Evening star., 1922-11-14
Washington Needs.

Y program 1Or 1nc fteNelollleil VI
Washington is outlined in the annual
address of the president Of the Board
Of Trade, presented TO and adopted hy
tl,at organization at its meeting last
night, which calls for the vigorous tn
deavors of all citizens. This program
includes adequate school facilities. ma
tional representation, better conditions
for the police and fire departments.
park extensions, street improvements.
laws against fraud. construction of
the Arlington memorial bridge, COM
pletion of the additional auueduct
from Great Falls and The installation
Of high pressure water system. Ac-
complishment Of all of these purposes
would, indeed. put the District far
ahead in its municipal advancement.
1t is difficult TO determine which "f
these matters is most important. MI
Of them are vital to the welfare OF the
community. The enumeration Of 81
long list of needs and desirable bet
terments indicates that the capital has
not received its need Of attention dur
ing the past few years. Some Of the
items, indeed. date back for many
years. National representation. for eE-
ample, is an equitable right Of the
District that has been long denied. The
lack OF proper school facilities has
been felt for many decades. The
memorial bridge plan has been await
Loo, .s.Ap e
q century.
The fact that some of these are
long-standing necessities never filled
should not lessen the energy with
which they are now sought in final
provision and correction. In the mat
ter OF national representation, as an
example, the very lapse OF time should
make for u more intensive effort to
secure from Congress at the coming
session the adoption OF q corstitu-
tional amendment which will enable
that body later ~ grant the District
through legislation its right to vote
for the office OF President and to be
represented in Congress by its own
The public schools have never with
III the memory of any Washingtonian
heen sufficiently equipped with build
ings or teachers. The need today is
for the adoption Of comprehensive
program of construction covering a
period of years, TO catch up with the
arrears and to be followed by year
by-year additions to provide for the
Immediately prospective increase in
population. Extraordinary appropria-
tions are needed to close the gap that
a long period of neglect and made
Quate provisions has created. The
Board of Trade and all other organiza-
tions of Washingtonians should. and
doubtless will, work vigorously to Sc
cure the adoption of such a program
by Congress.
Active Washingtonians can do much
to aid in these works, whether organ
lied or unorganized. They can add
their voices to the demand for con-
gressional action. They can make the
acquaintance of members OF Congress,
who are the Districts legislators, and
impress upon them the fact that all
Washington. irrespective of section or
position, requires and urges these i'm
provements and corrections. The
Board of Trade. like the Chamber of
Commerce and Federation of Citizens
Associations and the individual citi-
zen groups, is one of the means of
local expression. concentrating opin-
ion and voicing the will Of the COM
munity. in the only way that is pos
sible so long as direct representation
in Congress is denied the District.