Evening star., 1949-11-29
Trade Board Notes Past, Looks
To Future in Anniversary Fete

years of civic accomplishment, the
Board Of Trade today foresaW
still greater things" in the future,
as it moved into the third day of
it's week-long Goth anniversary
celebration.
Flanked by torch-bearing men,
bers who represented both the
present and the future of the trade
body, mementos of Washington's
past paraded along Pennsylvania
avenue last night in colorful
prelude to the anniversary gen.
eral meeting held in Lisner Audi
torium, Twenty first and G streets
NV.
Led by one of the boards oldest
members, Odell S. Smith. as mar
shall, more than dozen ancient
automobiles, horse drawn car
riages and even a vintage 1889
streetcar chugged along Pennsyl-
vania avenue from Fifteenth and
F. streets to the auditorium. Mr..
Smith rode in the lead car with
Inspector Floyd A. Truscott, as
sistant superintendent of police.
Two Trucks Unused.
Although two tow trucks
brought up the rear, just in case
any of the vehicles, ranging from
a 1904 Rambler to a 1922 Stanley
Steamer. ran into trouble. their
services were unneeded. Only
mishap, which draw laughter from
large groups of the thousands who
lined the route, occurred when
a 1912 Oldsmobile stalled twice
but for short periods only-in
front of Keith's Theater and. the
Roger Smith Hotel.
Highlighting the meeting, at
tended by hundreds Of members
and guests. was the presentation
OF life memberships to 10 men
who have been with the Board of
Trade for so years or more. and
one-hour radio broadcast of
meeting proceedings. including a
half-hour skit dramatizing the
work of the board. Speakers in
cluded Commissioner John Rus
sell Young. Edward F. Colladay,
past president Of the. organiza-
ton, and B. M. McKelway, editor
of The Star.
The meeting marked the first
of series of events commemorate
ing the boards birthday just go
years ago last Sunday, when a
group of businessmen gathered at
the old Ebbitt House to organize
such a board. Frederick P. H.
Siddons, incumbent president, who
conducted last nights meeting,
noted that a dinner meeting pre-
ceding at the Willard Hotel. was
just across Fourteenth street from
the Ebbitt site, where the National
Press Building now stands.
Hear Steinkraus Tomorrow.
Other events in the anniversary
week include a 15-minute broad
cast over WMAL, The Star sta
ton, at 1O:45 o'clock tonight, fea-
turing a review Of some accom-
plishments of the board in the
last so years; a formal dinner at
7:30 pm. tomorrow in the May
flower Hotel. with Herman Stein
kraus, president of the United
States Chamber Of Commerce, as
guest speaker, and a luncheon at
1890 pm. Friday in the Burling-
ton Hotel, featuring a program by
the boards Traffic Committee. Mr..
Steinkraus' talk will be broadcast
over WMAL at 10:30 pm. to-
morrow.
Last night the board was pre-
sented with the Treasury Depart
ment's Distinguished Service
Award by John S. Graham, AS
sistant Secretary Of the Treasury,
who declared. Its leaders. repre-
senting the forward-looking men
of business, commerce and
finance, have been among the
staunchest supporters Of Savings
Bonds.
"This cooperation" said Mr..
Graham, springs from the
boards awareness of its respon-
sibility to develop the civic and
economic life of this Capital city"
Mr.. McKelway, paying tribute
to the men who have worked with
tine board for q better Washing.