Evening star., 1934-03-04
Support Is Urged
by Oliver Owen
Kuhn.
ONLY CIVIC VOICE
FOR VOTELESS d. C..
Achievements in City
and Counties Are
Pointed Out.

If every citizen of the Washing
ton area should affiliate himself
directly with the civic organization in
his own particular community, the
great National Capital would be inn
nitely greater, Oliver Owen Kuhn,
managing editor of The Star, de-
clared in a radio broadcast last week
in connection with the civic mem
bership drive now under way.
1T is vitally important" Mr.. Kuhn
said, that, deprived Of the one COM
mon American method of voicing the
will of the people-namely, the vote
that citizens rally around the present
leadership and vitalize. perpetuate
and make valuable the one COM
mon medium of individual expression,
that of the civic body"
Indifference Decried.
Mr.. Kuhn decried a too great in
difference to the work Of organized
citizenship and pointed out the bene-
fits obtained by organization In OBJ
tanning school improvements, libraries
and fire departments not only in
Washington but also in the surround
ing Maryland and Virginia area.
The text of his address follows:
Today we have in our National
Capital and nearby in the States of
Maryland and Virginia, a very highly
organized group of citizens who are
at all times endeavoring to further
not only the best interests of their
communities, but the welfare Of the
great Washington metropolitan area
1 believe no city in the United States
boasts OF such a civic-minded popu-
lation, and, as the great Capital
spreads over into the nearby States,
people there long since became i'm
pressed with the absolute necessity
of co-ordinating their efforts and
their influences in achieving the
great ideals so vital In orderly, in
teresting, and necessary expansion of
a great world Capital.
Today we find dotted in practically
every community within a radius of
twenty-five miles of Washington.
broad minded, patriotic citizens, who
are devoting their every extra effort
in furthering, not only the interests
OF the community, but the great metro
politan plan.
There has been too much indifier-
ence to the work Of organized citi-
! zenship. yet it affords one Of the
! greatest personal satisfactions that
can come TO any man or woman de-
/ sirous Of being a constructive helper
in the cause of good government and
/ in the interests of the orderly devel-
opment Of the community.
Sacrifices Made.
For many years there have been
sturdy pioneers and leaders in the
civic endeavors of this great National
Capital, men and women who have
made personal sacrifices untold, that
objectives, all of which we're in the
interest Of the people at large. might
be achieved. And in their efforts
they have found happiness. not only
in the co-mingling with their fellow
! citizens, but in the common exchange
of ideas and in the combined effort
and struggle to achieve. And, what
thrill comes to any organization
when it sees its dreams and its ideals
/ translated into practical things in the
way of civic betterment.
So many of us are prone to idle
and to procrastinate, to let others
carry civic burdens. Too many Of US
are inclined to sit back and criticize
conscientious efforts of public-spirited
citizens. who give prodigally of their
time and receive nothing in the way
Of material reward. Too many are
inclined to believe that their own
personal activities mean nothing to
their community. There Is too much
reticence-too much hesitation In &C
lively participating in things vital
and necessary in the progress Of any
community.
If We are to have the great Ma
tional Capital maintained upon the
highest plane-if we are to see de-
veloped here the last word in a CO.
ordinated civic consciousness, which
by its very force shall mold the fu-
ture destinies Of the great metropol-
itan area-it IL absolutely vital that
every single individual become i'm
bued with q very definite sense Of re-
sponsibility, not only to his own par
ticular locality. but to the city as a
whole. His pulses must be quickened
by his own participation in co-ordi-
nate action. He must sense his own
individual responsibility. Only in
recognition Of his duty will he be-
come in the fullest sense q real en-
tity In developing that most impor-
tant factor known as a city's soul.
I would like to review all Of those
worthwhile things that have had
| their inception In and BROUGHT to &C
(Continued on Sixth Page.)