Evening star., 1926-03-19
PUBLIC IS IGNORED,
TRADE BOARD SAYS
Rebukes City Heads for Not
First Consulting D. c.
Bodies on Bills.

sharr letter suggesting that tn
District commissioners gel the NleW'
Of all accredited local orra nt.au"ns ne
fore recommending hills that Nfahi
affect the District nf Coiumoia VA
forwa rded to the Commissioner NY
the Washington Roar! Of TRADE ="
day.
The letter grew ont ~ sta' emen'
made hv Engineer Tommi sSi"nor hei
before the Senate pistgi"' c"mmnte'
holding hearings on the p.un"s"" eN'
tension OF Fourt eerth stree; tArouCf
tbe vrounds Of Waiter Feed Hospital
commissioner Bel, the ho9!H >;eles
declared that he had approve! IN" 'at'
eet Hill nrovidinc for the eT' - ION ~
the stree, through me grounds. hut
eliminating stree "1f ana r"nlmef
rial transportation. . TOT '"hIHfehf'
with the hospital "Wf l"rltIeS. The rep
resentstjves of the Washington Roarc
of Trade express Su"f'"iSe fhat ON
missioner Bel conferre' with the nos
nitsl authorities and did not consml'
with local orSa an.a2iinns. pra"ticall,
all Of which favor Fourteenth S'fee'
as a transportation artery for all trat
fic.
Public Not Notified.
The Commissioners. according "
4be hoard have ray nrsed their pre-
vious stand without notifying fhf
peonle Of the District. in advocating
fhe elimination "t s,reet cars an'
commercial traffic from the proposed
street extension.
The letter follows:
The WASHINGTON BOARD Of Trade
desires to call attention 10 situation
Of,
and concern To the District of 'o'um
bia and its future development ae the
Capital nj the Nation.
The District of columbia. as Noi
are aware. has no representa- tion II
the senate or House nf Representa-
tires being the only community II
the United States deprived nf this
American privilege and Of "a voice ir
the administration of its own affairs.
The commission form Of govern
nent in effect here, we believe. Is one
of the hest If not the hest possible
and we see no need for any cha nSe
The two civilian Commissioners are
duly qualified WashinEtonians and
the Engineer Commissioner is Sc
iected from the Corps of Engineers
United States Army. These gentle
men are appointed to serve as repre-
-sentstives of the people and admins
ter the affairs Of the city in such ma n
ner as will enhan nee the growth and
prosperity of the community.
The Commissioners of the Dis
trict of Columbia. therefore should
endeavor at all times to provide foi
the city those projects which are
advanced and advocated by the peo-
pie rs represented through the civic
commercial and citizens associa :
tions.
Rights Disreearded.
I'm matters of great interest to the
welfare Of the city-frequently most
vital to its future growth-the Com
missioners have caused to ne intro.
duced bills In Congress and appeared
before congressional committees ad-
vocatins this or that measure for the
District of Columbia without afford
Ing the citizens who are so vital,
interested to even give expression of
opinion thereon. For example. TAKE
the proposed extension Of Fourteenth
street northwest. The original hil
provided for street car and motor
bus transportation to take care OF 4
rapidly growing territory in suhur.
ban Washington. This bill received
the approval Of the Commissioners
of the District Of Columbia. the War
civic organiza ton in this city and
nearby State Of Maryland. The
original hill unfortunately failed OF
passage.
Yesterday. before the Senate Dis
trict committee. Lieut.. Col. J. Frank
lin Bell. Engineer Commissioner
stated that after a conference with
certain Army officers at Walter Reed
Hospital the commissioners OF the
District of Columbia had approved
compromise bin This 'compro-
mise bill does not make any pro-
vision for street car or even motor
bus transporta tion. and would he
practically little better than no
street at ALL The question naturally
arises, why should the officials OF
Walter Reed Hospital be called into
conference over q measure which af-
fects the entire city's growth. while
the representatives Of the various
organizations. who are spokesmen
of the citizenry, are denied this same
privilege?
Want Chance to BE Heard.
THE commissioners of the Dis
ttict of Columbia. if earnest in their
desire to serve the needs of Wash
tn2ton and its residents land we
believe they are). should most GER
tHlplN Al ie2SI accord tno clttEPnS
an opportunity to he heard on such
important matters. Without repre-
soptation in the halls of Congress
our citizens look to the Board of
commissioners to represent the com =
nunity. hut If the commissioners
continue to follow their apparent
policy Of acting upon municipal mat .
ters without first ut least listening
to what the citizens advocate. they
will most assuredlr not he repre-
sentinE the city and the people.
The interests Of the public are
entitled to first consideration on all
matters ana all other interests should
be suhservient.
In the interest Of better under
standing between the Bosr, of Com
mjssioners and the people OF Wash
tnSton. the Board OF Trade sugsests
that conference. from time to time
between the city officials and repre-
sentatives of accredited organiEs =
tons SHOULD he held. to the end that
the needs Of the Nations Capital ma y
he more thoroughly and carefully
discussed and considered. and steps
taken toward securing, without de-
lay. necessary leGiSlatioH.
j.. HARRY CUNNINGHAM,
PRESIDENT