Evening star., 1951-01-05
Board Of Trade
Dinner Greets
New Legislators
Editor McKeIwoy Tells
Congress Newcomers
Of Two Woshinqtons

congress Newcomers
Of Two Woshinetons
Newcomers to Congress had a,
inside look at the real Washing
ton" last night and saw their rol
as neighbors as we'll as law-maker
in the District where they repre-
sent other districts
A welcome to Washington
dinner, arranged by the Washing
ton Board of Trade at Hotel Stat
Ter, offered II new members o
the House and II new Senator
al opportunity to meet severa
hundred business and professiona
leaders and public officials of tn
city.
They were assured by B. M
McKelway, editor of The Star
that there are two Washingtons
The political Washington" h,
explained, is a figure of speech o.
a state of mind" The "rea
Washington" he said, is made W
of friends and neighbors WHOSE
interests and whose destiny as {
community are closely bound w
with your own"
Dirksen Responds.
Senator Dirksen. Republican. o1
Illinois, responding to the COM
munity greetings. commended the
serene relationship" and the
spirit of understanding and CO.
operation that, he said. long have
linked the District and the legis-
lators.
Occasional differences over such
issues as daylight saving and the
"indissoluble and veXatious knot
known as the budget lump sum-
always give way to the common
pride which we all have as Ameri-
cans, domiciled or undomiciled as
We may be in the District, in the
beauty, progress and greatness OF
our Nations Capital" he said.
The newly-elected Illinois Sena-
tor, a former chairman of the
House District Committee, received
special applause for his 55th birth
day yesterday. He returned the
compliment by praising the Board
of Trade.
Reflects Community Sentiment. u
In a voteless community" he
declared, "the board has unself1sh-
ly and accurately reflected COM
munity sentiment and done SO
quite fairly. In community with
out an elected legislative body of
its own, the board and its mem
bers have given freely and gen.
erously of their time and effort
for the study of a host of prob
lens which arise in modern COM
munities. It has made durable
contribution to the development of
the National Capital"
Mr.. McKelway reminded the
guests that citizens of Washington
live under one of the most curl
Gus political contradictions to be
found anywhere in the world"
Residents of "the capital of a
Nation dedicated to the principles
of self-government are denied all
means of participation in that
Government" he observed. They
nevertheless pay all manner OF
District taxes as well as Federal
levies, he commented.
When all of you are together
In the legislative chambers at the
Capitol there seems to be an IL
resistible temptation to apply here
everything that each one of you
has learned about back home" he
added.
Committee Service Stressed.
Calling attention to increasing
evidence that Congress wants to
make the development ~of Wash
ington symbolic of the achieve
ments, the strength and aspira-
tions of a great Nation" Mr.. Nc
Kelway cited the Importance OF
service on House and Senate Dis
trict committees. The people OF
Washington, he said, appreciate
the congressional difficulties OF
devoting time to District affairs
but the service has rewards.
There are few men indeed
whose constructive work for the
Nations Capital has gone un-
appreciated, here or back home,
he said. GAS evidence of that lei
me cite the happy circumstance
which finds every member Of the
House District Committee of the
81st Congress returned to the
82d. There was one casualty il
the Senate District Committee
But I do not remember thai
Senator Pepper ever attributed
his defeat to anything he did fol
the District of Columbia. MY
recollection is that he attributed
his defeat to Senator Smathers.
Representation Urged.
Notwithstanding the construc'
tive service of many members O.
Congress in District affairs, tht
people of Washington lack thu
normal means of resolving dis.
agreements by electing repre-
sentatives of our own choosing tt
speak for us in Congress-" he said
For as long as Congress re-
mains in exclusive control of tn,
American seat of Government
provision which I believe mos
citizens agree is wise-Congres
Is our local government and it j
in Congress rather than in on
of it's agencies that we nee
representation"
Commissioner John Russo
Young brought the greetings {
the Nations ninth largest cit.
He noted that the municipal gov
ernment has a tremendous tas