Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1923-11-17
Trade Board Urged by Barnes
To Support Mellon Tax Pla',
High Pressure Upheld by Report-50-5O
System, Dead, Zihlman Says-Directors
!. Chosen at annual Meeting.

fsfactapn of ten directors to serve
terms OF three years. addresses by
Representative Frederick Zihlman OF
Maryland. and Julius II. Barnes. pres
1dent Of the Chamber of Commerce OF
the United States; annual reports OF
the president, secretary and treasurer
and reports of committees, occupied
the attention of more than 700 MEM
bers of the Washington Board of
Trade who attended the annual meet
ing Of the organization last night
1t the Willard.
The following directors were cho-
son after close races In the ballot
boxes; Edward F. Colladay, l.. ].
Murphy, Fred J. White. Walter Klop-
fer, Howard Moran, David NJ. Lea,
E. c. Graham, John Larner. William
r. Gaillher and II. L. Rust.
Representative Zihlman's address
followed the report Of the insurance
committee on the necessity for high
water pressure for the business sec
ton of Washington. The committee.
headed by Mr.. Lea pointed out that
the high pressure system had received
the unanimous support OF the citi-
Gems and press of the District.
Danger Of Big Fire.
Mr.. Lea asserted that with fire
losses in Washington constantly
mounting It was a plain warning that
unless something was done TO IN
crease pressure to fight possible con-
fiagrations. the city might at any mo-
ment be swept by a disastrous lire
which would destroy priceless prop
erty.
Evening Star on its work in arousing
sentiment to the dangers of the situa-
ton.
Representative Zhilman said that he
concurred with every detail of Mr..
LEAFS report.
Il believe that the Board Of Trade
Is capable of putting this thing
through" he said. With its long list
Of existence, I see no reason why IL
cannot influence sentiment Tor the
J completion of the high pressure sys-
tenn. 49,,
THE government owes ii to Wash
ington and the nation to adequately
protect from fire this beautiful city.
If the Commissioners refuse TO
recommend 1T and the budget bureau
turns a deaf ear. there are other ways
to see that 1t gets before Congress.
Tax System Gone.
And now ! intend to say some
thing that will probably bring me no
applause. 1t is In relation TO the
fiscal relations. We are face to face
with a new era. The fifty-fifty rela-
ton between the government ana
the District is gone and forgotten
residents who still cling to 1t and
the proper relationship. 1t Will
never return.
in order to get necessary improve
ments In school. water supply. streets
apS a
only two things that you can do.
Either have a bond issue or go to
Congress and say that these needs
are emergency needs and that you.
as citizens of the District, are willing
to pay increased taxes to accomplish
them.
II can see that I was right. There
is no applause for these sentiments.
Stressing American industrial lead
ership in the world, Mr.. Barnes traced
back Americas enterprise, from the
invention OF the sewing machine and
other labor-saving machinery to the
present, when the tremendous volume
in business is reflected in the record
loading Of freight cars, now exceed
ing 100000 weekly.
Ingenuity OF Americans.
The speaker illustrated American
ingenuity when he asserted that at
the time Of the opening OF the Egyp-
tian tombs hand-operated silk looms
Progress on this important inven-
ton stood still for nearly 1000
years." said Mr.. Barnes. because up
to nifty years ago We were using the
same kind of looms that the Egyp-
tians used. But look at the situa-
ton now. Machinery now does this
work, and in the short space OF nifty
years America has brought this In
. vention up to modern needs.
1.-THE same thing Is applicable 70
other Inventions. America now Is not
content to stand still. She IL con-
stantly forging ahead. No invention
now could stand still for fifty years.
There Is too much competition and
TOO much ingenuity.
Look AZ the telephones phono-
graphs, vacuum cleaners. washing
machines, electricity. railroads, steam
ships, automobiles and radios. What
nation could take up new industry
like the automobile and in twenty
years build 80 per cent of the worlds
supply, and itself use 80 per cent.
What nation could. In one years time,
put q radio set atop practically every
home In its borders, SO that per-
lection. could be heard by 100000
people7
Growth Of Wealth.
And another thing. In the short
space Of three centuries Americas
wealth his risen to approximately
500 900. 000, 900. Compare this to the re-
sources Of the next richest nation,
. nation which has taken a thousand
years to accumulate II, Great britain
with only $40. 900. 000, 5000.
American industries have secured
an enlarged production through the
genius for experimenting and enlarg-
Ing human effort by machine produc-
VOWED larger dependence on capital
and credit, both for the equipping OF
industry with machines and ap-
pliances and also for the generation
those machines.
1.-THE ideal Of large-scale industry In
America today is the ideal OF lower
costs of products to the ultimate buy
or, and yet by SO increasing Sc pro-
ductivity of every. worker that the
relatively high wage scales OF Amer
lea can be maintained against any
cheap labor competition. But II this
process is to be maintained ana al
vanced. producing an ever-increasing
stream OF articles for use In home. or
flce and factory, II can only be done
by increasing capital investment In
machine and equipment. 1t Is mani.
fest, therefore, that the investment OF
LIQUID capital from every source must
be stimulated to come into employing
industry by every encouragement.
Praise for Mellon.
"rhe government has in Its employ.
for q salary which private industry
would pay merely to a competent au-
ditor, an individual who both by ma
ture, ability, opportunity and unique
experiences is equipped to advise the
government on financial policies as
are few other men in America. Pri-
vate Industry would be glad to buy
that advice on its own problems al
any sum, no matter how 3princely,
Now, when an Individual so equip
ped, accepting public service In the