The Washington herald., 1915-12-16

lnve10e1fe t0e Tm&a Co0Mooe
Even at his late day. with al the cruel iamstee
of the proceedings finally perpetrssed. The Herald
ventures to hope that the investigstion proposed
by Representative Clark of Florida into the aetiv
ties Of the Plaza Commissions win be pushed
through to contamination
From start to finish the treatment Of the con-
demnation proceedings for the acquisition Of parts
of Eve squares south of the Union Station Plaza
has been an outrage against justice; lurid ex-
ample Of government by bludgeon.
There wasino more excuse for the action OF
President Wilson in rejecting the eondemhation
awards made by competent jury appointed un-
der the law by the Supreme Court of the District,
and by that court approved. than there would be
for attempt by judge to reverse verdict OF
aequittal The practical effect of President VIII
sons action was serious violation Of the con-
stitutional rights of hundreds of small property
owners. The result was conhseation without due
process of law.
By the time the awards of the condemnation
jury had finally been sent to the Department OF
Justice for the investigation of titles, many COM
paratively impeeunious holders of equities in prop
critics which were being condemned were threaten
of the Plaza Improvement plans. had lain idle and
unproduetive for months, and it was impossible
for them either to realize by sale or lease upon
their holdings In the face of this condition. Pres
ident Wilson saw fit to wipe out all that had been
accomplished. reversing the District. Supreme
Court and his own Attorney General on the
strength of vague suspicious whispered into his
ear by a member of Congress
Then the properties were permitted to be in
ideness for few months more in order that small
holders might be in a properly ehastened mood
when pie-eounter commission should come along
and offer to take the properties over at pretend
ed market valuation which three men who knew
absolutely nothing about real estate values here or
elsewhere had fixed.
The commission finally was appointed by Presi-
dent Wilson in November, 1914. Each member
draws $40 per diem salary plus S. per diem for
clerk hire, and the upkeep of comfortable offices
in a handsome office building
Obviously Uncle Sam must not be required to
bear the expense of these fat bi!lets. Obviously
Uncle Sam has not borne such expense. Quite as
obviously the holder of small properties is the vic
tim The commission decided upon a scale Of
prices which would effect a saving under the con-
demnation awards much more than sufficient to
meet expenses. Then taking this schedule in hand,
the commission issued an invitation to the owners
of the longidle property to sell out for song or
hold their property indefinitely idle and unpro-
duetive. Of course the property owners were not
obliged to sell. But they would have been
obviously short-sighted not to have taken their
trimming with what good grace they could muster
and dispose of their now useless property at what
ever they could get for it. So they sold; and the
commission continued to draw-as it is still draw
ing-luscious salaries at their expense.
While the commission virtually has completed
its task-thirteen months after it started-an in
vestigation into its activities by committee of
Congress unquestionably would be instructive and