Evening star., 1937-08-22

realization Of the source Of this feel
ing. He had been there" before. in
the Pueblo OF San Domingo In New
Mexico last Summer There is a
pueblo atmosphere about the place
its architecture and its layout. OF
course, Greenbelt will be very glori-
fed San Domingo thousandfold
cleaner and better arranged But
unconsciously Greenbelts builders
seem to have hit upon the pueblo
idea, but with green lawns instead Of
a dusty plaza. II they have built
as we'll AS the builders of San
Domingo much Of Mr.. Richards argu-
ment is more than justified. San
Domingo is 500 years old and has
hardly changed since the hoofs Of
Coronado's horses ratified through its
plaza.
New Address System
Greenbelt is laid out in super
blocks"-rows Of nve or six houses
around = green park. Each block
constitutes an administrative unit.
to get used to 4 new system of ad-
dresses. One will live at some such
address as 23 B. Greenhelt, Md
that Is. the twenty-third house in
super block B. 1t Is we'll to mention
here that for the most part, the
backs of the houses face on the
streets. This gives an unfortunat te
impression TO those passing through
hurriedly. Few would question the
advantages Of the plan for the in
habitants
Now S6,500-the actual building
cost Of \ Greenbelt house-s just
the starting point.
The gross cost Is approximately
$4,000. To justify this involves what
may appear to be some fancy juggling
Of figures.
Take, for example, the city of Alex
andria, Va. Take the average build
ing, or purchasing. cost Of house
there. Then take the total cost Of all
Alexandrias municipal property-its
streets, parks, Fairgrounds, schools,
water system, city government build
ings, etc. Divide this sum by the
number Of houses and add the result
to the cost price Of each house. What
the result would be nobody knows.
That's the Greenbelt System.
That's the kind Of accounting that
the Resettlement Administration
would like-and 1t seems with con-
siderable justice - for Greenbelt.
Damn them all you want, they say.
Prove conclusively that they have
been plain idiots with Uncle Sans
money. Still their record will be
much better than that of almost any
modern American city. And they
have provided for Greenbelt much
more than any haphazardly con-
structed town can offer.
Like 20 many New Deal projects,
Greenbelt has been neither flesh. fish
nor fowl 1t has been all messed up
With relief. The money could not
have been obtained for any other
purpose. One Of the primary objects
was to spend money-to get 1t into
the hands of the jobless. Now they
are cursed for doing just that.
1t was planned to meet q pressing
need-to provide decent living quar-
tsrs for families Of Government work
ers now close to destitution because of
high rentals. It had to be = practical
solution Of . practical problem.
At the same time 1t was launched
Is an experiment In housing. in mu-
nicipal organization, In the establish
ment Of = new kind OF social set-up.
$15,eoo, ,eoe Present Estimate.
Out OF this diversity arises, they say
what seems At present the damning
side Of the picture.
There are Ss5 houses and apart
ments. The present estimate fos
the complete project Is close to $l5,-
00O, 900.
No home buyer, In his right mind,
would pay more than 5000 for the
best Of these houses.
The project will cost at least IS, ,000.-
900 more than the original estimate
Of 3s,5oo,o 900.
Individual houses alone-totally dis
REGARDING all but bare construction
costs-are running about 30 per cent
above the 1894 estimates.
The b.1lding of the town has taken
almost 4 year longer than wa
planned.
This Is the side Of the picture
which critics have been stressing and
which they are likely 70 puh'!ctse
more and more beeause condition.
4ss not i1npro''ns .o''s? - ta'