Evening star., 1934-09-02

I penal and relief agencies. He prompt
| ly proposed to make the board ad
visory. placing the real control in tn
hands of the Commissioners. Witt
amazing speed he obtained passage o
this measure In the Senate, but Jus
as quickly abandoned the plan aftel
his current problem.
Fights for Funds.
The Commissioners saw the urgeni
need Of many public improvements
which could not be provided for in thu
District budget. They might hayI
waited for 4 or IA years to get appro.
priations IN the regular way. Thu
Commissioners, however, promptly
asked Congress TO permit them to Dor.
row S1s, ,0O0, 900 from the Public Work.
Administration, 10 per cent TO be re-
paid by the District.
This total they raised to $40, ,000, ,00t
when park needs were cited, but thu
sum was cut to Sl0,T50, 900 and, aftel
series of conferences with congres-
sional leaders, the plan was adopted
OF the total, $S,000,000 has been set
aside for construction of o sewage dis
posal plant that is designed to free
the Potomac of much Of its pollution
and $1,500,000 for the badly-needed
tuberculosis sanatorium.
Facing the problem Of more than
100000 persons dependent on the
District for subsistence, the Commis-
sioners turned to one of the New Deal
books and created Rehabilitation
Corporation, non-profit, to conduct
self help projects. 1t Is something
that Is revolutionary In plan to WASH
ington, though not elsewhere. Relief
clients in these enterprises viii ex-
change services for goods in various
kinds of manufacturing programs.
The latest sensational turn is the
plan for the District government to
build low-cost housing for families
on relief, using Federal relief funds
for construction capital, and employ
ing relief clients to large degree In
the construction work. Details of this
program have not been announced.
millions" may be spent In the pro-
gram If present ideas are carried out.
Silent on Ambitions.
Friends Of Allen say he is striving
to make q record as District Commis-
sioner with the idea of winning a
high post some day in the Federal
establishment. Allen Is ambitious,
but declines to discuss personal am
hitions.
He started out as q lawyer. but.
after handling q few cases, turned
to city promotion work and then to
the hotel management field, where
he won national recognition. He Is
a natural born promoter, with a big
smile and hearty laugh, and this has
served him well In his role as Com.
missioner.
Although not faxed by the require
ment of explaining budget matters
to congressional committees, Allen
almost met his Waterloo last Win
ter when trying to make an address
for sound-picture reproduction. The
microphore and cameras gave him
case of buck fever and he had
to repeat the brief address eight times
before he got all the words out cor
rectly.
Secretary Ends Trouble.
The occasion was the first pay
or for 5000 men at the wood yard
employed in the civil works program.
Each time Allen came to the word
administration he said administrator
Finally, after seven futile attempts,
his secretary, Ross Haworth. printed
the word administration on q large
card board and at the psychological
moment held it up to Aliens view.
Hazen is the complement of Allen
In some respects. He is tall, gray In
District service, dignifed, more delib-
crate than impulsive. He, too, has
q ready smile and is gracious to all
corners, as would be expected Of a
Virginia country gentleman with q
stock farm and yen for horses and
dogs.
He sought appointment as Commis-
sioner as q climax to his long Dis
trict service. He has q background
of a years In the municipal govern
ment, IS years as District surveyor
He is anxious to make q record that
viii properly crown his life work
Studied in work and action, he Is
determined to function in the interests
Of District residents and taxpayers.
To this end, he has promised q
new departure in District budget
making. Public hearings are to be
held this FAN on estimates as COM
piled by the department heads, de-
tails of which win be published in
advance. In former years the public
has been kept mostly in the dark
until the budget was transmitted to
Congress by the President. The bud
get as prepared by the city heads
may not legally be released publicly
until it is forwarded to Congress. An
nouncement Of details Of the requests
Of the departments and their con-
sideration Of public hearings, Hazen
believes, viii be Of value to the tax
payers.
Another illustration OF Hazen's work
Is the speec ing Of rush hour traye
by use of Thirteenth street as 9
one-way artery, mornings and eve.