Evening Star Newspaper, January 4, 1942, Page 31

CIVIC NEWS. CivicProblems, CivicBodies Need of Legislative Program; Progress on Traffic Problems By JESSE C. SUTER. ‘The few civic meetings occurring during the past two weeks rep- resented a condition not at all unusual during a Christmas-New Year holiday period. It is, however, very unusual to find leaders, and the workers in the ranks all busily engaged in important pub=- lic work. The civilian defense, conservation of waste materials, col~ lections for the Red Cross and the boosting of the sale of Defense stamps and Defense bonds have gotten them all going strong. Many a citizen, who has neither willingly nor reluctantly shown publis spirit by helping in community undertakings is now in the forefront in this patriotic endeavor, The way the voteless anc unrepresented people of the National Capital have taken hold is, indeed, inspiring. The old wheelhorses who have, year in and year out, been carrying the community bur- dens by doing the peacetime chores are unable to restrain a sigh for CIVIC NEWS. Long Struggle for Funds Marks City’s Defense Effort Budget Bureau, Which Denied Pre-War Organization Monéy, Still Silent on Request for Emergency Federal Aid By JOHN W. THOMPSON, Jr. ct officials are growing daily more pessimistic on the Capital’s chances of sharing in the $150,000,000 emergency fund of the President to support the cost of some of the air raid protection services and equipment. Not once but several times they have been to the Budget Bureau but apparently have not yet been given a definite reply. On his return from the first conference Commissioner John Russell Young said he was hopeful that some of the money would be made available. In going before the bureau the District submitted request for some $1,500,000 to finance emergency water reservoirs, additional firemen and THE SUNDAY BTAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, JANUARY ol an equal interest and participation for the good of all when peace once more prevails. ‘Winning the war and protecting ok’ community and our homes i the immediate job for all organizations and individuals. Money for social events might, at least, be split in half and the difference invested in the Red Cross or loaned to Uncle Sam. All civic energy for non-defense campaigns should be expended in civilian defense and allied undertakings. ‘When the war is won, then, there will be opportunity for a re- sumption of such normal activities. It will then be found that many a new civic worker of high value has been developed in the defense and other war work. ‘The past week is notable in that two important legislative acts have become effective. At midnight Wednesday the 3-cent gasoline tax superseded the old 2-cent rate in the District. On Friday the District Emergency Rent Act went into operation. Under the terms of a resolution adopted by Congress on Tues- day the first session of the Seventy-seventh Congress on Friday ad- Jjourned to convene in regular session on Tuesday, January 5, 1943. The annual budget message of the President will go to Congress early next week at which time the District citizens will get an idea a8 to what projects have been included in the District 1943 budget. ‘Then will come an opportunity, when the Appropriations Subcom- mittee gets ready to begin consideration, for citizen spokesmen to urge any desired ehanges or additions. L AN Civic Bodies' Legislative Program Is Non-Existent. As usual Congress begins & new session with the citisen orga- nisations of various kinds without a well-defined legislative program upon which substantially all organizations unite. To be prepared in this way would simplify the process always. Now, with Congress occupied with important matters in connee- tion with the national emergency, there is unusual point in pre- paring a program of urgent District legislation. This should be done in co-operation and in conjunction with the District Commissioners and the committees of Congress. If the Board of Trade and the Federation of Citizens’ Associations would take the initlative in working up a tentative plan the ground-work would be laid for & conservative program upon which there would be rather general agreement. By following such a course much time would be saved members of the Senate and House committees and citizens, all of whom are already carrying heavy burdens. A generally approved program would stand a far better chance of obtaining desired results than proceeding in a planless manner with all of the time-consuming work involved. A community approved program would eliminate the usual confusion in Congress as to “who wants what?” e Progress on Highway Traffic