Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-12

for them before the committee in
favor of the Fitzgerald bill.
Representative UnderhiIl question
ed Representative Connery and put
into the record the fact that organ
lied labor in Massachusetts for the
last twenty. years has repeatedly TAX
en- formal action in refusing to apply
provisions similar to those in the
Fitzgerald bill to Massachusetts.
Explains Board of Trade.
Mr. Colladay told the committee
that the Washington Board of Trade
was organized in 1889 and from then
until now has been the leading civic
organization OF the city. 1t is not a
business organization, he said, but
includes more than $500 civic and
business leaders.
1t does business largely through
committees, Mr.: Colladay explained.
conducting the hearing a copy of a
report by the boards committee on in
surance and fire protection. This re-
port, he said, opposes the Fitzgerald
| bill. but does not oppose workmen' S
compensation, and. therefore. is in
Sored by Representative Cnderhiil.
The report of the insurance commit
tee was approved at a largely attended
meeting of the board, MIR. Colladay en-
pha sized.
He said that the Washington Board
of Trade opposes the Fitzgerald bill
first and basically because it violates
the principle of home rule in the Dis
trict. He called attention to the tes-
timony of Representative Connery as
illustrating the evil of the system OF
legislation attempted on District mat
tiers.
The people of his own state won't
have it," Mr.. Colladay said, land yet
he comes here and tries to foist il on
the people of the District" Mr.. Col
iaday pointed out to the subcommittee
that while the Fitzgerald bill is a
single piece of legislation 1t would
inevitably be followed by many 9TH
ers which would gradually but inevi-
tably take over the affairs of the Dis
trict into the national government.
Joint committees OF Congress have
repeatedly studied this question and
made reports, which have been ac-
cepted by Congress, leaving the af-
fairs of the District as a municipality
distinct from the federal government,
he said.
Mr.. Colladay called attention to the
statement already in the record re-
garding the work done b. the al
Department of Labor, But said that
organization is busy and its work
cannot be extended to take over the
$4,000 employees in the District with
out additional machinery being pro-
Tided.
Firm for "HOme Rule"
The people of Washington and the
Washington Board of Trade for years
have stood firm on the fundamental
proposition that 1--WE want home rule
Mr.. Colladay said. He emphasized
that the people of Washington do
~. l,,,, L..
to go into Ohio and bring in some one
to administer our business here" he
said, with personal reference to Rep
resentative Fitzgerald and the work
mems compensation bill.
Representative Keller of Minnesota
who had been supporting Chairman
Fitzgerald throughout the hearing
injected the comment that ne was
willing to vote tomorrow to give you
a government of your own in the Dis
trict."
Mr. Colladay went on record that
the Washington Board of Trade is
opposed to government ownership and
to the government getting into any
line of business.
There is only one place where you
can put any deficit in the cost OF
operating industrial insurance, and
that cost is inevitable, he said, and
that is into taxes which must be paid
partly by the people here and partly
by the people Throughout the United
States on the 60-40 basis.
Stalling off criticisms that have
been leveled against other witnesses
MIR. Colladay assured the committee
that he is not an insurance man.
never represented an insurance COM
pany, does not own 81 worth of stock
in an insurance company and as pres
ident of the Washington Board of
Trade works for nothing a year.
He said he believes that several
thousand men in the insurance busi-
ness are entitled to some considera-
ton. Their occupation ought not to
be wiped out lightly. "If you wipe
and on until finally you include the
whole business in the government
and we will, of corse, oppose that" he
said.
Mr.. Colladay called attention to one
paragraph in the Fitzgerald bill
than the corresponding provision in
the Underhul bill. That covered in
vestigation of accidents and making
provisions for the issuance of safety
regulation. He urged that that sec
ton DO Incorporated in the Under
hill bill and Representative Under
hill said he would be glad to accept
any suggestion that would improve
that section.
Mr.. Colladay explained his policy
in the organization of committees
saying that he generally gave minor
1ty representation to persons directly
interested in tho subject, and that the
majority was made up of persons not
directly interested. The insurance
committee which drafted the report
ne said, had as it chairman David Nj
Lea, an insurance man, but that the
in the minority.