Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-21
George A. G. Wood and
Thomas P. LittIepage Re-
main as Vice Presidents.
SILAS STRAWN DENIES
DEPRESSION PANACEA
Condition Can Be Cured Only
Through Minds of People,
Speaker Asserts.

Harry King was reelected president
of the Washington Chamber of Com
merce for the ensuing year at the an
nual meeting of the organization in
the Mayfower Hotel last night. The
trade body also reelected George A.
G. Wood as first vice president and
Thomas P. Littlepage as second vice
president.
Ten new members were elected to
the board of directors. They are Oscar
Coolican, Robert H. Dalgleish, Fenton
NJ. Fadeley, Greed w. Fulton, DR..
George c. Havenner, Edmund F. Jewell,
Louis Levay, Alfred G. Neal. A. Lee
Thompson and Leon S. Ulman. A
meeting OF the board will be called soon
to appoint treasurer, secretary and
general counsel.
The principal address was made by
Silas H. Strawn of Chicago, president
of the United States Chamber of Com
merce. John Poole, president of the
Federal American National Bank &
Trust Co., who also was scheduled to
speak. was i'll and unable to appear at
the meeting.
No Panacea, He Says.
Mr. Strawn, in reviewing world con-
dit1ons generally. and the situation in
the United States especially, declared
there is no panacea for the so-called
depression"
1T is a condition which can be
remedied only by striking at its root,
and that is in the minds of the people,"
StraWn said. We must set ourselves
against this situation and apply our
selves heartily to the task of bringing
back normal conditions. The chambers
of commerce of the country are the
type of organizations best suited to
band the people together in this cause,
and rather than fall away from them
in depressing times, we should more
earnestly rally to their support.
IF we are with our chambers of
commerce in times of prosperity, surely
it follows that We should support them
in times Of depression"
Scouts Oriental War.
Discussing foreign affairs, Mr. Strawn
characterized the Sino-Japanese con-
troversy as petty scrap" and said
it would soon be settled without re-
course to war. He said this Nation
should develop its, foreign trade with
South America. adding that area offers
wonderful opportunities. The unset
tied political situation in Europe, Mr..
Strawn said, could be blamed to
certain extent for the depression. Even
this country. he declared, cannot re-
turn to enthusiastic prosperity" until
the situation in Europe improves.
Declaring the time has not come for
unemployment insurance, the national
president said he believed industries
should, however, insure themselves
against depression periods by Sailing
away reserve funds for emergency. A
committee OF his organization. he said.
is devoting considerable study to the
subject of unemployment
Strawn said taxation in the United
States has increased in enormous pro-
portions over the last two decades.
THE rise in the toll from the Nations
taxpayers from $4,000 100000 in 1913
to 100000 this year surely can
be attributed to tremendous social adj
vancement of our country. The peo-
pie want improvementS-neW school
houses, court houses, highways and the
like-and they demand them without
regard to the source of the finances to
provide them"
Urges District Vote.
The people of the District are for
tunate that their tax rate has not in
creased at a rate comparable to that
IN the states, Mr.. StraWn SAID. he
sympathized, however, with the plight
of the residents of the Capital in their
unique position as taxpayers without
representation in Congress. Strawn de-
clared the United States Chamber Of
Commerce. as long as II years ago,
went on record in favor Of national rep
resentation for the District.
The annual report of the chamber,
which was published in The Star last
Sunday was reviewed by Mr.. King. At
his request the chamber voted indorse-
ment of the following actions of the
chambers board: Advocation of reduc-
ton of coal freight rates: Endorsement
of the Edward Mcdowell memorial; APP
prevail of the National Symphony Or
chestra; recommendation for a new
Washington terminal for the Mount
Vernon & Alexandria Railroad; aboli-
ton of begging on the streets of the
Capital, and recommendation that the
Public Utilities Commission take full
control of taxicabs in the city.
DR.. Havenner asked the full CO.
operation of the chamber in the. 1882
George Washington Bicentennial Cele-
bration. Predicting more than 100000
people will visit the city next year, DR..
Havenner, who has just been named
executive vice chairman of the District
Bicentennial Commission, promised that
an adequate program would be staged.