Problems. A bill authorizing establishment of municipally owned parking lots was reported to the Senate on Tuesday with the unanimous approval of the District Committee, and placed on the Senate cal- endar. This bill will permit the location of such lots on the fringe of the central business section. A similar bill is pending before the House District Committee. The Senate bill, as reported, would allow such parking lots in resi- dential areas with the approval of the Zoning Commission, and give the National Capital Park and Planning Commission the privilege of passing on parking lot sites selected by the District Commission- ers. Passage of the bill by the Senate is expected this week, soon after the new session of Congress convenes. . The Senate “fringe parking bill” is a second product of the work of the Burton Subcommittee. The first was the 3-cent gaso- line tax bill. The automobile tire rationing may result in a material reduction in the gasoline tax yield. There has been no estimate advanced as to how many motor vehicles will be put out of commis- sion througle inability to buy tires. Any reduction in the yield will retard the highway plan and prolong its completion. The new Sixteenth street underpass beneath Scott Circle was opened to vehicular traffic at noon on Tuesday. After less than 24 hours’ operation engineers and traffic experts called it 100 per cent efficient. The first real test of the underpass came during the 4-to-6 p.m. rush period Tuesday, when, according to Traffic Director Van Duzer, there was no congestion whatever at any time. It is said that the tunnel takes from 42 to 45 per cent of traffic that once moved on the surface. The surface traffic along Massachusetts avenue also moved without the usual interruption. The rearrangement of the road- ways around the circle for surface traffic turning to or from Six- teenth street into Massachusetts and Rhode Island avenues also brings about a decided impnrovement. Fourteenth street and Maine avenue S.W. is the next under- pass on the program and then Dupont Circle will probably come in for attention. e Senate Committee Hearing on Recreation Bill. Tomorrow morning at 10 o'clock the Senate Committee on the District of Columbia will hold a hearing on H. R. 5075 to create & recreation board for the District. This bill was passed by the House on July 14, 1841. As passed, the board would “consist of seven members as follows: A member of the Board of Commissioners selected by that board who shall serve as chairman; a representative of the Board of Education selected by that board, the Superintendent of National Capital Parks ex officio and four members, who shall have been for five years immediately preceding their selection bona fide residents of the District of Columbia.” The four members would be appointed by the Commissioners for a term af four years each. The original appointments shall be for one, two, three and four years respectively. A superintendent of recreation and other personnel are to be appointed by the Commissioners on recommendation of the board of recreation. All expenditures are to be controlled by the Com- missioners. The Senate Committee is giving particular attention to two proposed amendments. The first would require the School Board to name one of its own members rather than a representative as a member of the recreation board. The other amendment would “permit the Board of Education, the Commissioners or the National Capital Parks Office to refuse the use of any ground, building or facility under their individual or collective control whenever the use of any such ground, building or facility for recreation purposes would interfere with the use or purpose for which such ground, building or facility was acquired or created.” * %0 How to Get a Metropolitan Area Directory? A problem confronting civic leaders, public officials, business- men and the public generally is how to locate people in the Wash- ington Metropolitan Area beyond the limits of the District of Columbia whose names and addresses are not to be found in the telephone directory. The Chesapeake & Potcmac Telephone Co. has been helpful through inclusion of nearby subscribers in directories they have issued for several years. Some of the communities have issued small directories of restricted circulation, mostly in the immediate sections covered. These have, however, never been generally available in Washington. Many complaints at this lack of coverage of the Metropolitan Area with an accurate general directory have been made to this observer. The question has usually been propounded—“How can I get a directory in which are to be found the names and addresses in the densely