Evening star., 1926-04-08
FIRE EF|GHTERSPAY
O'CONNOR TRIBUTE
Speakers at Banquet In
clude Congress Members
and Two Commissioners.

More than 400 members of the City
Fire Fighters Association held an old
fashioned love feast at the Willard Ho-
tel last night, banqueting, singing folk
songs, speaking and hearing speak
ers in praise of the local and nearby
departments. They heard themselves
rallied heroes, and were promised aid
by Congress in getting final approval
Of pending legislation. Representatives
Zihlman of Maryland. Moore of Vir-
einia and Clyde Kelly of Pennsyl-
vania, District Commissioners Fen
ming and Bill, Mrs. John Allan
Dougherty and business leaders, all
claiming some relation To tire-hghtlng
ORGANIZATIONS present or past, were
among the speakers.
Capt. Edward 0'Connor. veteran
OF the Washington department with
40 years service to his credit. was
rresidinc officer of the meeting. He
was doomed by Mr.. Kelly for appoint
uent as chief engineer of the Wash
Inyton Fire Department when there is
q yacancy. Capt. OConnor was given
an ovation when Mr.. Kelly presented
10 him a gold watch, the gift of the
men of the association Capt. OSon.
! nor has decided not to be presluen'
! of the city fire-fghters' BODY AGAIN
having held the position eight years
Chief Watson Absent.
: Fire Chief George Watson was not
M 70 ha present because of Illness.
Mrs Dougherty, the only woman,
aver invited to attend the annual
ha nouet of the firemen. was presenteo
,,yith q hououet of roses as a token
If the appreciation for hef services
in lettering conditions OF the Hre'
fighters Charles W. 1arr nlau! "
speech Of presentation. characterlIihs
Mrs. Dousherty as the mother OF
the department.
"The spirit of John Paul Jones
pervades the Fire Department.
Commissioner Fenning declared In
his greeting to his men. standing
on a sinking ship, Jones cried: 1
have not yet begun to tight. IL
makes no difference to our hremen
what the situation Is that confronts
them at a fire, or what the condition
Of their equipment, they are a nght
force that knows no bounds
Commissioner Bell humorously de-
clared that the local flremen were
SO efficient poor f1re mas ao-
solutely no chance" He stopped go
ing 10 fires, he said, because he dis
covered he was not needed and that,
in fact, policemen shooed him away,
not recognizing him.
Edward F. Colladay recounted the
many acts which Congress has passed
for raising standards, salaries and bet
ter working conditions OF the nremen,
and declared that such measures were
due to the careful attention which had
been given to District needs by Repre-
senatives Zihlman and Moore. Con
gress surely will pass the pending DILL
which would provide for free uniforms
r. H. /.
man and Mr. Moore, were backing 1t.
Mr.. Zihlman praised the Washing
ton firemen for theeir efficiency, and
declared the small percentage of losses
here from fires. was the admiration
and the envy of cities all over the Ma
ton. The Maryland Representative
paid high tribute to Mr.. Kelly and
recited a limerick expatiating upon
his gifts of blarney and humor.
Mr. Moore pledged himself to fight
Tor any legislation for the District that
has a reasonable basis. He expressed
qualification over the cooperation
which has been in effect between
Maryland Virginia and District fire
departments in putting out conf1ag1a-
tions on the border lines.
Needs i'm Congress.
Ir. Kelly pointed out the need of
leaders IN congress WQO nave In0 III
tet ests Of the District at heart and
who are willing to devote time and
energy to getting bills through COM
.mittees and the two houses. In pre-
ssrting the gold watch to Capt. O'Con-
ror, Mr.. Kelly declared that Capt.
'O'Connor many times has appeared
before congressional committees in
support of bills for the department,
and never had given wrong informa-
gtisn. Consequently, he had won the
whole hearted. sympathetic support
lof District committeeman, he said.
4 Bill Price, Washington editorial
writer, was POSTMASTER. Guests of
honor included: Louis F. Kefauver,
II. G.. McGrath, Odell S. Smith, A. J.
lDriscoll. Col. I. G. Moller. r. E.
ateinel, J. c. Simpson, Charles w.
Darr, w. E. Wise, Harry Almond,
,: L. Martin, B. M. McKelway, r. H.
CromUell. S. A. Opplinger. F. B.
Welsh, J. Brooks, L. v. Moxley, II.
p. Mcdonnell, r. c. Gardner, E. G. |
R1neJ, Y. N. Oden, T. A. Chapline,
r. ". Scott. W. c. Gray, T. w. Vene-
mann, w. P. Cover, A. Kemp Keefer, |
r. A. Bennett, j. w. Dudley. w. H. |
Harrison, Frank Crown. A. D. Far |
huahar, A. 3. Eaton, J. L. Gordon, J. |
Al Spa.es, r. E. Janson, ]. H. Beat
tie. A c. Scheffel, J. NJ Duncan and |
nv. Clsn Bixler.
This timer committee was: Capt |
D'Connor, J. D. Sullivan, F. J. Mes |
line. c. L. Satterfeld and c. c. Woltz. |