Evening star., 1933-10-14
FIRST LADY AGREES
TO HELP IMPROVE
SLUM CONDITIONS
Mrs. Roosevelt to Serve on
Committee of Outstanding
Washingtonians.
DELANO HEADS GROUP
TO AID U. S. GOVERNMENT
Will Advise What Can Be Done in
Carrying Out Plans Of
Robert D. Kohn.

Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt has agreed
to serve on committee of outstanding
Washingtonians to assist the Federal
Government in improving slum condi-
ticns here, it was revealed when the
personnel of the group was announced
last night
Headed by Frederic A. Delaho, chair
man of the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission and the National
Planning Board of the Public Works
Administration, the committee also IN
cludes: Mrs. Archibald Hopkins, a
leader for many years in the field OF
better housing here; Clarence Phelps
Dodge, Canon Anson Phelps Stokes,
Mrs Carroll Glover, Stanton c. Peele.
Lieut. Col. U. S. Grant, Sd; Bernard
: Wyckoff and John Ihlder, housing ex-
s.pert, associated with the Public Works
:. Administration, who is acting as secre-
tary.
To Advise Government.
The committee, named at meeting
In the Interior Department presided
over by Mr.. Delano, will advise the
! Government on what can be done in
2 carrying out the tentative plans OF
Robert D. Kohn, head of the Housing
Division of the Public Works Admins
tration, in showing Washington and
other communities what can be done
to eradicate slunls. Mr.. Kohn pro-
done by taking a colored slum area,
a white slum area and a so-called
''blighted district" New low-priced
homes would replace the alley dwellings
and other slum sections, while the
'blighted district would be renovated,
the houses worth saving being re-
habilitated.
The administration, Mr. Kohn said,
will not announce in advance where
it is going to erect these model COM
munities, as it is fearful that land
owners would ask exorbitant prices.
One section of the city will be played
serted, so the Government may get the
best reasonable prices attainable. 1t
. is the understanding of those interested
in this problem that the Federal Gov
ernment, through the new Housing
Corporation, will not clean up all the
alley dwellings here. That probably
will be done through machinery set up
here by Congress, by the municipality
itself or by limited dividend corpora
tions, sponsored by private interests.
Mrs. Roosevelt was unable to attend
the meeting, sending word she was
detained, but she expressed willing
ness to serve on the new committee.
This group will find out what can
be done and suggest areas for improve
ment. Mr.. Kohn and his associates
will then take steps to put the commit
tees recommendations into effect.
Subcommittee Named.
An informal subcommittee was
named yesterday, empowered to add
other desirable members to the new
organization. The legal phases of the
problem will be examined closely and
Mr.. Kohn hopes to have the projects
undertaken here very we'll done" SO
they may serve as models for the rest
of the Nation. He indicated work
might be started within two or three
months
At yesterdays organization meeting
there was disposition not to interfere
with the progress through Congress of
the so-called alley-dwelling bill, which
has passed the Senate. Under this
measure some S500,000 left over from
the wartime Housing Corporation would
be available for elimination of alley
dwellings here. An authority would be
set up, empowered to borrow funds
from the Reconstruction Finance Cor
poratlon or other public agency, utiliz-
ing the original s5OO,OoO as revolv-
ing fund. Under the measure the au-
thority would be granted condemnation
powers.
This bill. now pending before the
House District Committee, is expected
by Thomas S. Settle, secretary of the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission, to receive favorable ac-
tion early in the new session. The
measure passed the Senate on June 7.