Evening star., 1934-07-15
THE SUNDAY WASHINGTON 1g8-PART FOUR
BY Jesse c. SUTER.

" a time OF laying aside the
v burdens OF civic work for
most of our civic bodies,
but it is not a time of restful
repose for the Southeast Wash
ington Business Mems Association.
Taking complete advantage OF this
quiet period among the civic
groups this group of wide awake
and aggressive business men have
taken the center of the stage, ar
rested public attention and are
receiving courteous consideration
by the District Commissioners and
their subordinates.
These men present a very def
mite 1s-plank improvement plat
form. all OF which is confined to
the Southeast section. with the
exception of the opening Of new
boulevard from Seventh street and
Constitution avenue disgonally
across the Mall to Third and B
streets southwest independence
avenuel and widening of B street
from that point to Second street
southeast. This boulevard they
propose calling Roosevelt boule-
ward. and is designed as an i'm
proved detour around the Capitol
grounds to reach the Southeast
section. This appears to be an en-
tirely new suggestion and does not
appear to have been acted upon by
any OF the citizens associations
operating in the Southeast.
In this section there are
within the boundaries OF the orig
inal city of Washington the South
east Washington Citizens AsSocia-
ton and the Lincoln Park Citizens
Association. The latter association
has its territory bisected by East
Capitol street so that it operates
in both the Northeast and the
Southeast sections.
Beyond the Anacostia River the
territory is covered by the follow
ing citizens associations: Ana
costa, Randle Highlands, Congress
Heights, HillcreSt, Washington
Highlands, East Washington
Heights and Summit Park. There
are also in this territory several
very active civic associations of the
colored citizens. Scanning the re-
ports of the meetings OF these
bodies as appearing in The Star
there seems to be no general
agreement as to a comprehensive
plan for Improvements for the
Southeast as a section. Most of
the activities of these associations
relate strictly to the needs of their
immediate neighborhood.
The Southeast and the Randle
Highlands urge a new Pennsylvania
Avenue Bridge. Congress Heights
and Washington Highlands want a
bridge at South Capitol street and
Lincoln Park and Southeast as
sociations want bridge at East
Capitol street.
Several associations In this sec
tion have been urging the erection
of an addition to the Eastern High
School, the business men ask in
stead as a relief to the over
crowded Eastern High the erection
of a new senior high school in
Anacostia. The only sewerage item
in the business associations pro-
gram is the completion of unfin-
ished sewer in the vicinity of the
Congressional Cemetery. Several
associations beyond the Anacostla
River are urging badly needed
sewers in their sections. A notable
instance is that of the Hillcrest
section, where that association
claims in the area south of Ala
bama avenue there are 400 homes
with no sewerage facilities.
Space does not permit going
into the needs of the Southeast
section as shown in their citizen
association meetings during the
attention which the business men
have drawn to their needs through
their very comprehensive program
should be the means of bringing
about some practical teamwork by
these numerous organizations for
the benefit of the Southeast in par
ticular and Washington in gen.
eral. The National Capital Park
and Planning Commission recog-
nizes as a fundamental principle
that no city can be truly beautiful
If only beautiful in spots.
One Of the hopeful signs of this
crusade by the Southeast Business
Mems Association is its expressed
desre for all the organizations and
individuals of the section to join
forces and work to make that
part of the District the beauty
spot it deserves to be.