Evening star., 1935-12-08

Ills WEEK N rI.r-.It
speaker will be
Thomas ]. Llewellyn, who will speak
on the opening of the new Calvert
Street Bridge on December 10.
Llewellyn has been a member of
the Rhode Island Avenue Citizens
Association for the past Is years. He
is a past president of this body, hav-
ing held Office in 1929 and reelected
again in 1880. Previous to this Office,
however, he served for six years as
chairman Of the Committee on Streets
and Sidewalks.
Came Here in 1909.
He has been a delegate to the fed
Grafton since 1928 and has served as
chairman of the federation's Com
mittee on Highways, Parks and Wa
terways since 1929.
Llewellyn was born in Nebraska and
came to Washington in 1909, moving
to the area near Lincoln Park. He
has lived in the northeast section
during his entire residence in the
District and has been connected with
no other citizens association. He now
lives at 1924 Otis street northeast, is
married and has two children.
He is member of the Masonic
order, Odd Fellows and is president
Of the Mems Bible Glass of the Mount
Rainier Christian Church.
A very brief history of the Fedora
tion was cited by Stull last week as
an example of organized citizenry at
its best. About rs years ago, he
declared, there existed a few scat
tered citizens associations in the
District At this time it was thought
there should be a strong central
body, through which could be cleared
all matters Of city-wide importance.
Delegates from each of these citizens
associations met and organized the
federation Today this central body
consists Of two delegates from each of
63 organizations. So being from local
citizens associations The federation
meets once and sometimes twice a
month to consider problems affecting
the city generally. 1t operates through
its Is standing committees appointed
by the president. Its Executive Com
mittee of 13 members. which is elected
by the membership, functions during
the periods when the federation is not
In session.
Mode of Procedure.
When the member bodies, usually
meeting once month, forward
resolution to the federation, it auto
matically is referred to a committee
for report at future meeting. Upon
report the matter is acted upon and
carried to its proper conclusion-pre-
serted to the Commissioners, Congress,
the Public Utilities Commission or
other proper bodies.
I'VE believe" Stull stated, "that
group of organized citizens in any
community, banded together in
mutual effort toward civic betterment,
will constitute a representative cross
section Of the residents of that
particular locality" It follows that
the federation is most representative
group of the residents of the District.
It has been stated time and again
by Federal and District officials that
the cooperation and results of study
o. these civic units are extremely help
full in crystalizing public opinion so
that officials may know what the
public really desires.
Since Washington has no vote, it is
imperative that its residents organize
and do the best they can to voice their
needs.
~ What Do Groups Accomplish?
The question is often asked by
those not affiliated, what do these
organizations accomplish? For answer,
Stull lists a few of the most impor-
tant items: One association defeated
an attempt by public utility to estab-
liSh large gas tank in its territory;
another secured the elimination of a
very dangerous grade crossing; one de-
feated an attempt to establish an Of
fensive dance hall in its territory; an
other secured the widening of several
streets; several secured the rerouting
Of street car and buses to better serv-
fee In their communities; several have
defeated attempts to rezone as COM
mercial certain residential properties.
One secured the removal of inter-
city trucks from a prominent resi-
dental thoroughfare; any number of
them have secured new and better
schools and Fairgrounds; many have
secured one-way streets and traffic
lights; new paving and better light
ing have been brought about by some.
At present there are about 10000
residents represented by the fedora
tien. During the economic period
through which we are passing, the
help of every man and woman is
needed in securing the sentiment Of