Evening star., 1933-12-31

" ington's leading trade organ
v izations look back upon the
year now ending as one of ma jor
importance from the standpoint
OF detectives attained for the better
ment of civic welfare in the voteless
community of the District.
Paramount among the accomplish
ments through organized effort Of the
Board of Trade. Washington Chamber
of Commerce and Merchants and Man
ufacturers' Association, were:
Attainments Are Listed.
l. Merger of the two street railway
companies.
2. Reduction in the District tax
rate from s1,70 to $50.
g. Securing a grant of 81 900 900
from the Public Works Administration
for roads and similar construction, after
the District had been omitted from re-
ceiving benefits Of this legislation in
the original draft of the bill
f. Obtaining release Of the 81 1,50o,-
600 surplus in the gasoline tax fund
for highway and bridge improvements,
including replacement Of the Calvert
Street Bridge.
Many other matters Of far-reaching
importance to the citizens also were
taken up by the trade bodies, and of
these several are still being actively
pushed
Reviewing the work Of the Board Of
Trade. Claude w. Owen. president. re-
ports that during the year it was nee
essary to cope with many problems.
most of which necessitated prompt and
instant action.
Public Works Obtained.
Observing that the District alone had
been left out Of section 2o4 Of the
public works bill. in which s4oo 900 900
was provided In grants for roads and
similar construction in the various
States and Territories, the board took
the matter up Immediately. Data, sta
tistics and arguments were presented
to the members Of the various con-
gressional committees. and in spite of
the opposition of the House OF Repre-
sentatives and the director Of the budg-
ct reports Mr.. Owen. the board re-
ceived the sympathy of Chairman Pat
Harrison of the Senate Finance Com
mittee and the District received ST.
100000 AS grant
The Board Of Trade also prepared
statistics. data and arguments in ref
erence to the cutting OF the District
tax rate so as to avert an undue sur
plus, appearing before House and Sen
ate committees and comforting with
local and Federal officials, with the re-
suit that the tax rate was reduced
from $1.70 TO $3.50, effective July
last.
Bridge Appropriation Pushed.
Through its Bridges Committee. the
board took an active part in the fight
to secure an appropriation for the new
Calvert Street Bridge, and to bring
about construction of masonry bridge
rather than a steel-arch type. At
present, the Bridges Committee is con-
Quoting a vigorous campaign for the
replacement Of the old Chain Bridge
over the Potomac River.
A conscientious drive for the release
Of an accumulation Of $1.500.00O in
the District gasoline tax fund was sue
cessful when this money was released
by Director Of the Budget Douglas
Considerable work was done bv the
Board Of Trade in an effort to obtain
public works funds for the construction
of the Municipal Center, land for which
already has been acquired by the Dis
trict This group of buildings, which
will cost between $50 1000, 900 and S40,-
00o,000 has been looked upon by the
board as an enterprise in which the
Federal Government should participate
to large degree financially, inasmuch
as 1t is designed to match the Federal
Government buildings on the south
side of Pennsylvania avenue The board
has felt that grant for this project
would place the Federal Government in
a position of paying very largely for
this seminational project.
Sought Property Purchase.
Recently the board submitted to the
President petition sponsored by it and
signed by 500 property owners Of South
west Washington asking that land
designated for purchase under the pub
lie buildings act of 1925 be acquired by
the Government out of emergency
funds to relieve the distress among
owners in this area. who claim title to
their holdings has been "clouded"
Other activities of this trade body
during the year included sponsoring
the Renovize Washington Campaign;
participation in the local N. r. A. or
ganization; cooperation with District
officials in the drafting of liquor bill
for the Capital, and urging the employ
ment of white collar" workers under
the Civil Works Administration for
traffic surveys and similar studies.
Starting the year with the compile
tion on January Of its drive to secure
the enactment of the street railway
merger, the Washington Chamber of
Commerce continued its efforts during
the year to promote co-ordinated
transportation plan through proper
regulation of taxicabs and through di-
rect provisions for protection Of pedes-
TRANS.
Safety Plan Drawn Up.
In this connection a five-point plant
for pedestrian safety was evolved call
ing for indemnification for accidents,
a negligent homicide law. medical ex-