Evening star., 1926-02-17
HITS LACK Of UNITY
0NL0CAL AFFAIRS
Merle Thorpe BIames D. c.
People for Much of "Carpet-
bag" Government.

Praising Washington as an un
paralleled residential city, but term
! ing it the worlds greatest example
| of 'carpetbag' government, for which
| it is itself largely to blame" Merle
| Thorpe, editor of the Nations Busi'
ness. deplored 1.-The 81 varieties" OF
civic associations visiting Congress
| with conflicting opinions on local i'm
| provements, in an address at the
| monthly meeting Of the Washington
! Chamber of Commerce at the New
Willard Hotel last night.
He said that d member of the SEN
| ate recently told him that every time
a matter came before the District
committee for discussion multitude
of organizations, each purporting to
speak the last word on the subject
in question, to the exclusion OF all
others, appeared. 1T was veritable
confusion of tongues. and the District
committee became in fact a public
Wail,ng place, according to the Sen
ator." said Mr.. Thorpe.
Urges United Action.
Mr.. Thorpe urged unified action and
a unified program in building up the
National Capital.
Let's talk this out frankly and
face the facts" he said. Washing
ton is remarkable in many respects.
ArchitecturalIy it is the most beauti-
ful city in the country. 1t is the
| finest residence city anywhere. Where
in any city of 100000 have You as
many advantage sum, Ma.
rine Band music, a Rock Creek Park,
Il Congressional Library? Why, in
Washington there's more free read
ing matter, including the Congress
s:onal Record and some of which is
good. than in any State in the Union.
And Washington is the worlds great
est example of 'carpetbag' govern
ment' For this it is itself largely to
| blame.
Washington today is in the minds
and eyes of everybody except Wash
ingtonianS. it seems. Washington
holds unique position in the Ma
tons life. 1t is without counterpart
or competitor. The United States is
The most progressive and the wealth
;est Nation. It's people are the most
aggressive of folk. Biggest and best
most and greatest are not braggart
Superlatives when used of a large
category of things American. Under.
takings that might well give pause
to a people less fortunately situated
intrigue the American zest for put
ting things over. More and more the
Capital City becomes a mecca--a ma
: tional shrine. Each year the city
entertains increasing thousands OF
, visiting Americans who come to see
its stored places. hailowed by tradi-
ton and association.
Visit Is Inspiration.
"a visit to the Capital is an in
/ spiration. An American citizen can
not see his Capitol and the home of
the Presidents and not be a better
American for it Art. architecture AID
nature unfold before him a majestic
panorama. The spirit OF the past en-
larges his vision, md high aspirations
for the future inspire HIM. The
beauty Of his Capital is a visible eX-
preston of the reality and stamina of
his Government, and his Government
means more TO him. 1t becomes a
reality, tangible thing. He feels
his partnership in it and in it's insti-
tutiOnS, and his pride in his citizen
ship grows.
Making Washington in fact as we'll
as in vision the world premier Capt.
al is by no means d local chore. 1t
.ranscends town boosting, and is a
national task. This fact, however, by
no means minimizes the Importance
OF the WaShingtonian'S part in the
progress. 1t simply enlarges his op-
portunity. While other cities must
depend upon their own efforts at eX-
ploitation of the advantages to en-
large their borders and increase their
importance as commercial, industrial
or marketing centers, Washington can
avail itself of the price and interest
the Nation takes in its Capital. These,
together with a CO. rdinated effort
toward a definite goal on the part of
Washingtonians and the organizations
through which they express their
community building activities and as
pirations, should give the city d tre-
mendous forward impetus.