Evening star., 1929-12-14
MERCHANTS PRAISE,
SCHAFER DEFENSE
OF CAPITAL CITY
Forts Proposed Curb of
Legislators Commended by
Governors Board.
CRIME CONDITIONS HERE
CONSIDERED AVERAGE
Directors Ask Reopening of Lower
Fourteenth Street During
Afternoon Rush Hour.

The declaration made on the floor Of
the House by Representative John
Schafer of Wisconsin that Washing
ton is much freer from crime than
many other cities" drew approval and
commendation from the board OF gov
ernorS of the Merchants and Manu-
facturers Association at their meeting
yesterday afternoon.
The board also adopted resolution
commencing the recent action OF Rep
reSentative Franklin Fort of New Jer-
sey in introducing in Congress reso-
luton under which members OF Con-
gress would be barred from making
serious charges against persons or cor
porationS without facts to support such
accusations.
These actions were taken by the mer-
chants board at the instance OF Maj.
Gen. Anton Stephan, president, who
expressed the conviction that a survey
of general conditions in Washington
and comparison of crime statistics
here and in other cities does not SHOW
that Washington is deserving the ques-
tionable reputation given the National
Capital by some detractors.
Names of Critics withheld.
Names of critics of conditions in the
National Capital were not mentioned
in the resolutions, which authorized let
ters of commentator to be sent to
both Representatives Schafer and Fort.
Members of the merchants group took
the position that while conditions here
might be improved, the city certainly
is not rampant with crime. 1t was
declared that no doubt wide and SEN
sational publicity given to some con-
n hprn
of some that Washington was dan
gerous place.
The board had before it the state
ment of Mr.. Schafer, who declared:
President Hoover was absolutely right
when he stated in his message to Con-
gress that law enforcement conditions
in Washington are much better than in
many other cities"
In commencing the action Of Rep
resntative Fort the merchants board
expressed the feeling that private in
dividuals should have some safeguard
against serious or defamatory charges,
not based on facts, which may be made
with immunity by a member of Con-
greSs.
Mr.. Fort in urging his resolution
said: Freedom of speech is, of course,
highly satisfactory, but assassination OF
regulations behind the cowardly cloak
of constitutional immunity cannot be
tolerated in any body which hopes for
the confidence and respect OF the
people"
Ask Street Be Reopened.
The directors of the trade body also
adopted q resolution urging the re-
opening of lower Fourteenth street to
traffic during the afternoon rush hour,
now closed as a safeguard to employees
of the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing. The board declared that
some other method of protecting these
| employees could be found, without clos
ing the main artery between Washing
ton and Virginia. 1t was suggested
that a spur of the street car tracks
might be run into the grounds about
! the Bureau for loading of passengers
thus leaving the street open to through
| traffic. A detour now is required in
| the afternoon rush period over tc
Twelfth street.
Relief of traffic congestion on F street
/ in the down town section by the elimi'
| nation of some of the long street cal
| loading platforms, thus reducing the
number of stops between Seventh anc
Fourteenth streets and by forbtddinG
| taxicabs from cruising through this
street in search of fares was recon-
mended.
| Endorsement was given to the CappeI
bill providing for increases in the pay
of District f1remen and policemen
which measure, it was believed, woulC
! bring men of high caliber into these
departments; and approval was giver
to the proposal of Senator CouzenS oi
Michigan for additional tax reduction
in the form of a permanent cut from
1919 to 10 per cent in the capital gains
and loss tax.
The Jones bill providing for compen-
sation payments to persons injured irl
automobile accidents here, and for de-
pendents of persons killed in accidents
| through creation of an insurance fund
was indorsed in principle.