Evening star., 1947-03-20
Devotion 10 Service
Cited by Dirksen at
Federation S Dinner

LII hSCll tAAC L2VAcC
District Committee told more than
600 persons at the annual dinner
Of the Federation of Citizens As
sociations last night that he never
ceased to be astonished at the de-
votion you bring to community
service"
The federations 9th anniver-
sary dinner was held in the Hotel
Statler.
A highlight Of the program was
presentation Of The Evening Star
Cup to DR.. M. Virginia O'Neil for
outstanding civic service during the
past year in the federation.
Representative Dirksen told the
civic workers the fact that Wash
ington was the best Capital in the
world did not mean there should
be no further improvement. He
said he wanted to see a Larger
measure of self-government in the
District-a remark that drew loud
applause.
Sees Vote "Some Day"
Some day." he said, you may
enjoy the right to vote as they do
in the 48 States"
Reasons for lack of a franchise
here have long since disappeared, L."
he added.
Mr.. Dirksen said. he had enjoyed
his fellowship with federation mem
bers when he was first appointed
a member of the District Commit
tee. In a humorous vein, he re-
minded his hearers of the ''tremen-
dous problems they had solved to-
gether-such as horizontal versus
perpendicular drinking, -one-man
streetcars, taxicabs, welfare ques-
tions and escapes from the District
Jail"
He said he did not mean the prob
lens were not serious, but only cited
them to show that restraint was
useful.
The virtue Of democracy" he
said, "is that under it one can find
solutions to differences. AS chair
man Of the committee I will be glad
to have your complaints and pro-
tests. Together we will find the
answers"
Juvenile Work Wins Honor.
The Star Cup was presented to
Dr.. O'Neil by B. M. McKelway,
editor of The Star. DR.. O'Neil,
supervisor of student teaching at
Wilson Teachers College, won the
award, made annually, for her work
as chairman of the youth problems
committee of the federation.
She took an active part in fight
ing juvenile delinquency in the
community.
Marcus Borchardt, president Of
the Mount Pleasant Citizens Asso-
citation of which DR.. O'Neil Is a
member, conducted her to the plat
form to receive the award.
DR.. O'Neil said she thought the
members of the youth problems
committee and the whole fedora
ton" had a large share in winning
the award.
"I hope all of us do better" she
said, ito make young people live
happily as truly democratic citi-
ZenS"
Clifford H. Newell, federation
president, was POSTMASTER. He said
It was the aim of the organization
"to make this city truly model
capital city"
Federation Growth Cited.
When the organization was
founded In 1910, he said. IA asso-
Citations banded together so they
could act with greater strength
as a unit. Today there are 68
groups in the federation.
"The colored have Federation
OF Civic Associations" Mr.. Newell
said, land we work together on
every matter pertaining to the COM
fort and welfare Of this city"
The invocation opening the meet
ing was pronounced by the Rev
John ]. Queally, rector of the
Church of the TRANSPORTATION.
Senator Cain, Republican, of
Washington, was scheduled to be
one of the principal speakers but
was detained by last nights debate
in the Senate on the portal-to-
portal pay issue. He is member
of the Senate District Committee.
The meeting closed with a show
ing of the moving picture, invita-
ton to the Nation" sponsored by
the Greater National Capital Com
mittee of the Washington Board
of Trade