Evening star., 1933-12-31

port, to provide employment or
direct relief to thousands of job
less, destitute men and women, and the
apparent success of these activities,
mark 1898 as one of the most unusual
periods in the history of the District
of Columbia.
Capital Of the worlds richest and
most powerful nation, Washington,
along with the remainder of the de-
preston infected country, struggled Wig
orously throughout the year to shake
off the shackles Of the serious economic
situation and made noteworthy prog
reSS.
As 1888 passed out nearly 90 900 OF
the $4,000 who had been on relief rolls
we're for the first time in many months,
on pay rolls, receiving from the Civilian
Works Administration regular earned
income adequate for food, clothing and
other necessities of life. The District
itself is betting thereby through
municipal improvements resulting from
the so-called made work" activities
under c. w. A., from grants of the
p w. A, and use of its own funds on
construction projects.
Altogether the District received three
grants from Federal relief authorities
LUZ blu VI GIlc unemployed, uOLdlulS
S566, 900, plus grant Of nearly $2,000,-
600 for highway and bridge improve
ments from p. w. A., and permission
from the Budget Bureau to use 1,158,-
$40 OF its own surplus gasoline tax
and water revenues on street and water
department projects that would put men
to work.
Aid Provided at
Special Session.
Federal aid to the District In this
important humanitarian recovery move
ment was made possible by the special
session Of the new deal'' Congress. In
national relief measures 1t extended as
sistance from two unusual sources.
First, the District was put on parity
with the States in the matter of pay
ments under the Federal relief act. Sec
ond, the District was included in two
sections of the national industrial re-
covery act, allowing 1t to receive funds
from the Federal Government for public
works and road construction.
Without this aid it would have been
impossible for the District to meet its
employment relief problems with its own
funds sum of 81 100000 which Con-
gresS allowed in the appropriation bill.
Grants from P. w. A., in addition to
providing work for the unemployed,
have made it possible for the District
to widen and resurface Constitution
avenue far In advance Of original plans
and take definite steps to replace the
Calvert Street and Street bridges over
Rock Creek-two spans recommended
for replacement years ago.
Rather persistent efforts were made
to have P. w. A. grant $4,900,000 for
constructing the first unit of the
Municipal Center-a courts building
but the year closed without final
action. District officials, however, are
yet hopeful that funds soon will be
Forthcoming for this important project,
which Congress already has authorized.
City Administration
Changes Outstanding.
In retrospect, the change In the
municipal administration also was one
of the unusual and outstanding events
of the year. For eight months Presi-
dent Roosevelt kept the public guessing
over the successors to the two Hoover
appointed civilian Commissioners, Brig.
Gen. Herbert B. Crosby and DR.. Luther
II. Reichelderfer, whose terms expired
April 8. Finally, about the middle Of
November, he named Melvin c. Hazen,
veteran District employe who rose In
the ranks to surveyor, ana George Z.
Allen, manager Of the former Wardman
properties in the District, q dark horse"
In the campaign for the commissioner
ships.
DR.. Reichelderfer, a noted surgeon,
who retired to private life before be-
coming a Commissioner, again retired
after leaving the District Building. Gen.
Crosby left for San Antonio. Tex, to
become president of the National Bank
of Fort Sam Houston.
The induction into Office Of Com
missioners Hazen and Allen was soon
followed by reports of a movement to
remove the quasi civil service status
of District employees and throw their
Jobs on the political patronage market.
The new Commissioners met these re-