Evening star., 1923-02-23
FOCHT ASKS AID
Of PRESIDENT FOR
D. c. LEGISLATION
Chairman Disguised With
Sidetracking Methods of
Leaders, He Says.
URGENT BILL IN MESH AS
TIME FOR ACTION WAVES
Women Name Committee to Or
ganize House-storming Party
for Monday.

the way that the House leaders have
sidetracked District legislation, Benja-
min X. Focht, chairman of the District
committee. called at the White House
today and asked for aid from the Presiz
dent.
Inc District chairman, after explain
ing how he had consented to several
postponements at the request OF the
rules committee and the House floor
leaders. made known to the President
tna1 the session is drawing SO near
an end that he must be given an on
portunity to get through some of the
more important legislation affecting
lhe aHairs Of the District during the
remaining days. He asked that the
PRESIDENT use his personal influence
with the members Of the rules com
mlttee and the floor leaders to bring
ABOUT The opportunity to have pa ssed
a. least what he considers the more
important bills.
Two Important Bills.
Chairman Focht stated that ,bs
most important measures pending are
the teachers pay increase bill and the
Dill providing a new insurance code
Tor the District of Columbia He
said there are quite a number of
others, but that he considered these
two of the greatest importance, and
tnat ne is especially anxious that
they pass this session.
began by being gracious and con-
sIderate, Chairman Focht said at the
white House, when ! started to con-
sent to the passing up of District days
IN the House in order that more i'm
portant national legislation as the
moor leaders termed their pet meas
ures, might be rushed through. I
nave come to the conclusion, how
ever, that 1 have been too easy, and
now, as the session is drawing to
quick close and the floor leaders re-
peatedly refuse to give me a chance
TO get my matters out, and the rules
committee dug up all kinds of new
rules, which apparently technically
am determined to make one last
stand 1 hope that my appeal to the
President for fair play in the House,
Will bear results.
Speaker Of the House was looked upon
as the czar," Chairman Focht con
tinued, but the real car today is
the House rules committee. and ac-
cording to my way of thinking the
former czars are weaklings compared
to the present"
Embarrassed by Criticism.
Representative Focht went on to
explain that aside from his disap-
pointment in being unable to get some
action on his more important legis-
lation, he had been greatly embar-
rassed by demands and criticisms on
the part of residents of Washington
and Representatives of different or
ganizations, who as he termed it.
have personally blamed him for the
inability to get out the District
measures.
Il have explained my unfortunate
position to these good people," Mr..
Focht said "and / have directed them
to make their complaints and protests
TO the members of the rules COM
mittee and to the republican floor
leaders. who are solely to blame"
Chairman Focht was accompanied
to the White House by Burt Miller,
superintendent of insurance of the
District, who prepared the new insur-
ance bill, which Mr.. Focht said will
probably prove as a model for the
entire country and will be of great
benefit to the District, financially and
otherwise. Upon leaving the White
House Mr.. Focht would not intimate
whether or not he could expect imme-
diate action from the White House.
but he gave the impression that there
would be something done which
would bring about the results he is
seeking
Interest in Capital City.
Mr.. Focht said that he has enjoyed
being head of the District commit
tee: that he had met many men and
women in Washington in connection
with the committees work of whom
he has grown very fond; that he has
acquired great interest for the
District, and that he is most enthu-
siastic regarding its future develop
ment.
He told how it was at tine urging
of Senator Penrose that he first ac-
cepted the assignment on the District
committee, and that since his being a
member of that committee he has
given much of his time, both day and
night, in the interest of District mat
ters In his opinion the enactment
of the teachers pay bill. as reported
favorably by the committee and now
awaiting chance to get action on
the floor will mean much to the
teachers themselves as we'll as to the
District in general, he said.
Women to Storm House.
Driven to a last resort by being
chased from post to pillar by leaders
in Congress whom they have ap-
preached to get action under the spe-
cial rule voted by the rules commit
tee on the teachers salary bill be-
fore Congress adjourns. scores or
women representing the Congress of
Mothers and the Parent-Teachers AS
sociations and practically every other
organization of women in Washing
ton determined today to storm the
House on Monday.
An indignation meeting was held In
the Capitol when several of the re-
publican leaders with whom they had
appointments failed to meet them
and a committee was named to or.
ganize the drive on Monday, with
every woman in Washington invited
to participate.
The committee, headed by Mrs. Giles
Scott Rafter, and consisting of Mrs.
Joseph Goldberger, Mrs. M. H. Irish.
Mrs. G. B. Richardson, Mrs Basil
Manly and Mrs. Laura Bradley, Is to
organize the demonstration through
a chain system by which it is hoped
to reach virtually every woman in
Washington by telephone, inviting
them, or as many Of them as can. to
meet in front of the District building
on Monday at II o'clock, to march
upon Congress and fill the HOUSE
galleries on the day which they inS