Evening star., 1947-03-09
Citizens Federation
Decides by43-13vot
To Publish Monthly

| After three hours of debate, the
Federation of Citizens Associations
last night voted to publish a month
ly newspaper. The vote was 43 to 13.
First edition of the paper, to be
known as the District Of Columbia
Citizen" Is expected to be out by
mid-April.
Details of the project were read
by John H. Connaughton, a mem
| ber of the Official Organ Commit
tee. Chairman of the committee
which submitted the report was
Wilbur S. Finch, former president
of the federation. Members were
Eugene E. Ditto, Herbert Leeman
and Fred S. Walker.
Committee to Edit News.
The paper is to be tabloid with
eight pages asa minimum Accord
| ing to th6 proposed contract al a.
planned II the nleeting, The pafer
/ is to bef owned, controlled and dis
tributed by Paul P. Walsh, District
printer. The federation Editorial
ComIntttee, however, is to Nave com
plete supSryisiong of AL The news
with Mr.. Walsh having the right
to determine the typography Of TIE
paper.
Terms OF the suggested contract
stated that SO per cent of the net
profit of each issue above $579.33
would go to the federation, with IS
per cent of the net profit going to
it if the figure is less. 1t also pro-
vides that SO per cent Of each issue
be devoted to news of the fedora
ton.
MI. Ditto, in the debate, estimated
that "about 10000 copies would be
sent out" He stated that the Fed
Grafton had approximately 10000
members not including member
bodies such as the Parent Teacher
Association.
Advertising Rates Come Up.
Most of the debate centered
around the feeling Of many mem
bers that the contract had not been
given to them in time for full study.
Mr.. Connaughton said the contract
was completed only yesterday and it
was impossible to. get copies for
every one printed in time for the
meeting.
The question of advertising rates
was raised by Baxter Smith of the
North Capitol Citizens Association.
He said no facts had been presented
concerning how high the rates
would be and whether those rates
were consistent with those charged
by similar publications. This point
was challenged by supporters of the
resolution, who cited instances
where publications of smaller cir
culation charged rates which were
1 equal to that proposed for the Fed
Grafton publication.
| The contract was read paragraph
by paragraph to the meeting, with
each paragraph being debated be-
fore the next was taken up. At the
end of the session the federation
voted on the entire contract.
| DdtCS OPVOSCS ~
Charles Fl. Bates of the Society
of Natives, voted against every para
graph and against the contract or
the final vote. Mr.. Bates declared
the paper was not "in the best in
terests of the federation" as he
, saw it.
J. M. Heiser of the Chevy Chase
Citizens Association declared his
opposition came from the conviction
that washington was the grave.
yard of small publications
Those favoring the paper said II
would serve as a means of providing
: more permanent record of the
! citizen association activities than
the daily news coverage' afforded.
. 'The daily papers in Washington
Ihave been very kind to us in that
respect" one proponent said, "bui
a federation paper devoted to oul
. interests provides medium impos-
sible for a daily paper to supply
We can keep in more permanent
form what is going on in our asso-
Citations in this way"
i Newell, DonnelIy Preside.
Clifford H. Newell, president o1
the Federation, presided at the open.
ing of the meeting, which was held
| in the District Building. Later
Ralph w. Donnelly, vice president
of the association, took over as chaif.
man.
/ The Federation earlier in the meet
ing adopted resolution, proposed b,
Mr.. Bates. expressing regret at the
accident which kept John Barse
l94-year-old member of the group
from attending the meeting. II
view of the fact that Mr.. Barse wa.
injured near the building, it wa.
i voted to mark him present. Thi,
kept intact Mr.. Barses attendance
record extending back many yearS
| 1t was pointed out.