Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-28

| ~ our country, II can
not be said that 1880 has been an
exceptionally bad year in the business
/ life OF the National Capital" the presi-
dent of the chamber declared. Here.
| as elsewhere, there was some slowing
] down IN overaetive trades, but this
slackening was in lesser degree than
IN most other American cities"
Calling attention to the large-scale
extension and the speeding up of work
on the Federal building program, the
prosecution OF large-scale construction
projects by local power companies. de-
partment stores, Office and apartment
buildings and other public and private
projects" Mr.. Darr pointed out that
Washington business houses today are
| pushing forward toward new goals of
greater service and greater profit both
70 themselves and to the community"
Spirit Of Teamwork.
1 He continued: This heal.hv con-
| dition of business in the CAPITAL citv
Is due in large part to the splendid
spirit OF teamwork shown by District
business leaders as individuals and
through their trade and civic bodies.
Inc business men of Washington have
caught the vision Of organized effort for
community advancement and they have
put their shoulders to the wheel and
striVen side by side to promote and to
extend all properly conceived local civic
undertakings.
The origin of this new spirit of CO.
operation appears to date from cham
Der EFFORTS OF several years back when a
new emphasis was placed upon the scope
and Importance of District industries
governmental as well as privately
means OF the annual industrial expo
sltion, the purpose of which was to
give graphic force TO the chambers
| Buy-ln-Washingto campaign The
! 1929 industrial exposition attracted
some 100000 visitors and gave renewed
strength to the Buy in Washington"
movement. One important development
resulting from this movement Is the
recently created "Buy-in- washington"
Council. With the hearty backing and
cooperation of the chamb,r this or
ganization is now supplemehting and
lntensifying the chambers long stand
ing campaign for home consumJ Of
nome manufactured products.
| The chamber has exerted itssI. $50
10 increase the number of permanent
and temporary residents OF the National
Capital as another means of strength
ening local purchasing power. Its early
efforts at convention-getting. now in
tensified through appropriate Joint in
situations and agencies have been car
1 AACd Will 1idik@Q SuCCCcS.
Works for Higher Wages.
Since its inception the chamber has
worked to secure higher wages for Gov
eminent employees. As the result of this
movement changes in the basic law
were effected through the classification
act and the WEIGH act which have re-
suited in periodic salary adjustments.
Certain groups, not affected by these
laws. were separately considered by the
chamber with the result that salary In
creaSes were secured for Navy Yard en-
ployes and for other groups.
Perhaps the greatest chamber achieve
ment of the current year was securing
the enactment of the bill to increase the
salaries of the members of the metro
politan police and fire forces of the Dis
trict of Columbia This bill originated
in the chamber and, after Endorsement
was referred to the other leading civic
and trade bodies with request fol-
their support. Our cordial thanks are
due to the cooperating bodies who
worked with us to pass the bill.
1.-THE action of Washington citizens
in fighting for the right to pay higher
salaries to their own public servants has
its humorous aspects in this country
which claims as its motto mo taxation
without representation This leads Us
to consider the fiscal relations issue
which has been SO carefully investigated
by Rudolph Jose, chairman, and mem
bers of our District Finance Committee
Lump Sum Increase Gained.
''In accordance with the urgings o
this committee Representative r. Wal
ton Moore introduced in the last session
of Congress the Moore bill for the es
tabiishment of a fiscal relations com
. . mission. Although our bill was no
passed before the close of the session
nevertheless we did gain a victory IL
the form of a half-inillion-dollar in.
crease IN the Federal lump-sum con.
tribution.
THE action of the House of Repre-
sentatives in appointing its own Inves
!, tigating Committee is contrary to regu
!, lar procedure because 1t ignores tn,
| jurisdiction of the Senate in Distric
affairs. This matter must receive on
diligent attention during the White
. months to insure a fair investigation
with fair results to District taxpayers
THE question of local fiscal respon
sihility has come up In number o
Z different proposals. On the recon-
I, mendation OF our Parks Committee, Ell
wood Street. chairman, we have in
h dorsed the Cramton bill providing 70
t a Federal loan repayable annually fror
e District revenues. without interest. L
z make funds available for park pur
= chases. Two other proposals, one fo
I. q compromise airport and another pro
viding for filaancfrc fla. cret If the ne,