Evening star., 1925-06-02
COL. HARPER, HIGHLY EULOGIZED,
URGED TO HEAD DRIVE ON ALLEYS
Chief Justice Mccoy Calls
UpOr, Civic Leader to
Undertake Task.
500 at Testimonial Din
ner Ciuen by FelIOw
Citizens.

Amid the eulogies and tributes paid
to Robert n. Harper by approXi-
mately 500 of his fellow citizens of
the National Capital at the testimo-
NAL dinner in his honor at the New
Willard last night, Chief Justice Nc
Coy of the District Supreme Court
appealed to the guest of honor to add
to his already large record of civic
achievements the Improvement of the
unbelievable" alley conditions here.
Before practically all of the civic
and business leaders of the city,
Chief Justice Mccoy scored the alley
situation here and made his appeal
to Mr.. Harper. The speaker held
that the alley conditions We're re-
sponsible for the increase in crime
which he said was noted in Wash
ingtOn.
THE remedy of this condition is
the greatest work that yet remains
to be done for the City OF Washing
ton. Crime is increasing in the Dis
trict out of proportion to its in
crease in population. There exist
here fostering spots and breeding
places of crime: the slumS of Wash
ington are disgraeeful and are not
equaled in the United States" de-
cIared Chief Justice Mccoy. The
speaker urged Mr.. Harper to lead in
clearing the city of this fearful con-
dition.'
Others Pay Tribute.
The others who made addresses
highly euloGized Mr.. Harper for his
civic enterprises and achievement.
Bishop James f. Freeman held the
civic work and community interest
of the guest of honor as an example
of good American citizenship that
could well be followed.
LAS a citizen of the greatest and
most dominant capital in the world he
followed and opened an unfrequented
PARKWAY" declared Bishop Freeman,
who said that the country needed
more thinking such as evidenced by
Mr.. Harper-thinking in terms of
community and not individual interest.
He drew attention of the gathering
that the testimonial dinner was being
given to Mr.. Harper not because he
held high public office but because of
his accomplishments in civic better
ment for his own community.
Senator William H. King of Utah,
highly praised Mr.. Harper and de-
clared that he was among the Is men
whom he, as a member of the District
on District affairs. There are too
many men in politics, business and re-
ligion who are modernists in an OBJ
noxious sense and who do not under
stand the problems of life and who
do not bring service and community
interest in their work" declared
Senator King, reciting the accomplish
ments of Mr.. Harper as an example
of civic enterprise.
Paul Pierson, Representative Wilbur
G. Hail of the Virginia State Legis-
lature, Victor 3. Deyber, president
of the District of Columbia Bankers
Association, and Louis Nixon of New
York City, a boyhood friend of the
guest of honor, all recited the achieve.
ments of MIR. Harper in the financial
commercial. professional, political and
civic life of the city and the Nation.
Praises His Aides.
In his reply Mr.. Harper praised the
men who have been loyal and who
have had faith in his enterprise as the
reason for his success and declared he
would accept the tribute on their be-
half.
kilograms and letters of congratula-
tion were received from Gov. Trinkle
of Virginia, William T. Galliher,
Samuel J. Prescott. Theodore w.
Moves, Edwin S. Wolf, James T.