settled areas beyond the District line?” We do not know the answer, but believe that the resourceful Greater National Capital Committee of the Washington Board of Trade can discover s way to the answer and solve the problem. ** e Call to Prayer by the President ‘Began 1942. A call to prayer at 5 o’clock p.m. on New Year Day was issued by the President as an appropriate beginning of the year 1942. There is much to give thanks for and much to pray for, esgecially for strength of character to banish degrading practices which make many of the people unfitted to carry their share of the heavy burdens imposed by the war. Strong bodies, clear brains and stout hearts are needed to win the present conflict. Lip service will not register—it must be backed by a clean life and works. Prayer is needed throughout the year and not only for January 1. Substitu- tion of “The Angelus” for the cocktail hour would help to win the war s the bellef of many good eitizens. A ) Are Closed To Children Action Follows Probe and Story In The Star Under fire from District officials and citizens’ associations for some time because of complaints that a large number of children habitually frequented their establishments, the owners of Washington's penny ar- cades and funlands have agreed to exclude persons under 16 years of age from their places, The Star learned yesterday. A double-barrelled investigation of pinball and slot-machine devices, whlcwke up the principal at- tract; in the pennylands, was be- gun in November after numerous complaints had reached the offices of District Attorney Edward M. Cur- ran, Police Supt. Edward J. Kelly and the Commissioners that chil- dren were frequenting these places. Meeting Is Held. Ira T. Byram, jr., manager of the | w; Silent Sales System—a leading dis- tributor of coin-operated amuse- ment machines in Washington—told The Star a meeting of all owners of playlands and penny arcades in the Capital was held early in December, following publication of a story in The Star revealing that the Regula- tions Committee for the Commis- sioners and the district attorney’s office had decided to probe the set- up. At the meeting, all the owners af- fixed their signatures to & plan by which minors under 16 years of age would not be permitted in any play- lands at any time. A photostatic copy of the agreement was sent to The Star and the proper District officials were notified. ‘When the previous story regarding the complaints and the investigation was published, Mr. Byram said, he immediately conferred with the dis- trict attorney, the corporation counsel’s office and leading citizens’ association members who verified that the complaints all concerned small children patronizing and con- gregating in the various playlands where 15 to 25 or more coin-operated amusement machines are located. Protests by Wender. The investigation was instigated by protests from Harry S. Wender, president of the Southwest Citizens’ Association, who called attention of District officials to an applicatior by a man wanting to open a penny arcade in the Southwest section near a school. The Mid-City Asso- clation also protested the operation of pin-ball machines and penny- arcades. The special subcommittee of the Regulations Committee consisted of Assistant Supt. of Police Harvey G. Callahan, Assistant Corporation Counsel John O'Dea and Assistant United States Attorney Allen Krouse. Lt. Joseph Shimon of the Detective Bureau and Assistant United States Attorney John W. Fihelly also were assigned to the in- vrstization. Business Groups Three Units Will Meet Three businessmen’s asscciations are scheduled to meet this week. The meetings: Tuesday. Columbia Heights — Luncheon, Sholl's Cafe, 3027 Fourteenth street N.W., noon. ‘Thursday. Northeast—Luncheon, tal Hotel, North Capitol between D and E streets, 12:30 pm. Central—Luncheon, New Colonial Hotel, Fifteenth and M streets NW., 12:15 pm. Calendar Notes. The Funeral Directors’ Association is planning a banquet for the latter part of the month, according to Arthur J. Carroll, jr., secretary, but the time and place has not been named yet. There will be no regular meeting of the group in January. Continen- | pany - WHO 1S ORGANIZING DOWNTOWN CIVILIAN DEFENSE.... Southeast Council to Seek 15 Objectives in 1942 William J. Smith Heads Group for Second Year By BAINBRIDGE CRIST. ‘The Boutheast Council of Citisens’ Associations has entered the new year with a full schedule of 15 objectives to improve its section of the city. Heading the council and its efforts for the second year is Willlam J. Smith, who talked yesterday of his presidency with enthusiasm and de- clared that “he liked to create and organisge.” mark