Evening star., 1923-10-20
BUS FIGHT H|NDERS
! ANNEXATION PLAN
Arlington County Residents
Antagonized by Stand
of Alexandria.
Special Dispatch to The Star.


That the action Of the Alexandria
chamber of commerce has brought
down upon the entire city the denun-
citation of the inhabitants of the ada
cent territory and greatly decreased
what sentiment there was regarding
the annexation of the territory north
of the city was made evident last
night when representatives of more
than 5000 citizens of Arlington county
gathered at the Elk's Hall to formu
late plans for complete representation
before the state corporation commits
sion, which, on Tuesday, will make the
final decision as to whether or not
"A charter will be granted J. NJ. Dick
erson to operate a bus line between
this city and Washington.
Representatives of more than a
dozen civic organizations, including
Edward Duncan of the Arlington
county board of supervisors, will go
before the commission Tuesday to
plead the case of the bus advocates
against a committee representing the
chamber of commerce and the Wash
ington-Virginia railway, it was indi-
Gated. Facts showing the absolute
necessity in the suburban districts
Will be produced.
Labor to Present Arguments.
The Alexandria Trades Council, ar
rayed with mass of information and
~ formidable delegation representing
torney, Robinson Moncure. will be.
among the forces that will attempt
to show that-the action of the COM
mittee of the chamber of commerce
was not only not i'll accordance with the
general sentiment of the city, but
also that it was done without the
knowledge and consent of a large
number of the members of the chamber.
Robert T. Scott, attorney for Dick
erson, of the firm of A. Mitchell Pal
mer, Davis & Scott, in short talk
before the delegates, declared that the
chamber had not acted fairly in
taking the side of the railroad. The
bus line had asked a hearing before
Il committee. 1t was granted. After
4 brief consultation they were dis
missed and within few days Mr..
Dickerson received the following let
ter, dated August 2S:
Text of Letter.
The executive committee of the
chamber of commerce have consid-
cred the merits of your proposition
from all angles and are of the
opinion and have requested ME to
write to you saying that, owing to
the complex conditions existing,
they are not in a position to take any
GEORGE Fl. EVANS,
Business Manager"
Yet" Mr.. Scott said. the chamber
OF commerce did act very quickly and
in favor of the railroad. without first
giving the bus line a chance to ap-
pear again or to prepare for the ad-
verse action taken"
The most bitter sentiment against
the city incurred by this action was
expressed by j. ]. Conlan of the
Mon d. 90
lington county. Mr.. Conlan, like most
residents of Arlington county, took
the action of the chamber of COM
merce to represent the sentiment held
by all of Alexandria.
Bitter Against Alexandria.
He advocated a complete breaking
away of the county from Alexandria.
He is in favor OF starting bus lines
that shall run from Washington to
the Alexandria line. leaving the city
"out in the cold" SO far as county
trade is concerned.
This attitude was quickly shown up
In its correct light when another
speaker arose and declared that the
action Of the chamber of commerce
did not represent the attitude the city
has taken in this matter. but only "A
-'hopeless minority" The action. he
declared. does not have the sanction
Df 30 per cent of the members of the
body of which the petition in Rich
mond last week purported to be q
unanimous expression.
G. G.. Stuart of the Virginia EpiS-
copal High School spoke briefly on
the need of bus, lines connecting
that suburb with the city. He said
that all possible pressure would be
brought to bear to have the corpo-
ration commission grant the charter.
h. NJ. Birrell told the assemblage
OF bus advocates that he had made
u canvass of the suburban districts
and had thousands of signatures re-
questing and setting forth the abso-
lutte necessity of bus lines through
out the county. He declared that the
railroad, with the chamber of COM
merce TO back 1t, was acting to keep
out all competition, even in places
not served by itself.
Sees Bond of Unity.
Charles X. Hooff, who with Mrs.
Hooff will be in Richmond Tuesday
representing the Civic Association Of
Seminary Hill, said that he could
foresee a great bond of unity between
the city and the surrounding country
as soon as the busses were put into
operation.
+. G. Campbell. representing the
civic Federation of Arlington Coun-
", of which there are more than
1000 members, explained the boy
case the railroad wins it's case be-
fore the commission. He said that
IN his mind there was no doubt as
10 the biased sentiment. The onIy
question that was asked of witnesses
at the last hearing was: "Will the
buSSes interfere with or hurt the
electric railroad?"
headquarters of the bus line adj
rocates will be established with MIR
Scott in the Rotel Richmond Mon
day night. Here final lines of ac-
ton will be mapped out when the
big delegation arrives preparatory
TO the carrying the fight on Tues
day morning.
Funeral This Afternoon.
The funeral of Francis Alleyne de
y. Northrop, three e-month-o son of
Mr. and Mrs. A1leyne de B. Nor
throp, will be held at o'clock
this afternoon from the residence.
315 South Pitt street.
The autumn dance of the League
of Women Voters will be held in
Elks' Hall tonight. The proceeds will
be used to furnish the new detention
rooms which have been installed re-
Gently at the police station.
The Rev. DR.. Walter p. Hines, it
by the pulpit committee of the First
Baptist Church tomorrow morning.
An election will follow Immediately
TO call pastor to fill the pulpit,
which was left vacant early last
month when Rev. DIR. Eugene B.
Jackson resigned after seven years
service to accept a call to the Lex
ington, Va, Baptist Church. DR..
Hines is from Roanoke, Ala