Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-10
FEDERATION HAS
STORMY SESSION.
Montgomery Body Hears
ACrid Discussion Until
I This Morning.
BY WILLIAM S. TARVER,

BETHESDA, Md, March 10.-Charges
and counter charges that delegates to
the Montgomery County Civic Fedora
ton were motivated by politics in their
attitude toward the applications for
membership of the Kensington Cham
Der of Commerce and KenSington Board
of Trade were heard at the federation
meeting here last night. which was
thrown into foment by the acrid dis
cusSion.
The fight centered principally around
Mai E. Brooke Lee, county Democratic
administration leader, who injected
politics into the discussion when he al
legged that the Membership Committee
was trying to keep our people out ana
let in our enemies" He was opposed
by George H. Lamar of Rockville,
chairman of the Membership Commit
tee, and 10 V. Morgan of Edgemoor,
member of the committee, who threat
ened to resign and walk out OF this
hall" if some action repudiating Brooke
Lees charge against the committee was
not taken.
Both Bodies Admitted.
In the end the Membership Commit
tees report. which recommended only
the admittance of the Kensington Board
OF Trade, was amended on motion OF
Mai. Lee and both bodies admitted to
membership in the federation.
The discussion of the question was
extended over more than two hours,
with the meeting receSSing Immediately
after a vote was taken a few minutes
before | O'Clock this morning until
Thursday evening at O'Clock, when 1t
will reconvene for consideration OF IN
completed business.
It was agreed that the report of the
Membership Committee was TO be the
last matter to be taken up last night,
before 1T was presented by Mr.. Lamar.
The report set out that it was the
adopted policy of the federation not to
admit an organization which Substan-
TALLY overlaps the territory OF another.
Declared to Overlap.
It was stated that the two KenSington
organizations overlap since they both
sought admittance as quaSl-buSlneSS
bodies from the same community. Inc
committee found, however, 1t was as
serted, that the Board of Trade more
nearly complied with the requirements
of a quasi-busineSs organization than
did the Chamber of Commerce and Tor
this reason its application was recon-
mended for favorable action by the
meeting.
It also was recommended that final
action on the application OF the Cham
Der of Commerce be deferred to permit
it, if so desired by its members, TO
amend its bylaws so as 70 avoid over
tapping, to permit membership from
both sexes and to adopt name in con-
sonance with the character of citizens
association"
Edward H. Jones. member OF the
Bethesda Chamber of Commerce, tmme-
diately objected to the report which he
said should be called Much ADO ABOUT
Nothing" and which did grave in
justice to the Kensington Chamber OF
Commerce. He alleged that the cham
ber's application was in the hands OF
the committee during December, 1880,
and was held up.
SAYS He Leaned Backwards.
IT never heard of a membership
chairman before who leaned over back
wards to keep people out" he declared.
mr.. Lamar leaned over backwards to
get the Board of Trade in but I won't
night with him about that"
Mr.. Jones then offered the motion
that the report be not concurred in and
that the Membership Committee be dis
charged from further consideration Of
the two applications. This motion was
amended by Ralph Lee of Woodside, so
as to provide for the admittance of
both organizations.
President Stephen James ruled that a
motion to discharge a committee re-
uuired a two-thirds vote. The vote was
taken and stood % for and 26 against,
failing by virtue Of the two-thirds rule.
Following the defeat of Mr.. Jones'
motion, Maj. Lee sought to amend the
committees report SO as to provide for
the admittance of both organizations.
West Would Still Control.
"There is no need to fear that the
eastern section of the county will con-
troll more federation votes than the
western side" Maj. Lee asserted. "Ad-
nit them both and the ratio will still
be more than two to one favoring the
west
THE so-called Democratic county
administration composes less than Is
per cent of this body and we never
have tried to get any one into it, but
when active politicians on the other side
try to keep cut our people we are going
TO object.
mo people in the county dislike me
more than the delegates of the Board
Of Trade, yet am urging that they be
taken in.
ut was the Membership Committee