The Washington times., 1937-06-03
NOW
Greenbelt Seen
AS "HelUen"
MAGIC TOWN
BY HELEN EsSARY

annual meeting OF Cne AluhlAAl
Association at Dickinson College,
Of which association he has been
president for so years.
This remarkable man. DR.. Sam
uel Eagle Forman, lives at $500
Albemarle st. His latest book mas
the engaging title, "a Good Word
for Democracy" It is the result
of a lifetime Of study OF civil gov
eminent and history, in which sub
jects DR.. Forman took a Ph.D. at
Johns Hopkins University. Among
his better.known books are THE
Life and Writings of Thomas JET
ferson," "Our Republic" and "A
History of the United States"
DR.. Forman continues to be vast
ly entertained by the spectacle Of
life and the struggles OF govern
ment. But of all his many activ-
tiles, gardening amuseS him most.
He digs and weeds among his
vegetables and flowers every day,
and scorns the help Of gardener
because "the fellow doesn't spade
deep enough"
GreenbeIt-the Fairy Tale Town
Grenebelt, handmade village
of the Resettlement AdminiStra-
ton near Beltsville, Md, looked
like a little bit of heaven in the
making yesterday to Mrs. RooSe-
welt and her inspection group.
Within the insulated rooms Of
its pastel-tinted cottages and
apartments were GOODNESS and re-
pose. The waters of the 25-acre
artificial lake rippled in a polite
breeze.
The winding, shady paths Of
its gardens were outlined with
flower borders. Some of the
blooming plants - rhododendron
and such-had been rescued
from the community woods by
the Greenbelt head gardener,
Angus MacGregor, who used to
grow ]. Pierpont Morgan's Or
chids.
The athletic fields were rolled
and laid out for baseball and
tennis. The made-to-order sandy
bathing beach, the rowboats and
bath houses were ready to ap-
pear in person, SO to speak.
The big school and commu-
nifty center with, its auditorium,
ultra.modern claSSrooms, kitch-
ems. work shops, libraries, gym
naSiumS and dining rooms, were
nearly COMPLETED,
The glorified com m I'm ity
awaits the coming Of its hand
picked population to make it come
alive.
About SS6 families prayerfully
selected from "the lower income
brackets with permanent employ
ment" will begin moving to Green
belt some time in August. Ten
times as many are anxious to
have a share in this modern
Utopia.
For it is a modern Utopia, as
near perfection as present scienti-
fic planning can create. Within
protecting girdle of farm and PARK
land its 18,000-acre tract has all
the trappings and comforts neces-
Sary to happy life.
The town proper occupies al
most 5000 acres. Around g. vii
lage common are grouped all types
of stores, a movie theater, a bus
terminal and post office.
The community center is now
being adorned with has reliefs by
that amazing young sculptor, LIE
nora Thomas. The Constitution
of the United States is the theme
being carved by her chisel and
hammer.
Thus will be proved to the most
skeptical that the New Deals righT
to create Greenbelt is not to be
question: d on constitutional
grounds.
The ideally planned community
will be ideally governed.
Once the construction work Is
completed, the Federal Govern
ment will withdraw, after making
sure the new management is COM
petent and able to protect its
investment of millions.
Five councilmen will be elected
by the community. They in turn
will select a mayor. The mayor
and a paid city manager will Co
operate in administering the town
as q planned community.
Public housing authorities and
other local CLOUDS will hold and
manage certain properties. Land
and buildings will bear their share
Of State and community taxes.
From these taxes schools and
other public institutions will be
supported. The rentals will be
scaled low.
The biggest problem facing
this perfect place, I should say,
will be the finding Of a citizenry
good enough for such sweetness
and beauty of environment.
It will never, never do to have
tins cans and family quarrelS and
Rll-night radios in Greenbelt.
The place yesterday was a
haven Of rest in a fuSSy old
world. I should like to spend
my last days in Greenbelt, pro-
viding the neighbors are con-
genial and the Government never
decides to begin its economies
there.
It may be as long as so years be-
fore the Government hands Green
belt over, completely debt-free, to
N1rivate owners.