Evening star., 1942-04-26
"Mother. let's 20 fishing. %

Those wordS-or words to that
effect-come over the telephone to
101 E. Leland street, Chevy Chase,
once or twice a week and are the
signal for the beginning of an
afternoon of relaxation for the
newly elected president of the WASH
ington Board of Trade.
Lanier p. McLachlen, president of
the McLachlen Banking Corp, was
elected to that post yesterday, TAX
ing over the job of leading Wash
ington business at time when war
presents the city with unprecedented
problems.
Those fishing trips on the upper
Potomac with Mrs. McLachlen will
be somewhat curtailed now and he
won't get in his golf game as, regu-
larly as he used to, but Mr.. Mo
Lachlen still carries an outboard
motor in the back of his car and
change of clothes, just in case he
can get away from his pressing new
duties for a few hours.
Mr.. McLachlen was born and
reared in Washington and his
thoughts are seriously on the prob
lens facing businessmen and resi-
dents of this war-crowded city
the Capital of the world" he calls
it.
Plans to Garry On.
His plans for his year in Office
are to carry on" he said in con-
versation at his modest suburban
home. We'll try to meet problems
as they occur with enough foresight
to anticipate some of them"
To this end he expects to name
shortly special Board Of Trade
committee to keep its hand on the
pulse of the city. to determine what
is needed and to formulate plans
and objectives.
I'm the days of the present emer-
gency, organizations such as the
Board of Trade have an increas-
ingly important position to assume
in their local communities, he told
the board of directors after his elec-
ton
New Problems Daily.
This is particularly so in Wash
mgton because of the concentration
of the war effort here There are
new problems arising daily due to
the large influx of new workers to
the city-problem which are the
concern of all of US as individuals
and especially of us as directors of
an organization largely made up of
the business interests of Wash
ington.
1T is up to us to see that these
problems are adequately met and
satisfactorily answered. 1t will
mean that all of us will have to
redouble our efforts to assure that
Washington maintains not only its
position as the seat of world de-
mocracy. but also its position as
newcomers will be proud to live"
Mr.. McLachlen views Washing
tons postwar position with con-
fidence.
7 think a large percentage of the
population that has come here will
stay" he said Washington will
never go back TO little town"
His Immediate Concern.
His immediate concern, however
is with the questions which tax the
resourcefulness of citv heads today
charity work. education, health,
transportation. housing. civilian de-
fenSe.
One of the first things on Mr.
McLachlen's program will be the
Trade Boards proposal for a United
War Chest in which charity organi-
Zations-the Community Chest, the
Red Cross. the United Service Or
ganizations and others-would pool
their organizational strength in orr
single drive for funds.
Give once and give all We can" "
is the way Mr. McLachlen put it.
The plan has not yet been per-
fected but work on it will continue.
Civilian Defense Responsibility.
Another question is the matter of
assuming some form of public liza
bility for volunteer civilian defense
workers who may be injured in the
line of duty. The Public Order
Committee of the board will meet
next week to discuss that matter.
The idea, he said, is To clarity
conditions" to decide whether there
Is q governmental or moral re-
sponsihility to see that AFRAID