Evening star., 1934-01-18
ALLEY BILL CHANGE
SPEED IS ORDERED
Park and Planning Body
Acts to Remove Obstacles
to Measures Passage.

Action looking to early adjustment
of differences over the Capper- Norton
bill to clean up the Districts alleys was
taken today by the National Capital
Park and Planning Commission.
After general discussion, the COM
mission authorized its Legislative Com
mittee to make study and report on
such adjustments as would make the
bill comply with the Presidents budget
program, doubt having been expressed
at yesterdays session of the House Dis
trict Committee that the $500, 900 ap-
preparation carried would conflict with
the budget
The Legislative Committee is COM
posed of Frederic A. Delano, chairman
of the Planning Commission, and Arno
B. Cammerer, director of National Cap
ital Parks. They were directed to ex-
pedite their report and do what they
can to speed favorable action on the
legislation in Congress.
Meanwhile, the commission was ar
ranging to hold joint session later
today with the Fine Arts Commission
and the Treasury Board of Architec-
tural Consultants on various projects
involved in the Federal building pro-
gram.
Two Sessions Tomorrow.
Tomorrow morning the Planning
Commission and the Fine Arts Com
mission will meet and hold another
joint session with the Treasury Board
in the afternoon.
After today's joint session, the three
groups of city planners will study the
proposed extension of the Mall from
the Capitol to the cross axis near the
spot where the Washington Monument
stands in keeping with the original
plans of Maj. L'Enfant.
Other matters coming before the joint
session will be the proposed Apex Build
ing at the extreme end of Constitution
avenue, the memorial to Nathan Straus
and also plans for the great plaza across
from the Department of Commerce
| Building. This latter is to be one of
the central features in the group of pub
lie buildings now in course of construc-
tion in that area.
The three groups also will study this
afternoon the plans for the proposed
addition to the Federal warehouse This
Is located at the corner Of Maryland
and Virginia avenues southwest.
Codification Submitted.
T. E. Settle, secretary and legal ad-
wiser to the Park and Planning Com
mission, submitted to that body today
codiflcation of all laws affecting the
commission since its creation in 1924
This codification, proposed for the
simplification of procedure, was ap-
proved by the commission and ordered
put into permanent form.
The basic act of 1924 creating the
commission was amended in 1926. Since
then, some 20-odd laws have been en-
acted defining various powers and giving
added Jurisdiction to the commission
in connection with the purchase of
lands in the District. Maryland and
Virginia, transfers of land, street clos
inG, the development of the Mall and
other projects for which the plans must
first be approved by the commission.
John Nolen, jr., director OF planning
submitted a report on housing surveys
made in the Southwest and Southeast
districts. The commission later will
submit recommendations to the PUBLIC
Utilities Commission.
Funds have been allotted Tor 70
enumerators to gather data useful IN
planning low-cost housing and as sup
Elementary information for the Sen
ates rent investigation.
Details of Mr. Nolen's preliminary re-
port were not made public.