Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-05
Rate by MalI-Payable I'm Advance.
Maryland and Virginia.
All Other States and Canada.
The Citizens Voice.

Commissioner Dougherty, IN MS
inaugural address yesterday at the
District Building on the occasion of
taking the oath of office, stressed the
desira bility of the participation in To-
cal government by the citizens of the
Capital, through membership in the
volunteer organizations. With nearly
half a hundred local and neighbor.
hood associations, with a Federation
of Citizens Associations. with the
Board of Trade and the Chamber of
Commerce and the Merchants and
Manufacturers Association and with
the Citizens Advisory Council all
available for active work by the peo-
pie, there is here, despite the disfran-
chisement of Washington, opportu-
nifty for a practical discussion by the
people of local affairs, and to an in.
creasing degree opportunity for ac-
tual participation in administration.
The new Commissioner has him.
self throughout his local residence
been active in his membership in yari-
terment of Washington. He has
risen from the ranks. so to speak. and
Is today in his present position largely
because of his industrious work 40 q
member of these volunteer and dele
gate associations. He speaks. there
iore, with authority in recommends
ing to his fellow Washingtonians a
larger measure of personal particina.
ton in the advisory discussion of mu.
nlcipal matters by the people.
The various citizens associations of
the capital have done a great deal 70
arouse the civic spirit of the ueon,e
OF the District. They have afforded
opportunities for the study of local
problems and for the expression of
the views of the people as a guide to
the actions of the Commissioners and
Congress. To the extent that the sec.
ions covered by these organ i4ations
nave been represented in active Nom.
.oership they have proved to be force.
ful factors in securing betterments
the whole District. In some of them
aHalrs are conducted by a few per
sons. In other broader. membership
has brought about truly representative
active participation.
1t Is not enough for the citizen who
joins one of these organizations mere
ly to pay his dues and let others do
the work. In a we'll constituted asso.
citation the actual study of various
questions is conducted by committees.
and membership upon those commit
tees should be, and in some cases is,
Jealous and effective. Laxness in at.
tendance at meetings is not helpful
1t is the member who attends regu-
larly and who does his share in the
committee work who actually aids i'm
the development and the regulation
Of municipal affairs
So Commissioner Dougherty speaks
with authority in his urging of all
Washingtonians to take their places
in the ranks of these organizations
and to do their share of the work that
is performed by them. His salutatory
words may likewise be taken as an
assurance that in the new admins
tration of the District constituted by
his advent the voice of the people as
expressed by their associations of
large and small membership will be
needed. 1t is up to the people of the
District to make that voice the more
authoritative by larger and more
direct and persistent participation in
the work of these organizations.