Evening star., 1926-06-06
CIVIC FEDERATION
APPROVES COUNCIL
Move to Abolish Advisory
Body FIatIy Rejected at
Final Session.

The Federation of Citizens Associa
tions put itself firmly on record at its
final meeting of the season last night
as highly satisfied with the activities
and composition of the Citizens Ad
visory Council. BY its action the
federation answered the recent agita
tion for the discontinuance of the
council, initiated by the Georgetown
Citizens Association.
The federation's stand was taken
on mmendation of a special com
mttee headed by James G. Yaden
which made an exhaustive investiga
tioA of resolutions adopted by the
Georgetown and Dupont Citizens
Associations urging abolition of the
council, as well as u resolution origi
nanting in the Benning Citizens Asso-
ciation advocating the enlargement OF
- membership of the council. The
committees report covered 81 closely
typewriter pages, and rejected all
ideas brought out in the various reso
lutions.
Delay Maneuver Blocked.
An effort was made to defer action
on the committees report until the
next meeting, which would have caus-
ed delay until next October, but this
was blocked by a ma jority vote.
The resolutions of the Georgetown
and Dupont Circle associations sug-
Sested that as an alternative to the
proposed discOntinuance of the Coun-
Gil that it be restricted to speak in its
own name and that its action not bind
nor commit the federation or any
affiliated body. The report Of the
committee pointed out that the coun-
Gil now speaks in it's own name and
that its actions are not binding on the
federation or its member orga MIA
tlons. The recommendation of the
Benning association that the person
mel of the council be increased and
that the councilmen be elected by the
vote of the membership of the organ
izations affiliated with the federation
was rejected on the ground that the
council as now constituted is suffi-
ciently large and that the proper cleo.
ton machinery could not possibly be
set up for a referendum of the city.
wide organizations.
Lacks Vote for Amendment.
After staunchly supporting the
council in it's present makeup, the
federation, however. failed by the
lack of the necessary two-thirds vote
to adopt a proposed amendment to
Its constitution raiSli-y the dues of
members bodies from 31O to $3.50 a
year, with a proviso that the additional
$3.50 should be diverted to the coun-
Gil for its support. The vote WAS %
to 19 In favor of the amendment
Previous to the ballot Harry y. Stull
made a motion to strike out the clause
directing that the amount of the in.
crease be given to the council, but il
was rejected by a 19-to.22 vote.
Anticipating passage by Congress
at the present session of the bill pro-
vldlng for a new public utilities com.
mission, the federation unanimously
lndorsed William Mex. Clayton, chair
man of its public utilities committee
as a member of the commission. Mr..
Clayton was the first president of the
federation and has served as the
chairman of the public utilities COM
mittee since that date and under
every president of the federation.
Jesse {. Suter. chairman of the
Citizens Advisory Council and presi
dent of the federation, in his report
on the activities of the council. re-
terred to the recent action Of the
commissioners in fatty rejecting the
invitation sent to them to participate
informally in a conference 10 map
parallel 10-year plan of civic de-
Velopment. The Commissioners, he
said, failed entirely to get the idea
the council endeavored to convey"
Calls Team Work Needed.
All of the precautions and safe.
guards and experts mentioned bv the
Commissioners in their letter." he de-
clared, were fully in the mind Of the
council. The purely financial side of
city planning is one vitality affecting
the citizens as individual taxpayers.
Team work is absolutely essential to
the putting into effect of any such
plans affecting the people of the Dis.
trict of Columbia. No matter who
the expert or how selected. the voice
OF the citizen even in this voteless
District must be heard in this
matter"
seven or nine recommendations en-.
BODIED in "a report submitted bv W. r
Iodd, chairman OF the committee on
highways, parks and waterways. were
approved by the federation. and the
other two were laid on the table.
These latter two urged protest
against the plan OF the Loughborough
beit line interests to erect a railroad
nridSe across the Potomac, and the
"Ni'SA ASSoliiIileilued the purchase or
property lying between First and
Third streets and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. and B street for park purposes.
Seven Plans Approved.
The seven recommendations ap-
proved were erection of a new bridge
over Rock Creek at NJ street, acquisi.
tior of property between the Union
Station and the Capitol for completion
of plaza park, erection of permanent
buildings for tourist camps on the
main highways leading into the city.
retention of the abuttment to the old
Aqueduct Bridge for recreation pier,
acquisition of the Mount Hamilton
tract for national arDoretum, the
proposed boulevard treatment of Con-
duit road and a recommendation tor
the holding company for the purchase
of land for park purposes.
T A report submitted by Chairman
Stuli Of the committee on police and
fire protection, urging the correction
of alleged fire hazards in the Central
High School Auditorium and the
placing of fire escapes on all public
schools, was adopted unanimously.
Mr. Stull also submitted an adverse
report on the plan to have police
escort for fire apparatus when re-
spending to an alarm, which report
NaS approved.
{ The federation took its Summer
recess and will not meet again until
the first Saturday in October.