Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-13
HUNDREDS PROTEST
DETENTION HOUSE
Southwest Citizens Launch
Concerted Drive Among
Civic Bodies.

| A concerted effort TO arouse public
, sentiment and to solicit the aid of civic,
| religious and welfare organizations to
help them GUST the House of Detention
| from 910 B street southwest. in the
event legal action fails. was launched
at a mass meeting of several hundred
citizens of Southwest Washington in
the Marvin M. E. Church last night.
Tentative plans also were made for
| personal protests to members of the
Senate and House District committees
and to the District Commissioners.
A committee of three was named to
present protest resolution before the
South Washington Citizens Association
at its next meeting. Following action
by that body the support of all the
citizens associations in Washington as
we'll as that of various other bodies will
be sought.
Assurance that the South Washing
ton group will lend its support was
given by George M. Yeatman, former
president of that body and president
of the Southwest Business Mems Asso-
citation. Mr.. Yeatman also declared
that he will take the matter before the
business group.
Attacks Dougherty.
Mr. Yeatman attacked Commissioner
Dougherty, declaring that as men,
Der of the Federation of Citizens AS
sociations he had sat next to Mr..
Dougherty when the latter was a dele
gate from the Chevy Chase Citizens
Association and that he had heard him
protest against the erection of theater
in the Chevy Chase section
Mrs C.. H. Knight. president of the
Bradley Parent-Teacher Association.
pledged the support of that orgsniza-
ton in the project. while Rev. C.. H.
Cannon, pastor of the Marvin NJ E.
Church. promised to seek the support
Of his congregation in the project. after
he had spoken against the house as
social, moral and religious detriment to
the community.
The meeting was called to order by
William K. WimSatt, chairman of the
protesting group, who declared there is
nothing to do in a legal way until the
injunction proceedings instituted by the
Southwest group come before the court.
Mr. Wimsatt said:
If the Commissioners can get away
with this they can get away with any,
thing"
j. M. Schaffer. 1910 B street south
west, the first speaker, declared the
Southwest section has been woefully
neglected for years, and stated that
whereas the other sections of the city
have gotten 80 per cent of their school
needs under the so-called five-year
school building program that the
Southwest section has gotten only 10
per cent.
r. c. Smith. 1905 B street southwest,
urged the people to make personal calls
on members of the District committees
of the Senate and House.
Following, Rev. DR.. Cannon in plea
for the citizens to continue unitedly
in the fight against the house there.
declared: Our homes are at stake. The
welfare of the community is at stake"
Dr. Cannon then declared that the
house effects not only property but
social character and the moral welfare
of the community saying: THE boys
and girls of this community are not
protected by the house being here
Others speaking on the issue were
Milton F. Barrett, Rev c. P. Ryland,
pastor of the Kendall BAPTIST Church,
and Willard F. Thompson. The latter
declared that before a church could
be erected on Sixteenth street short
while ago the signatures of citizens liv-
ing in the neighborhood had to be Sc
cured, and added. that the House of
Detention has been placed in South
west Washington without any sigma
lures
Mr.. Wimsatt was authorized to act
as chairman of the committee to draw
up the protests. He appointed MIR
Barrett and Rev. DR.. Cannon, two of
the speakers of the evening, to serve
with him.