Evening star., 1926-11-09
PROBERS PROMISE
T0HEAR D. c. HEADS
House Subcommitteemen's
Pledge Concerns Reply to
McCar|'s Charges.

Chairman Gibson and Representa-
tive Houston Of the special subcom-
mittee of the House District commit
tee Investigating the municipal admin
istration with a view to program of
remedial legislation, were in confer
ence this afternoon with Engineer
Commissioner Bell regarding a reply
from District officials to the charges
in Controller General McCarl's report
on the Western High School and the
purchase of a site for q school build
ing to replace the Adams and Force
Schools and criticism Of diversion OF
funds for the Bell School TO travel
accounts.
The two committee members as
sured the Engineer Commissioner that
whatever reply the Commissioners de
sire to make will be included in the
stenographic report of the hearings.
The public hearing this afternoon
was devoted to cleaning up the recon-
mendations made in writing by the
various citizens associations. all of
which Chairman Gibson explained are
being thrown into a hopper to be
studied later by the committee in de-
termining its program for public hear
ings which will consider each subject
separately and systematically
Colored Spokesman Heard.
Spokesman for eight colored associa-
tions were heard this afternoon. The
spokesmen were selected on recon-
mendation Of Huver I. Brown. secre
tary of the Federation of Civic As
sociations and the Association for the
Advancement of the Colored People.
Mr.. Gibson announced that repre-
sentatives of all outstanding colored
organizations would be heard.
A petition in behalf of the colored
people as presented by Mr.. Brown ask
ed that claims to representations in
the District government be adjudged
by 1.-The higher standards of civic
merit" and expressed the following
views on suffrage, taxes and public
improvements:
THE ballot should be based on moral
and intellectual capacity to repre-
sent thought. conscience and response
bility. Colored citizens of the District
constitute a group whose attainments
and material development exceed
those of any element of similar racial
identity and numerical proportions to
be found elsewhere in the country, in
educational qualifications maintaining
an average much higher than that of
many States where the right of self
government is unrestricted.
Plea for Suffrage.
Therefore, the Federation of Civic
Associations, sensible of the RESPONSE
bilities and obligations involved in the
exercise of selfgovernment, declares
its conviction and assurance that,
wherever and to whatever extent the
Congress may deem it advisable to
confer the privilege Of suffrage on
citizens of the United States resident
in Washington. no individual or group
of individuals will demonstrate a high
er appreciation of the honor conferred
or a fuller preparation for the per-
formance of duties imposed than will
the colored element of the electorate. :"
Special recommendation that the
new model Municipal Market be To-
Gated in the midcity section. adjacent
to the existing Convention Hall Mar
ket, at Fifth and l. streets, was made
by the Central Citizens Association.
John g. Mcmahon, secretary. Other
community items also were advocated.
The Georgetown Citizens Associa-
ton, through Philip Walker. secre-
tary, laid particular stress on the need
for an equitable and just determine
tion of the fiscal relations between
the Federal and D1Str1ct Governments
based on careful study of all the OBJ
legations involved. He accused Con
gress of having violated the half
and half principle laid down in 1878.
and said that the present lump-sum
appropriation is neither fair, just
nor equitable
Against Elected School Board.
The Georgetown citizens are unal
terably opposed to the election of a
school board based on a popular vote,
saying that the conduct of school af-
fairs should never become a matter
of party politics.
The Monday Evening Club, through
Louisa S. Roberts, corresponding sec
retary. stressed the need for a health
program for Sc, 900 school children.
Charles +. Consaul. until this
month president of the Mount Pleas
ant Citizens Association. discussed
limited bond issue, emphasizing that
the rapid increase In the value of
lands desirable for park purposes
make necessary the acquisition Of
such sites now. especially al they will
otherwise soon be taken for private
building enterprise. He cited the
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