to shoot at, for of the original 19 projects of the council all but 3 have been accomplished. Mr. Smith is a delegate to both the council and the Federation of Citizens’ Associations from Summit Park, where he is a charter member of the citizens’ association. After serving as president of the Summit Park Association for three years he was named an honorary president. Mr. Smith described the council, which is composed of delegates from 11 organizations, as a “self-govern- ing agency authorized to express the united public opinion” of Southeast . He sald he liked * feel that the council was to - Southeast what the Federation was | to the District. Projects Are Listed. ‘The present projects of the coun- cil take in a wide range of sub- jects, including everything from a request for a library branch and substation for No. 11 police precinct to removal of the garbage plant from their section of the city. The complete list follows: 1. Purchase of a site and appro- priation for a branch library in Anacostia. An appropriation for the site already has been made. 2. Widening of Independence ave- nue from Second street S.E. to First | street S.W. 3. New school for the Tyler- Cranch unit and & new school cen- ter to replace the Wallach and | Hines Schools. 4. Appropriation for equipment and furnishings of schools under 5. Extension of Virginia avenue from Eleventh street SE. along the Anacostia River as & parkway to end at Benning road. 6. Continue development of park areas in the section; beautify park- way in center of Pennsylvania ave- nue and replant trees where some are missing. : Seek Police Substation. 1. Complete” Burns street sewer from Texas avenue to Alabama avenue SE. 8. Bulld substation for No. 11 precinct at Forty-fourth street and Benning road. 9. Remove garbage plant from Southeast. 10. Complete Massachusetts ave- nue roadway, grade and hard-sur- face from Thirty-third place to Alabama avenue SE. 11. Complete clover-leaf roadway and connect it with the East end of the John Philip Sousa Bridge, including grading and paving Da- vidson place. 12. Build bridge at East Capitol street. 13. Build bridge at South Capitol treet. street. 14. Complete Fort Drive and bridge over depression at intersec- tion of Ridge road and Texas ave- nue. 15. Appropriation for construction of an adequate sewer connection for Fort Davis and Fort Dupont areas. Bliss Takoma, Md., and of the National University Law School here. He has been with the telephone com- here since 1927. As & hobby, Mr. Smith has taken up magic, and has given a number of performances at various civic and fraternal groups for charitable purposes. He began his study of tricks as a child and still carries around a book on magic in his brief case to polish up on the subject in odd moments. He makes his home a} 3651 Suit- land road SE. He is married and two Mr. Smith has s high, WILLIAM J. SMITH. —Star Staff Photo. Junior Board | Will Hear 'Halifax British Envoy | Forest Hills, Mount Pleasant, Amer- fire alarm communications and nu- merous other defense items. They were told to revise the estimates and Jcut them down a bit, which was done. Three Previous Denials. ‘Three times previously the Com- missioners had been denied by the bureau funds for the organization of civilian defense protection with the result that the outbreak of the war found the city floundering around, almost entirely dependent on generous citizen leaders and their organizations, who were asked not only to give their time but in many instances to support financially some of the work of getting out notices and setting up air raid posts. Privately some of the local offi- clals are a bit upset at the tendency of national defense organizations to | set up some plan to be carried out by the city without giving the Capi- tal any way of paying the bills re- quired to set up the service. example, the District was asked to undertake a tire rationing program without any funds on which they oould draw to pay for this work which they knew would be extremely comprehensive in view of the num- ber of motor vehicles in the area. ‘Whitney Leary, new chairman of the tire rationing program, agreed to take it on only if money was made available to run it right. The Com- missioners had to call on W. P. A. | to furnish a special project to pro- | vide the necessary staff, at a time Units Meet ms Week when W. P, A. is eumul_ng on a | large number of local projects. Civilian Defense | _ “cu” Buying Considered. . In another instance, after the in- Still Keynotes adequacy of the District’s air-raid Sessions | Commissioner Young had reached the point where he was ready to Civilian defense talks and plans | order air-raid sirens