Evening star., 1934-09-24
BLUE EAGLE GROUP
TOLD D. c. MAKING.
BUSINESS ADVANCE,
Week Observance of MIRA.
Launched at Luncheon.
Sales Show Gains.
MANY EVENTS PLANNED
TO ASSIST MOVEMENT
$4,000 Special Posters Shown in
Stores-Women's Clubs and
Radio Take Part.

Washington today launched the Ma
tion's Capital Blue Eagle week with
a luncheon at the Willard Hotel at
which leaders in the observance were
told that the city's benefits, interpreted
in figures on department store sales,
we're greater proportionately than the
average city Of the United States.
Sylvan King, executive vice chair
man of the observance, cited figures to
show department store sales here were
1873 per cent higher in the first eight
months of this year than in the cor
responding period of 1888.
In the fifth Federal reserve district
in August sales gained 10 per cent and
for the first eight months, l6 per cent
These figures are 3.3 per cent and 2
per cent better than the average for
the country as a whole, the speaker
declared.
The gain locally over last year was
46 per cent for August and % per
cent for the first eight months.
Mr.. King also said employment in
the eight largest department stores of
the city is 1872 per cent higher today
than 1t was when the N. r. A. was
begun.
Public Support Asked.
The observance of Blue Eagle week,
which will continue through Satur-
day, was planned as an educational
and patriotic drive, in which the pub
lie will be given actual figures and
facts on the progress of recovery and
will be urged to renew the fervor
with which the N. R. A. was accepted a
year ago.
The luncheon was but one phase Of
the first days celebration. Many of
the leading stores of the city pre-
sented special displays, citing i'm
provement under the Blue Eagle.
Women's clubs studied and discussed
recovery and reused their member
ship to help stimulate consumer in
tereSt. Through their efforts also,
ington was asked to take part in the
drive, and IN many churches yester-
day, mention was made of the weeks
celebration.
National recovery headquarters has
praised the Washington celebration
and expressed the hope that other
cities throughout the country will 6l-
low the example and set aside special
weeks to renew public support of the
Government program.
Stores Wear Special Posters.
More than $4,000 special Nations
Capital Blue Eagle week" posters
have been distributed through local
code authorities to approximately
5000 stores that have pledged to take
part.
John Dickinson, Assistant Secretary
OF Commerce, was the principal
speaker at today's luncheon. He out
lined briefly the beneficial results of
the past years efforts Thomas P.
Littlepage, who served as chairman of
the original Blue Eagle drive in the
District, acted as POSTMASTER.
District Commissioners Melvin C.
Hazen, George E. Allen and Daniel I
Sultan were guests of honor. Other
guests, who spoke briefly, were DR..
Joseph R. Sizoo, pastor Of the New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church:
Mrs. Harvey w. Wiley, president of
the District Federation of Women S
Clubs; w. w. Everett, general man.
ager of Woodward & Lothrop, and
ex-Gov. William E. Sweet of Colorado.
representing Gen. Hugh S. johnson.
This morning Mrs. Wiley made the
first of four radio addresses scheduled
for the day, speaking over WJSV. At
5:45 pm, Commissioner Hazen will
be heard over WRC; at $50 pm,
Robert j. Cottrell, secretary of the
Board Of Trade, will speak over
WMAL. and at 1905 pm, E. G.
Yonker, president of the Sanitary
Grocery chain, will be heard over
WRC.
Business Men to Meet.
Tomorrow evening the Federation
of Business Mems Clubs will have a
dinner meeting at the Arlington Hotel
at $50 o'clock. Mr.. King, Mrs.
Wiley, Ed Shaw, secretary of the
Merchants and Manufacturers Asso-
citation, and Joseph Flanagan, rep
resenting national headquarters of
the N. r. A, will be speakers.
On wednesday evening a group OF
Baltimore merchants will be here as
guests of the Washington associa-
ton of department stores and spe-
cialty shops to learn more about Blue
Eagle week and its purposes. The
meeting will be held at the dinner
hour at the Hamilton Hotel.
Many of the women's organizations
have designated special representa-
tives particularly to stimulate con-
sumner interest. Among them are
Mrs. Paul Myron Linebarger, Mrs.
Fred A. Rasch and Mrs. Frank M.
ShortaH of the Political Study Club,
Mrs. Edgar B. Merritt, Mrs. Lloyd Bid
die and Mrs. Ether M. Bair, Fedora
ton of Women's Clubs; Mrs. Joseph
H. Davidson, Ladies Auxiliary, Dis
trict of Columbia Fire Department;
Mrs. Jack Gardner of the Mira Nc
Coy Andrews Day Nursery Association;
Mrs. Agnes Barnard, president, Legion
of Loyal Women; Mrs. w. E. Bruce,
president, Rubenstein Club; Mrs. Otto
Hammerlund, president, Petworth
Women's Club, and Miss Nellie Col
clazier, president, Abraham Lincoln
Circle, Ladies of the G. A, r.