Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-30
CITIZEN ELECTION !
MAY Be HOT FIGHT
Federation Meeting to Be
Held Saturday Expected
to Open Campaign.

The first Fall meeting of the Fedora
ton of Citizens Associations next Sat-
urday night is expected to signalize the
opening of the prediction campaign OF
candidates seeking the Office Of presi-
dent. which James G. Yaden viii re-
linquish November 3.
Although the election Is more than q
month off. two delegates already have
announced their candidates. and two
others are understood to be waiting a
more propitious time for entering the
race.
The avowed candidates are George G.
Havenner of the Anacostia Citizens
now serving as vice presi-
dent of the federation. and Waller I.
Swanton, delegate from the Columbia
Heights Citizens Association, former
member of the Citizens Advisory Coun-
Gil
Havenner's name. in fact. has been
lowering before the delegates ever since
last Fall, when he announced, upon his
election as vice president, that he would
seek the federation's highest office this
year.
Potential Opponents.
Charles I. Stengle of the PetwOrtn
Citizens Association and Edgar B.
Henderson of the Piney Branch Citi-
zens' Association are, according to Cos
sip in federation circles, the two pOten-
tial opponents of Havenner and Swan
ton Stengle is a former member Of
Congress from New York and is Presi-
dent Yaden's co-delegate to the fedora
ton. Henderson has been active III the
affairs of the federation for years.
I-I hot
Edwin S. Hege and William A. Roberts
might appear as laSt-minute candi-
dates. but these we're definitely checked
last week with announcement by each
of them that he had no intention of
running. The race, therefore, Is like
ly to be a four cornered affair. with
Havenner and Swanton heading the
two factions in the federation.
Both Havenner and Swanton already
have pledges of some support, and the
latter's friends are looking to Kenneth
P. Armstrong of the Rhode Island Ave-
nue. Citizens Association to lead his
campaign fight.
Statement Issued.
Armstrong, who now is serving as
a member ,of the Citizens Advisory
Council yesterday made known in no
Swanton. The following statement
bearing his name was issued:
II note with great deal Of interest
that Walter !. Swanton Of the Column
bia Heights Citizens Association and
delegate to the federation from the
Washington Chapter of Engineers is an
nounced as a candidate for tn presi-
dency oil the Federation of Citiz as AS
sociationS.
"I have known Mr.. Swanton for many
years, and have worked with him on
committees of both the federation and
the engineering society. 1 know him
to be an industrious and interchangeable
worker in the public interest, and a
man whose training and experience
have given him solid background for
such activities.
1.-The fact that his name has been
put formard' by some of the more radi-
cal of the so-called 'anti-merger crowd
does not, in my opinion, detract from
his desirability as a candidate. do
not consider that the question of merger
is, or should be, made an issue in the
election of a president of the fedora
ton. I am in accord with Mr.. Yaden
on the merger issue. but know that
whatever stand Mr.. Swanton takes upon
any matter is arrived at from honest
conviction, and not from political ex-
pediency. He does not try to carry
water on both shoulders for the pur-
pose of securing votes.
II will therefore be very glad to give
Mr.. Swanton my hearty support in the
coming election"
Mr.. Swanton's candidacy was an
nounced last week by Roberts, who. with
william NICK. Clayton, vigorously OPP
posed the federationS action on the
street car merger pact, and 1t is be-
lieved by some of the delegates that
Swanton will have the support of the
"anti-merger crowd" as well as liberal
elements in the federation.
Locks to Eastern Section.
Havenner is counting on support
chiefly from delegates from the asSocia-
tions in the eastern section of the city.
group which he represented while
serving as a member of the Advisory
Council. Swanton, however, Is expected
20 get the support of a large number
of delegates from the northwest aSSo-
Citations, which nominally are the
strongest element in the federation.
Despite efforts to keep the merger
out of the election campaign, it is like
ly to be the dominant issue. This sub
ject alone has caused more factional
ot1 III tkAC AC0CAdtAOAA SAAC Ae<'S
year than any other controversial pub
lie question.
The opponents of Havenner also are
endeavoring to make his connection
with the Federal Bureau of Efficiency
an important issue. This opposition
group Is spreading propaganda TO the
effect that his aScendency to the pres
idency of the federation might en-
barraSs him as well as the organization.
In other words, one of Havenner's lead
ing opponents said that the most i'm
portant question the federation will be
called upon to decide in the coming
election is whether it wants as its pres
ident man who holds an important
position in "a super-DiStrict govern
ment"-the Bureau of Efficiency.