Evening star., 1927-10-18
Organizations Question Right
of Authority Laid to
Civic Group.
LONG. STANDING SPIRIT
OF RESENTMENT Barred
50O-Word Petition Urges That All
Requests Be Placed on
Equal Footing.

Washington's major trade organiza.
tions. augmented by the District Bar
Association, unloosed a veiled attack
today on the Citizens Advisory Coun.
Gil and questioned the authority OF
the Commissioners to confer quasi.
official powers on a body which rep.
resents only a portion of the citi.
zenry."
The attack served to bring to light
long smoldering spirit Of resentment
which certain of these organizations
have held against the council and its
growing powers, and was made at a
special conference with the Commits.
sioners by a large delegation repre-
senting the Board of Trade, Chamber
Of Commerce, Merchants and Manu-
facturers Association, Real Estate
Board, Operative Builders Association
and the District Bar Association. In
fact. reports that proposals had been
made to further increase the authority
Of the council spurred these organiza-
tions to immediate action.
Present a Petition.
Aside from the verbal discussion the
representatives of the six organiza-
tions had with the Commissioners, they
presented a 500-word petition urging
that requests of all groups be con-
sidered ION an equal footing" and
that no powers or responsibilities be
delegated to any one body. The petit
ton bore the signatures of the heads
of the protesting organizations, and,
while it made no specific reference to
the council, the phraseology of it was
such that no guessing or process or
elimination was required to determine
what the organization meant.
The petition also pointed out that
the trade organizations are not op-
posed to the civic associations or the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
which it declared are doing commend
atory work, but it laid stress on the
action of the Commissioners in dele
eating quasi-official powers on one
group. Moreover. 1t said that the ad-
ministration of oaths to members OF
such group Is not consistent with
the law. The Commissioners admins
ter an oath Of Office to members Of the
advisory council.
The petition, which was made public
following the conference, read as fol-
lows:
"It has come to the attention of
the organizations here represented
that proposals have been made to
enlarge the advisory powers Of certain
bodies representing part of the inter-
ests Of the citizens of the District Of
Columbia.
1--WE are here to present to you our
position in this regard.
Ask Equal Consideration.
ssTk 90 o,,r 6r,,, oo1uiot;or that IN
the interest of harmony and co-opera-
ton the recommendations of civic,
trade and professional bodies should
be given direct and equal considera-
tion by the Board of Commissioners,
for the reason that no one organiza-
ton is competent to express the views
of the entire community nor compe-
tent to pass upon many special prob
lens of more direct interest to certain
groups than to others.
I'VE are fully in accord with the
splendid work and vital necessity for
the citizens associations and the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations, and
we would view with alarm and regret
any lessening of their activities and
influence. Their method Of function
ing in the past has been most COM
mendable, particularly the methods of
the federation. We also indorse the
right of organizations to be represent
ed by any bodies they may see fit to
create, providing, however, that such
bodies do not attempt to represent
those outside their constituency.
while our desire for the proper adj
vancement of Washington is as strong
as that of all other civic groups, we
feel that we have a special viewpoint
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