Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-01
Washington's Alleys.

thrive best in an environment of Sc
creey.
Such an environment Is provided by
the alley communities of Washington
squalid villages in the interiors Of large
blocks, almost completely hidden by
row houses on the surrounding streets.
The alley settlements have, In a sense,
been forced upon the municipality by
an accident In civic evolution-the sud
den and enormous increase in the
colored population which followed the
Civil War
The condition Is almost peculiar to
the National Capital, as is explained In
. series Of articles, the first Of which
appears elsewhere In todays Star.
During the last few decades Washing
ton has been self-conscious Of the
alleys. All who have investigated
them report that many Of them are
dirty and unsanitary and some Of them
are hardly 1T for human habitation in
this stage Of civilization. The condi-
eion frequently has been called TO the
attention Of the public and Of legislators
Nobody, 30 far Is known. ever has
seriously questioned the desirability of
getting nd Of the alley dwellings. But
establishment Of q practical procedure
Tor accomplishing this end has proved
much more difficult than was antici-
pated. Any condition woven 80
intimately into the fabric Of
municipality hardly can be abolished
by Q mere denunciation and the stroke
OF o pen. Previous legislation largely
has failed because apparently it has
not given due consideration 20 the
sentiments and habits Of the alley
people and the property interests In
,volvsd.
The earliest attempts to clean up the
hidden villages appear 10 have been
based upon the rather questionable
assumption that . population viii move
automatically IN the direction of better
housing conditions; that families were
forced 10 1--we In these undesirable
shacks beeausS4 u poverty and would
mock q thsir own volition into better
houses IA better locations provided for
: them e the same rentals. Actually
nothing Of the kind happened. The
alley folk stayed where they were-some
Of them because Of sentimental attach
n1ent to honas. some because they lacked
the energy 10 move. and some because
the secrecy Of the concealed COM
munities was exactly what they desired.
Then came the legislative effort to
sviet them, by force II necessary. There
was no provision for their housing else
where. A great deal Of extremely
valuable property would have been left
with no profitable means Of utilization.
The attempt failed by court decision.
Following these failures It was OBJ
vious that the abolition Of the alley
villages, however desirable, was likely
20 prove rather complicated procedure.
The alley folk, who would not move of
their own accord, must be moved, but
at the same time the property values
must be affected as little as possible,
and some place must be rendered avail
able to which the svicted may go.
After . long interval new legislation
now 10 before both houses Of Congress
which provides for 3 ten-year program
Of evictions and purchase and dis
poSal Of the property by the Govern
nnent through the United States Hous-
ing Corporation.
This measure avoids the outstanding
NJ kaA - d to
hands Of the Bureau Of the Budget,
which may be relied upon TO detect any
defects in the financial arrangements
which may escape the casual observer.
It Is to be presumed that the Commits
Gioners will base their report on Budget
Bureau findings. The measure provides
for the appropriation of 100000 a year
for I'VE years TO constitute q revolving
fund for the purchase Of the alley prop
erty by the United States Housing Corpo-
ration, which Is then to dispose Of the
property to private interests for such
purposes as the erection Of warehouses
and garages, or to the Government for
park and playground use. The area
represented would be replatted to con-
form with the best uses and the city
street system.
There IN reason 10 hope, at least.
that the old, obstinate alley problem Is
approaching It's final solution. Wash
angton must wait many years before
It can be expected entirely to solve it
self without legislative stimulus. The
progress Of the Capper-Bowman bill
viii be followed with interest by all IA
miliar with these dangerous defects In