WASHINGTONS of the 20 citizens’ associations meet- | with the expectation that the money ing this week, four of these meetings being carried over from last week payment was due. Fortunately this as a result of New Year Day. was made unnecessary with the For | warning system was demonstrated. | | and other will be the keynote of a majority | needed equipment “on the cuff”| would be made available at the time | passage of the “blackout” bill au- thorizing $1,000,000 for District civilian defense. But the police, fire, air-raid war- den and emergency medical leaders have already submitted estimates of need totalling nearly $2,500,000 and a high ranking District official, when asked what he thought the entire cost of preparing the Capital would be, estimated $3,000,000. Al- réady the Commissioners have an- nounced preparations to go before Congress for authorization for a second million. Thus, at the moment, the picture calls for nearly total reliance upon | the District taxpayer for protection of the National Capital. To obtain the necessary equipment the Dis- trict is authorized to borrow up to $1,000,000 from the Secretary of the Treasury which must some day be | repaid by the taxpayers who are al- ready faced with rising national taxes and a one-cent boost in the local gasoline tax. Lanham Funds Battle. The battle for dollars to organize the defenses of the National Capital followed close upon a similar strug- gle to obtain for the city an allo- cation from the Federal Works Agency which administers the mil- Hons appropriated for the relief of areas whose municipal facilities have been strained by overnight trans- formation into defense areas. ‘While Federal employes and others were flooding to the Metropolitan Area from all over the country with the expanding Government war- time effort, the Commissioners a plying for up to $6,000,000 of the so-called Lanham act funds were told all the money was allocated and there was none for the District. After strong protest by Commis- sioner Young the F. W. A. relented and agreed to hold some $2,000,000 for a reasonable time until the bill authorizing the District to borrow the money was approved, which it now has been. A. H. Le Cheminant, assistant = director of the British Purchasing | Commission, and Capt. Willlam L. Clements, director of public relations for civillan defense in the Metro- politan area, will be guest speakers at a civilian defense meeting of the Dupont Circle Citizens’ Association tomorrow afternoon in the May- flower Hotel, it was announced by | Rowland S. Marshall, secretary. Mr. Marshall also said that all air-raid | wardens and those working on civilian defense committees of the | By E. M. CASTRO, association would be in attendance | Wide World News at the meeting. | RIO DE JANEIRO, Jan. 3— Mr. Le Cheminant will also be | Plans and principles laid down in speaker at a “patriotic meeting” of | Peacetime for the defense of the the Columbia Heights Citizens' Americas come under the test of Association Tuesday night. George | War when the Third Consultative | H. Brown, presdient of the group, | Conference of Foreign Ministers |said that in addition to Mr. Le opens here January 15. . Cheminant, Rudolph Blick, chair- | Out of the meetings, requested by man of the association’s Civilian | Washington after Japan, Germany Defense Committee, would tell of the | and Italy went to war with the work being done in the Columbia | United States, should come con- Heights area. The meeting will be crete measures to strengthen the held this month in the Columbia military and economic defense of Heights Christian Church, 1435 Park the New World nations road N.W.. in order to accommodate | With tall, graying Brazilian For- an expected large attendance, Mr. eign Minister Oswaldo de Freitas Brown added. Valle Aranha presiding, the parley Other associations expected to | is scheduled to open in the Palacio discuss civilian defense include | Tiradentes, which once housed the now-extsnct Chamber of Deputies. ican University Park and Crestwood In committee rooms. in hotel The latter group, recently organized, ' rooms, in coffee houses, the foreign will also take up the question of ministers and their representatives membership in the Federation of | will seek to work out a revised com- Citizens’ Associations, it was said | mon program for meeting the Speaks ThurSday | by Alfred W. Sherman, president. At Luncheon | "The Kenilworth Citizens’ Assagia- | tion, meeting tomorrow, will hold Viscount Halifax, the British Am- | annual elections and the Southeast | weekly luncheon of the Junior 12:30 p.m., at the Annapolis Hotel. | _ Civilian defense assignments will be made at a meeting of the War