Evening star., 1940-01-21

Clayton and headed by j. A. Crooks
is even now at work on celebration
plans expected to be announced In
the near future.
The tale Of how the movement
started is not entirely clear to many
Of the veteran civic leaders today.
The Chamber Of Commerce played
an active part but did not join the
new organization-e fact which
lends credence to the story that Mr..
Clayton was the inspiration Of the
movement. The story is that Mr..
Clayton, fearing q movement started
by one association-he was from
Brightwood Park-would not be
favorably received by the others,
took advantage of the good offices
Of the Chamber Of Commerce to
bring them together.
At any rate, March S saw a group
of association presidents meeting
with Chamber Of Commerce officials
working on the germ Of an idea and
the April 16 organization meeting
was set.
The history Of the Federation for
the ensuing three decades is a fas-
cinating kaleidoscope through which
fit momentarily names who tomor-
row can be seen on the streets of
Washington.
During the first 10 years the new
central body faced some of its most
difficult problems. Led by Presi-
dent Clayton the delegates began a
campaign for public utilities COM
mission which received a big push
when President Taft, addressing
Congress, called attention to the
need in Washington of proper con-
troll of utilities" In 1918 the three
Commissioners were set up as a
Public Utilities Commission, but
this was not what the citizens
wanted. It was not until many
years later they obtained the inde-
pendent commission with one Com
missioner member which exists to-
day.
Split on Prohibition.
But it was nquor-the question of
prohibition for the District-that
several times nearly tore the young
federation apart. The hot Debates
that ragged in citizeps' associations
throughout the city, turning out
greater attendance than ever before,
were reflected in the delegates to
the Federation which on December
4, 1915, approved the Sheppard bill
for District prohibition. The next
meeting saw the delegates approve
q proposal for referendum on the
subject. The District went dry in
1917.
The question of indorsing the
Sheppard bill split the committee
reporting on it to the delegates
Committee Chairman Charles
Shreve, later to be president of the
group, bringing in minority report
Meanwhile. the group had beer
meeting in the Chamber of Com
merce Building, for which a fee was
paid. and some delegates suggested
applying for use of the board room
at the District Building.
"No," roared Charles G. Lancaster
of the Citizens Northwest Suburban
Association, 1.-The District Building
is controlled by the Commissioners
and it is one of the prerogatives Of
the Federation delegates to damn the
Commissioners whenever they see
fit."
Hearing of this, Commissioner
Oliver Peck Newman smilingly tolc
the committee that waited on him
on the proposal:
"The Commissioners would just as
lief be damned here as any place
else"
And so, for the first time since
1878 when the commission form oi
government was set up, repre-
sentative organization met in the
District Building and assumed the
status of an unofficial city council.
Daniel J. Donovan, then secretary
to the Commissioners, now District
auditor, welcomed them to tht
building-to "a home that belong.
to you"
Help With War Work.
The war work of the Federation
in 1918 gave the delegates something
else to think about as they strovt
to interest District citizens in, hous.
ing of new Government employe.
that crowded into the Capital.
On November %, 1919, the Fed.
Grafton began a membership driv.
on a scale unequaled before or since
More than $4,000 new member.
cleared through the Federation int
the citizens association of theil
community as drive leaders, spurree
on by a young journalist, Dar
O'Connell, who had charge of tn,
publicity, enrolled President Wood.
row Wilson in the West End Citi.
zens' Association, cornered cabiner
members at the White House anc
signed them up In the association!
in their home territories. A Liberty
Bond truck was borrowed from tn,
Bureau of Engraving, and driv,
leaders drove through the city max.
ing street corner addresses on thu
big theme "Join an Association"
Mr.. O'Connell was always abou
two jumps ahead Of the leaders IL
arranging the next days program
and the latter often read in thu
paper for the first time q schedul,
of activities they were to carry out
which they had never heard of be-
fore.
Thus the first decade ended will
civic Washington on the marcl
under the leadership Of the centra
body. Presidents during this EN-,
battled era, in addition to cigar.
smoking, detective-story-lovfng Mr.
Clayton, were Daniel A. Edwards, ,
former president of the Board O
Education who resigned that pos
when an appropriations subcom'
mittee charged him with selling es'
says to students from his Cor.
respondence Bureau; Edward r. Col
laday, Republican lover Of vegetabl,
raising who some thought was Il
have been Landon's campaign man.
ager In 1896; Charles Shreve, rea