. Fochts list therefore seems to
furnish little basis for the impression
of universal Endorsement of his
bill, and he evidently has accepted a
list which is inaccurate and not in
accordance with the facts as they are
present.
THE Endorsement is. in fact. decid-
ed1y the other way. and the conclu-
sion is irresistible that Mr.. Focht will
be fully warranted in following the
Commissioners, the Chamber of Com
,merce, the Board of Trade and the
Federation of Citizens Associations
in passing the Commissioners bill
rather than in seeking to enact a
measure of which the majority has
disapproved."