Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-11-14
MONTGOMERY CIVIC
PROGRAM OUTLINED
Retiring President Cites
Some Accomplishments and
Aims of Federation.
BY VIM. ]. WHEATLEY,
STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

q,
lined some - she projects which face
the body. but stressed the importance
of an organization made up OF strong
local bodies. with delegates and alter
mates who will attend and take an &C
tive part in the deliberations OF the
clearing house organization.
He made 1t clear that the federation
door was wide open to organizations in
any part of Montgomery County, adding
that the federations bylaws and the
spirit in which its affairs are conducted
give ample proof that it is not .exclu-
Sively or predominantly an organization
for any particular part or section OF the
county.
Local Bodies Needed.
Col. Barber said that he had heard it
suggested that the existence of the fed
Grafton had made the local bodies less
important and even unnecessary, but
pointed out that just the reverse OF this
was the truth. The federation, he con-.
tinued, cannot exist without the local
bodies. Strong local bodies tend to
make a strong federation and vice versa.
II the federation, he went on, should
tend to replace the local bodies, 1t would
be going far outside of its functions as
laid down in the bylaws. 1t is not the
function OF the federation, he said, to
take up local matters, which are fire.
quently of great Importance, but which
can and should be dealt with by local
organizations.
Matters to be handled by the fedora
ton should be those in which there is
q community of interest on the part OF
all members of the federation, or at
least a considerable number of the
tinued affords the means of securing
organized and effective attention
throughout the whole area represented
to any proposal of common interest
which any member body wishes to bring
forward Thus, far from making the
local bodies unnecessary, the fedora
ton offers them increase opportunity to
render a broadened service to their
communities.
Cites Need Of Funds.
give consideration to- increasing its
funds to take care of the added cost
made by the increased work. He point
ed out that the yearly revenue was
approximately $3.50 and that the ex-
penditilres were divided into three
major groups-paper work. including
mimeographing, postage, stationery, ETC.,
5000; printing the directory, $3.50, and
the secretary's salary, 500, which shows
Some of the matters which will have
to be dealt with further by the fed
GRAFTON, he said, were the Potomac
River Gorge development, the disposal
of waste, the sanitary organization OF
the county, the relation OF the county
charities to the washington Community
Chest, the highway and park systems,
trafdc control measures, important QueS-
tons Of coming, improvement Of public
utility services, completion Of removal
of determinations. charitable and well
fare services and continuance OF proper
publicity efforts.
Going over some of the accomplish
nients of the federation and its in
creasing importance as clearing house
of civic matters, Col. Barker said that
he was impressed with the fact that
as a value Of the federation in bringing
forward and discussing important civic
matters came to be generally realized
the number and variety Of matters OF
common interest brought into the teo-
Grafton increased. Subjects of county,
wide as we'll as suburban interest, ne
said, demanded more and more the at
tention Of the body ana Its commit:
tees, with the result that every current
problem Of common interest 10 the
member examinations now comes to
the body.
Suggestions Adopted.
In these years of its early history, he
said, this body has adopted definite
positions with regard to many tmpor-
tant public questions. It has been graf
living to see the cordial way in which
its recommendations have been re-
ceived and the extent to which they
have been translated into action by the
legislative and administrative suthori-
Lz
eanization's record of contribution to
the development of measures Tor the
welfare of the county should serve as
an insplration to all of US to continue
the work with the same type OF thor
ough committee study and careful led
Grafton action that has prevailed IN the
past. We may sometimes feel lmpa-
tent ct the checks upon haSty pro-
cedure which were proposed by our
committee on constitution and bylaws
and incorporated in the fundamental
statutes of this body, but, in my opin-
ion, these checks are an exceedingly
wise insurance of sound action"
Taking up the outstanding items
handled by the federation during the
past year, he went on:
First, perhaps, should be mentioned
a series of recommendations for pro-
gressive improvement and enlargement
OIL MUCH neeueO puDllC 1GCiAltASo -iAtO0-
ern and adequate school buildings,
courthouse in keeping with the wealth
and dignity Of the county, modern,
sanitary Jail, an adequate highway sys-
TEN and to preserve and make avail
able for public use Montgomery county'S
lovely valleys which are by nature Won
derfully suited for park purposes.
Next would mention q number OF
matters relating to the safety ana
- 1aff a G
of uniform tTaff1c laws for which the
governor has just appointed Maryland
commission to cooperate with the Dis
trict Of Columbia and Virginia; clearing
away Of vegetation near highway inter
sections to give clear view, which has
now been provided for by county ordi-
nance; better compensation and organ
ization for the Montgomery County po-
lice. which has, in part, been taken
care of. and establishment of an ash,
trash and garbage collection service re-
Qarding which valuable basic facts were
developed and for which definite plans
will probably require further considera-
ton. OF special Importance is the new
health and sanitation code for which,
in accordance with the federation
recommendation, form of ordinance
has been prepared.
Another important group OF subjects
dealt with relate to protection OF the
community by action under the zoning
law or otherwise against promotion OF
prizefRhting in residential areas. es-
tablishment of cemeteries before suita-
BILE locations for such institutions have
been determined by the Park and Plan
ming Commission, Disagreement Of main
highway approaches to the Nationa,
Capital by unsightly gasoline stations
and other commercial or industrial
structures, and display OF billboards ir
the vicinity of highways"
He also told of the close relations ex.
listing between the Montgomery fedora
ton and other civic bodies, in Mary