Evening star., 1941-12-14
Hampshire Heights Reporter
Has His Role Reversed
P. J. Ableman
Talks of Coming
Member Drive
By THOMAS G. BUCHANAN.

p, j. Ableman is q publicity man
who hates publicity-about himself.
He can work up a real enthusiasm
when discussing the Federation's ap-
preaching membership drive, OF
which he is the publicity director,
or the Hampshire Heights Chronicle,
which he edits each month with
painstaking care. But speak TO MIN
of his personal activities and he tells
YOU. Now I realize how 1t feels 10
be on the other side of the fence!
Mr.. Ableman was one Of the orig
inal members Of the Hampshire
Heights group, organized in 1898 by
citizens who felt that neighborng
associations no longer were IN q
position effectively to serve their
rapidly expanding community. his
efforts in publicizing the infant as
sociation were instrumental in Sc
curing for Hampshire Heights ad-
mission into the Federation.
From the outset Hampshire
Heights has been a hourishing OUTFIT.
It's early meetings, Mr.. Alderman de-
clares, attracted as many as 500 per-
sons. Subsequently attendance zen
of somewhat, but Mr.. Alderman pc
lieyes it will approach record levels
once more as a result of its active
participation in civilian defense
work.
A major factor in the organiza-
ttou's success has been its monthly
magazine, the Chronicle, entire Work
on which is done by Mr.. Ableman.
The Chronicle Is unusual among
civic group publications In its COM
prehensive coverage not only OF
neighborhood problems but OF all
the major issues confronting WASH
ington as a whole. One feature IN
particular has attracted widespread
attention and praise in civic circles
the PRO and Con" column which
presents the conflicting viewpoints
on such matters as traffic control,
pre-marital blood tests (of which
Mr.. Ableman is a strong advocate)
and District suffrage.
AS a delegate to the Federation
Mr.. Ableman has served his asso-
citation with equal energy. He Is
vice chairman of the Police and Fire
protection Committee. At the pres
ent time his principal interest Is
the Federation's membership cam
paign, scheduled for February Il to
March 1.
Long an advocate Of such a drive
ba wrote in the Chronicle in May
1910, that Washington citizens asso-
Citations should strive to increase
their collective membership by
0OO0. "I feel that the best way
In which the citizens associations
could gain greater power and au-
thority with Congress" he asserts
would be through a larger mem
bership"
Mr.. Ableman says the Federation
has no definite goal in the member
ship drive. "Under ordinary condi'
tions I could tell you approx
mately," he explains. This war sit
uation has upset calculations. At th'
same time it will probably benefi
us when people find out that it's tht
citizens associations that are doint
most to protect the people OF th'
District"
He is a member Of the Civilian
Defense Committee for Hampshire
Heights in addition to his otheI
civic work, and handles publicit.
for the local defense unit. Th'
December edition Of the Chronicl
will contain q complete map Of tn
area, with the zones and sectors int
which It has been divided. Lik'
many other civic leaders, he Is in
dignant over the failure Of Con
gress as yet to appropriate fund
to carry on the defense work II
the District.
For some time Mr.. Ableman ha
demanded an expansion Of the loca
Fire Department In anticipation o
Just such an emergency as nov
exists. A year and q half ago h
wrote in the Chronicle:
I'm this, the Nations Capital, tn
Fire Department Is woefully lack
ing in men and equipment. Warfar
abroad tells us that the nerve cen
tter Of d Nation Is its capital, an