Evening star., 1933-12-08
new D. c. OFFICIALS
PLEDGE PROGRESS
Guests at Gathering of Civic
Leaders at Oldest Inhab-
itants' Dinner.

ItantS' UInner.
Speaking to a distinguished gathering
of civic leaders at the 68th BIRTH
day dinner of the Oldest Inhabi-
tants Association at the Raleigh Hotel
the two new District Commissioners
Melvin C. Hazen and George E. Allen
last night pledged an honest and con-
scientious administration of the mu-
nicipal government.
Cooperation was pledged by the new
officials, by leading city organizations
in a united effort to support the pro-
gram of the Oldest Inhabitants fol
both political and financial equity"
This program was set forth by Theo.
dore w. Noyes, president of the Oldest
Inhabitants Association, who presided
Civic Leaders Speak.
Representatives of outstanding civic
organizations, who pledged cooperation
in movements to improve the National
Capital, included the following: Claude
w. Owen, president Of the Washington
Board of Trade; James c. Yaden, presi
dent of the Federation of Citizens AS.
Sociations; James E. Colliflower, presi-
dent of the Merchants and Manufac.
turers' Association; Allen C. Clark
president of the Columbia Historical
Society; Jesse C. Suter, president oi
the Society of Natives, and Thomas P
Littlepage, ex-president of the Wash
ington Chamber of Commerce.
President Hazen of the Board o1
Commissioners pledged an honest, con-
scientious" administration. He said ht
would devote himself to work for the
good of the city and of the District
government.
This is my city and yours" he de-
clared, "and if I can accomplish any,
thing to improve it, to make. it more
beautiful, I shall be very glad" Com
missioner Hazen praised his predecessor
DR.. Luther Reichelderfer. He asked fol
the whole-hearted cooperation of the
substantial citizens of Washington" ir
making the municipal government q
success. He urged that any citizens
having grievances bring them to the
District Building, where every effort
would be made to alleviate them.
I'VE may not always agree with you,
he said, but we will do the best we
can. The doors are always open. We
want you to feel free to come"
Allen Pledges Service.
missioner HaZen in pledging every pos
sible service for the District, and de-
clared that any mistakes made would b,
mistakes of the head and not of tht
heart"
The most important thing so far, Mr.
Allen declared, had been placing abou
$4,000 persons in regular jobs in Wash
ington. We've taken practically every
one off the relief rolls and put them OF
the pay rolls" he said.
Commissioner Allen paid tribute t,
the experience of age, declaring he wa
still learning much from elders.
washington is great CITY," he said
81 want to do everything we can for it.
Presenting his remarks after the tw,
new Commissioners had spoken, anc
before the responses from civic leaders
Mr.. Noyes declared the Oldest Inhabi
tants fought to obtain for men, wome1
and children of Washington fair play
in everything, but more particular,
now, political equity and f1nancia
equity.
Explains Two Aims.
Explaining these two cardinal points
Mr. Noyes declared political equity to b
national representation, voting repre-
sentation in Congress and the Electora
College; raising the voteleSs. unrepre
sented politically impotent Washingto
nian from the status of the convict ant
lunatic to that of an American SOY
ereign with power to participate self
protectingly and helpfully in the Ma
tional Government which taxes him
makes all laws for him, and sends hir
to war. When the power involved i
this vital right is won," said Mr.. Noye:
''the campaign for financial equity an
for the satisfaction of every othe
wholesome need of the District will
wonderfully strengthened"
Referring to financial equity"
said, when a taxing body has in viola
ton of American principle no repreSen
taticn in 1t of the taxed, fair play de
mands from those technically alien tax
gatherers special sympathetic consider
alton Of the wishes and the welfare G
the unrepresented taxed. When Con
gress, in fiscal relations with the Dis
trict, obeys the injunction put yoursel
in his place. and when there is reci
procity in forbearance, in regard an
good will between Congress and tn
people of the District, financial equit
prevails.
Cites Stress of Times.
"In this period of nearly universe
business depression" said Mr. Noye:
with individual loss and suffering i
evidence everywhere, emphasis natural
is placed upon financial equity. Observ
ance of this equity will cause, for ex
ample, just apportionment betwee
Nation and Capital community OF tn
cost of the Nations City's maintainanc
and extraordinary material developmen
on national lines"
Recalling that discussion has been re
newed over the means of apportionin
National Capital expense between tn
Nation and the local community
whether in definite percentage proper
ton or by the lump sum appropriation
Mr.. Noyes said, equity declares clearl
in favor of the definite proportional
contribution plan."
Financial equity" he said, 'unmis
takably negatives enactment by Cor
gress of pending legislative proposition
to increase, unnecessarily, old taxes, {
to levy new taxes at time when a
the taxpayers, small and large, havin
suffered severe losses, are groanin
under existing tax burdens"
Mr.. Noyes warned against dangs
that District taxpayers may be called o
for too large percentage of the co!
of developing on national lines tt
City Beautiful" He called attention
the Municipal Center project, which /
yajd had marked the architectural
z-tistie and nearly adequate Municip'
Building" for abandonment, and woul
mean expenditure of perhaps 10000, OF
more Pointing out that $4,000 900 (
District funds have already been spei
to buy land for the new municipal Ger
ter, while the Federal Government ha
ceased contributions. Mr.. Noyes al
proved the proposal by Chairman Kir
of the Senate District Committee fl
nnr,ifcatinn of S. 600 0ll of Nation