Evening star., 1934-06-24
Problem Of Dead Points,"

regulations of far-reaching effect.
One of these authorized the Commits
sioners to refuse permits to repair
buildings of frame construction which
were damaged or deprecated to the
extent of so per cent of their original
value. The other regulation empowered
the health officer to proceed against
buildings charged with being public
nuiSances.
The 1914 alley law was destined to
slow death The wartime housing
shortage prevented its enforcement
until 1923, and in 1926 its usefulness
was destroyed by a court decision.
Another adverse ruling of the Dis
TO StandStill the excellent work Of
the board for the condemnation of
insanitary buildings.
The year was not. however total
failure from the standpoint of housing
progress in the District. BY the act
of Congress approved April 80, 1925,
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission was established, and
this body Immediately proved power
full ally in behalf of the housing re-
form movement.
A new type of alley legislation,
avoiding the mistakes of its predeces-
sors. was introduced in the Senate by
Senator Arthur Capper then chair
man of the committee on the District
Of Columbia. The proposed legislation
was supported by an overwhelmingly
favorable public. But the means of
financing the great project of acquir-
ing the alley property and converting
it to other than residential use proved
perennial drawback. Under the
| chairmanship of Frederic A. Delano,
the National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission labored necessarily
in behalf of the legislation. The COM
| plete resources of the commission we're
thrown behind the campaign for the
alley law. The District Commissioners
were placed in an unfortunate posi-
tiOn by reason of the opposition of
the Bureau of the Budget'.to the ex-
penditure of public funds for the
clearance of the alleys. Year after
| year the Commissioners, in reporting
on the successive appearances of the
alley legislation, expressed their inter-
est and implied their desire for enact
ment of the law. but were constrained
to report unfavorably because of the
adverse attitude of the Budget Bureau.
Task Gigantic.
The interest of the present admin
istration in social legislation and the
personal inspection of alley conditions
by Mrs. Roosevelt have contributed
immeasurably to the present happy
culrIina5sicn of the long crusade for
a workable alley clearance law.
A task of titanic proportions con-
fronts the agency to be designated by
the President as the alley clearance
authority If all precedents do not
tail, the progress of the work will be
met by selfish opposition. 1t is doubt
full whether the job will be completed
without litigation. But the friends Of
the alley movement take heart from
the fact that the present alley law
represents the best legal and technical
effort yet expended in behalf of local
Slum elimination. Additional funds
for this great labor must be provided,
and the clearance agency must grid
itself for long and intensive period
OF reconstruction.
Washington will say good-by to its
alleys without regret The abolition of
the alleys will not meet the end of
crime in Washington. Disease will not
be eradicated magically by the end of
| the hidden slums. But the City of
Washington will be a better place to
live in, and lives that might otherwise
have been destroyed physically or
morally will be salvaged and made
| useful.