Committee Tuesday at 8:15 pm., at the board offices. An inspection squad for downtown buildings will be named, a group to work a Junior Board downtown booth sell- ing Defense savings stamps will be formed and a unit to keep the civilian population aofficially ad- vised on what to do in case of an air raid, will be designated. Other meetings planned this week include the officers tomorrow at 12:30 p.m., at Taft House Inn, and the Board of Directors at 8:15 pm.,, | at the Mayflower Hotel. Tuesday | at 12:30 p.m. the Traffic and Safety | Committee will meet at Taft House | Inn and Thursday at 7:30 pm. the Howling league will gather at Petworth Alleys. Former Civic Leader Safe at Pearl Harbor Robert H. Worrall, former dele- gate to the Federation of Citizens’ Associations from Hillcrest, has gone through the Pearl Harbor disaster without injury, but is fighting mad at the Japanese, like every one else there. to word reaching here, Mr. Worrall, & radio engineer who was sent to Pearl Harbor in 1938, is working long hours seven days & week and reports he has never seen such co-operation as is being shown by all working to. restore the bat- tered base. The former civic leader, it was said, has not gpven had time for & haircut. _| Association Names Committee Chairmen Committee chairmen of the Arkan- sas Avenue ~Community Citisens’ Association for the coming year have been appointed, it was an- nounced recently by Hugh V. Keiser, president. ‘The list is as follows: Clark Cummings, auditing; Mrs. Edwin Hasbrouck, gardens; Dr. S. J. Hohberger, health and safety; Frank Pollard, public utilities; C. H. Newell, program; N. Ward Guthrie, parks and playgrounds; Joseph Stein, real estate and taxation; Mrs. R. V. ‘W. Robbins, soning; Needham Turnage, law and legislation, and Mr. Keiser, member- children, Jo, 5%, who is at school, and Joy, 3%. ' ship. | cuss the program for the new year | | Southeast section. Following is the schedule of the 20 citizens’ associations meeting this week: Monday. D. C—Auditorium, Takoma School, Piney Branch road and Dahlia street | NW, 8 pm. Dupont Circle—Mayflower Hotel, | 4:30 pm. | Forest Hills—Ben Murch School, " Thirty-sixth and Ellicott streets NW., 8 pm. | Kenilworth — Kenilworth School, | 1302 Forty-fourth street NE. 8 p.m. | Manor Park—Auditorium, Whittier | School, Fifth and Sheridan streets | \N.W., 8 pm. i Metropolis Vie w—Metropolis Apartment, 200 Rhode Island avenue NE, 8 pm. | Progressive Citizens of Congress Heights—Congress Heights School, | SE, 8 pm. | Progressive Citizens of George- town—Curtis School, 3243 O street | NW, 8 pm. TUESDAY. Columbia Heights — Columbia Heights Christian Church, 1435 Park | road NW., 8 pm. North Cleveland Park—3923 Win- dom place NW., 8 pm. Southeast Council—No. 11 police | precinct, Nichols avenue and Chi- ufo street SE, 8 pm. WEDNESDAY. Crestwood—Music _room. Roose- velt High School, Thirteenth and | Upshur streets N\W., 8 p.m. ‘Washington Highlands—Congress Heights School, Nichols avenue and Raleigh street SE., 8 pm. THURSDAY. American University Park—Hurst | Hall, American University, Massa- :hunm and Nebraska avenues N.W., pm. ’ Bradbury Heights — Bradbury Heights M. E. Church, 4327 Bowen road SE, 8 pm. Congress Heights — Congress Heights School, Nichols avenue and Raleigh street SE., 8 pm. Connecticut Avenue—All Souls’ Church Hall, Connecticut and Ca- thedral avenues NW., 8 p.m. Northeast Conference —No. 12 police precinct, Seventeenth street and Rhode Island avenue NE, 8 pm. FRIDAY. Brightwood—Paul Junior High School, streets NW., 8 pm. SATURDAY. Mount Pleasant—Bancroft School, Nichols aventie and Raleigh street | h Eighth and Oglethorpe | protec danger which, since they last ga- thered at Havana in the hot sum- mer of 1940, has become a reality From the time when President | bassador, will be speaker at the Council. meeting Tuesday, will dis- | Roosevelt gave the Good Neighbor American Peace Conference in Bue- | Board of Commerce Thursday at | Trelative to needed projects in the ' nos Aires in 1936, down through the Lima, Panama and Havana meet- ings of 1938, 1939 and 1940, the 21 | nations have been drawing closer together. Struggle to Defeat Axis. the war away from the Americas has become a struggle to defeat the Axis powers, although some of the South American nations have not admitted it officially. This conference finds the United States at war with Germany, Italy, | Japan and their satellites. At war | with the Axis nations also are all | the Central American and Carib-‘ bean republics. | From all other countries in the 21-nation pan-American bloc have | come expressions ranging from mili- tary collabotation down to prom- ises to abide by previous