Evening star., 1933-03-18
FREDEMERY URGED
FOR COMMISSIONER
Society of Natives Indorses
Native. Washingtonian for
District Post.

Fred A. Emery, native Washinsto-
MAN. and a widely known journalist,
whose reporting activities in the Gap
ital have covered span of 40 years,
was proposed as a District COmmls-
sioner by the Society Of Natives OF the
District of Columbia at its meeting last
night in the Washington Club.
Mr.. Emery's name was proposed by
Mrs Roscoe L. Oatley and was prompt
ly seconded by George Sullivan and
James F. Duhamel. The society en-
approving Mr.. Emery, past president,
for membership on the Board of Com
miSsionerS.
The society also reafirmed its in
dorsement of Miss Eta Taggart, an at
torney for nine years, for the position
of Judge of the District OF Columbia
Juvenile Court.
In proposing Mr.. Emery's name, Mrs.
Oatley declared that District Com
missioner should be "a person OF high
est integrity-one capable Of making
dividual honor or personal remunera-
ton" Such person. she asserted, is
Mr. Emery
In his Seconding speech, Mr.. Sulh-
van. long a leader Of the affairs Of the
Federation of Citizens Associations, re-
viewed the frequent controversies over
the eligibility of men appointed as Dis
trict Commissioner. BY appointing a
native of the District. he contended,
such difference cannot arise.
And Mr.. Sullivan added, "if Pres
1dent Roosevelt gives us native as our
Commissioner. he will be SO pleased with
the result that I am sure Presidents
will continue the practice
Philosophy of Home Rule"
Mr.. Duhamel, in adding his support
to Mr.. Emery's candidacy, asserted that
as an advocate of home rule" Presi-
dent Roosevelt would have in the NAM
ing of Emery as Commissioner a splen-
did opportunity Of carrying out his phil
osophy.
Both Mr.. Sullivan and Mr.. Duhamel
paid tribute to Mr. Emerys devotion to
the District of Columbia.
Mr.. Emery, in brief acknowledge
ment of his society's action following
its unanimous vote, pledged his con-
tinued interest in things Washing
ton"
IF ever falter in my loyalty to the
District of Columbia, he declared, Il
wish you'd say all the mean things in
the English language about me-
Born in Washington, August 49, 1875,
the son OF George S. and Abbie A.
Emery, Fred Emery was educated In the
Washington High School and at Colum-
bian, now the George Washington Uni
versity. Law School He is a cousin of
the last mayor of Washington, Matthew
G. Emery, and is descendant of the
De La Noys or DelanoS family, from
Which President Franklin Delano Roose-
yelt also comes
Served Under Lansing.
He began his newspaper work as
reporter on The Washington Evening
News in 1892. He subsequently, worked
IN various capacities in the Washington
Bureau of the Associated Press from
1893 to 1918 during which time he also
was washington correspondent for sew
eral out-of-toWn newspapers He was
made chief of the Foreign Intelligence
Bureau of the State Department in
1918, serving under Secretary of State
Robert Lansing. When he left that
service in 1928. after having been in Of
flee during the acute World War period
he was the recipient of numerous COM
mendatlonS from Government officials.
who paid tribute to his Judgment and
skill in handling his highly important
work. His news writing work included
White House and Congressional report
ing during the Spanish American War
and Congressional reporting during the
World War.
Mr.. Emery was one OF the founders
OF the National Press Club and he
long has been active in his member
ship in the Society of Natives, the
Connecticut Avenue Citizens Associa-
ton. Association of Oldest Inhabitants
OF the District of Columbia, the Chevy
Chase Citizens Association, the WASH
ington Board of Trade and the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations. His
Washington home is at 5315 Connecti-
cut avenue, and he maintains a Sum-
mer home at Danville, Vt.
Postal System Reviewed.
Besides the nomination of Mr. Emery.
last nights meeting of the Society of
Natives Of the District Of Columbia was
marked by review of the history of
the postal system of the United States
which Mr.. puhamel, historian for the
society, read. Going back in his paper
to the earliest Colonial settlements on
this continent, Mr.. Duhamel told how
the Colonists first had to rely on the
travellers and sailboat shippers for the
carrying of letters.
For 65 years he said, no effort was
made to establish a postal system and
finally in 1892. Thomas Neale secured
a contract from the British to open
mail route between jamestown in
Virginia and Portsmouth in New
Hampshire. Stops were made at An
-napolis, Philadelphia, New York and
Boston. The early system wavered
through difficulties until Benjamin
Franklin was made first Colonial Post
master General at salary of $1,000
year. Much of this sum, Franklin
spent in building up the postal service,
Mr.. Duhamel related.
In 1900, the Society Of Natives his
torian continued, the private residence
OF DR.. Crocker at Ninth and E streets
was rented to house the seven or eight
members who comprised the entire post
office departmental force. Prior to that
time, a local post office had been main-
tanned here, but it was highly unsatis-
factory because, Mr. Duhamel re-
ported, 1T had moved about so as to
cause the citizens great dissatisfaction"
At various times it had been on East
Capitol street. and at Fifteenth and F
streets, but each of these sites was
unsatisfactory to the people of the
other end of the infant settlement
which was to become the Capital.
Thomas Johnson very early was made
local postmaster. He died in 1894 after