Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-11-28
FEDERAT|0NF|GHT
FOR VOTE GOES0N
Lodges Annual Report Sug.
gests Publicity Man for All
D. c. Departments.

of Thomas Ellis Lodge, president, to
continue its tight for national rep
resentation in the District.
Recalling efforts of the association
in this line. Mr.. Lodge declared: I'm
order to obtain the relief so necessary
for the political and economic free
dom Of the people of the District of
Columbia 1t should be your continue
ing responsibility to work at all times,
both at home and abroad in the sew
eral States. for the enfranchisement
of Washingtonians, that they may
be, as they ought to be, on a par in
all respects, politically and economi-
cally, with the citizens of the several
States, and that there may be no
| Territory or State under the Ameri-
can flag in which it can be said that
citizen of the United States is de-
MED the privilege of franchise and
political liberty"
Other Recommendations.
| Among other recommendations
made by the president was one that
| the federation give consideration to
| the installation in the District serv-
| ice OF a policy of training the exist
| ing personnel for advancement in
| order that District jobs should be
| given to District citizens from whence
the funds for their salary comes
through taxation"
Mr.. Lodge also recommended that
| the Federation give consideration TO
the entire public welfare system with
view to better understanding OF
| the system by the taxpayers, a more
| efficient and economical operation
and a more general knowledge of the
use to which the funds allotted are
being placed.
He likewise urged that the fedora
| ton and member bodies take an &C
| tive part in the affairs of the various
| recreational, health and charitable
| and penal institutions maintained by
| public and private funds. and that
| the active committees in every asso-
| cation should give careful attention
| TO problems of the institutions in
| their neighborhoods as we'll as gen.
eral problems of public welfare in all
its aspects.
Publicity Man Suggested.
I'm order that the public may be
better informed of the conduct of
| their government, and in order that
| they may be apprsed of the use of
the approximately s48000,00o COL
| lected from the taxpayers during the
| current year he said. Il recommend
| that the federation advocate the in
| stallation in the District service of
! what may be termed an officer or
director of publicity, through whom
clear all actions taken by the various
divisions to the end that one source
may be available to the public, the
press and others.
| Il make the separate recommended
ton that in conjunction with that
officer or as separate Office there
should be a single source available
to the public, where they in turn
may obtain information and guild
ance on individual problems which
they may have with the District gov
eminent. 1t is believed that this
method would save the time not only
OF the public and of the officials of
various departments. but would tend
to increase the needed understand
| ing courtesies toward the public"
Discussing the existing law that
provides that the revenues received
from the weight tax, gasoline tax,
permit and license fees be earmarked
for use of the highways and control
of traffic, Mr.. Lodge stated:
Warning on Diversion.
Il warn you that concerted effort
from high sources will be made to
divert those funds into other sources
and to use them for other purposes
than those for which they have been
collected from the taxpayers"
AS result of the Law and Legis-
lation Committees recommendations
the report said, the federation has
favored the modernization Of practice
IN lunacy proceedings, creation of
small claims court and Cancellation
board, election of delegates to ma
tional party conventions. legislation
prohibiting use of slugs in coin boxes,
regulations in the practice of law,
legislation to strengthen laws pro-
hlbltlng gambling, provision for re-
vision of the District of Columbia
Code, establishment OF committee
of the federation to cooperate with
member bodies in matters relating to
Alley Dwelling Authority amend
ments to the Alcoholic Beverage Con-
troll Act, amendment to the Work
mems Compensation Act, passage of
legislation to prohibit paroles to per-
sons convicted of second-offense fell
| ony in certain cases. The federation
opposed the following: Changes In
regulations of the Alcoholic Beverage
| Control Board without due public no.
tice and hearing, legislation to legal
ize race track wagering or gambling
in the District. pensions for Police,
Municipal and Juvenile Court Judges;
increase in membership of the United
States Supreme Court and creation
of the office of public defender.
| A~cW A<dWS 1IlSttu.
Among the laws passed by the
Seventy-ffth Congress approved In
the current year the following are
invited to your attention: The Joint
resolution to permit the District Of
Columbia to enter into a pact or agree
ment with the States of MARYLAND,
Virginia, West Virginia and Penn
sylvania respecting the creation of a
Potomac Valley conservance district
for the prevention or abatement Of
harmful pollution of the Potomac
| River; amendment Of various sections
Of the Alcoholic Beverage Control
Act, the act increasing the age OF
consent to marry to IS for males and
l6 for females and the act to require
q period Of three days to expire after
application and before the issuance
Of license to marry lit is noted that
Il