commit- | ments. Argentina, as often in the past, as shown some reluctance to de- clare frank support of a belligerent United States, although she has said | she will live up to her undertakings. | Diplomats here say generally they believe that, with a near-solid bloc clamoring for Western Hemisphere unity, Argentine Foreign Minister along. Another delicate point is the Peru-Ecuador boundary question, which only recently flared again into armed conflict. Ecuador, smaller and feeling herself in a weaker mili- tary position, wants the conference to settle it. Peru has been less in- clined to bring it out at such parleys. Undoubtedly the dispute wi'l be raised, but what the conference may do about it remains unclear. What is clear, however, is that the American nations face a common menace from the World War IT which already has involved many of them. May Create Hemisphere Staff. Informed persons here are talking of the possibility that the foreign ministers may create a sort of “Western Hemisphere general staff” of military and naval men. There is some opinion that many or all of those not at war may enter the conflict after the conference— or will co-operate as an advisory and corcultative body in co-ordinating the operations of the indlvidual states. Such an organization, it is felt, would try to work out a system of tion against attacks from Enrique Ruiz Guinazu will smng‘ Eighteenth and Newton streets N.W., 8 pm. A Conference at Rio Wil Test 'Americas’ Defense Principles Foreign Ministers Will Try to Work Out Common Program for Meeting Dangers of the United States fleet. the onl” | powerful naval force in the hem- isphere. | It seems likely a convoy | may be set up to insure mai o | of maritime traffic between the ‘v | continents and that warships of t11 | South American countries mi~l | eventually be used along at least | part of the route. | The recent decision of Argentina, Brazil and Chile to fortify the Strait of Magellan, which cuts through the southern tip of South America, was cited as proof that intimate military and naval collaboration is possible—as was the joint action of Brazil and the United States, in co-operation with the Netherlands government in exile, to occupy Dutch Guiana for defense of its valuable bauxite mines. U. 8. Needs Raw Materials, Local informants forecast the creation of an economic unit which will supervise continuance and in- tensification of trade. More than ever the United States needs Latin America's raw materials, and more than ever Latin America needs the United States manufactured prod- ucts. Also facing the delegates are questions concerned with Axis op- erations in the hemisphere. No country feels free of the possibility | of internal trouble inspired by the Axis. All feel Axis propagands in one’ form or another. German, Citizens' Association of Takoma, What was once an effort to keep | Italian and Japanese diplomats and firms still operate in many of the | countries. Some of the countless | problems in each country may be solved by common action. Since soon after the Panama con- ference of foreign ministers in 1939 Rio de Janeiro has housed the In- ter-American Neutrality Committee, created at that meeting to study means of keeping the American na- tions out of war. Brazil is expected to propose at the January meeting that the com- mittee's assignment—now obvious, outmoded—be changed, probably to continue preparation of an Ameri- can neutrality code, of which some |50 articles already have been fin- ished. Members of the seven-man group hold that the code may well serve the whole world after.the war. |Four Trade Board |Units Will Meet | Four Board of Trade committees are to meet during the week. The Board of Directors will meet | tomorrow at mnoon in the board | offices. The membership group will | gather Tuesday at 12:40 pm. in the | boardrooms. Friday will see ‘Highways Committee mect 12:30 pm. at the Harrington | and the midwinter Dinner C | tee at 7:30 p.m. in the boardroors. {Ben Hur News The members of Central Court de- cided to consolidate with United Court on January 1. A reception will be held by United Court on January 16 at Pythian Temple. The newly elected officers in the five courts will be installed by State Manager Kenneth L. Canine in Pythian Temple on January 19. A social has been arranged. A boosters’ meeting is being planned by McKinley Court on Feb- ruary 17 in Pythian Temple. A mu- | sical program and refreshments 2re | being arranged by Charles O. Fisch- | er. master of ceremonies. Shepherds of Bethlehem National Lodge will meet Wednese day at the home of Mrs. Jennings. Election and installation of officers will be held. All Shepherd members are nvited.