Evening star., 1942-03-31
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Al Garrett Park
Housing Session
Covenant O. KID by
Officials, Protested
By Some Residents

Terms Of the covenant under
which the Alley Dwelling Authority
plans to erect 800 demountable
homes for war workers near Ken
sington, Md, will be explained by
John Ihlder, executive officer OF
A. D. A., before a mass meeting at
Kensington Junior High School at
s o'clock tonight.
TIL meeting, open to the public, is
sponsored by the Chevy Chase View
Citizens Association, the Greater
Remington Civic League and citi-
zenS OF Locust Hills, Garrett Park
and Kensington.
Sherman Booth. president of the
Chevy Chase View group, will pre-
side. He announced that Montgom-
cry County Commissioner o. w.
Roby, who has figured in prelimi-
nary plans of public officials for the
housing project, had been invited
to attend.
The Kensington Town Council last
night Endorsed Mayor Robert L.
Lewis agreement to conditions OF
the project with Mr. Ihlder. Mayor
Lewis conferred Friday with the A
D. A. executive and set forth terms
he felt should be included in the
covenant of deeds. Mr.. Ihlder ac-
eepted them, Mr.. Lewis told the
Council. but requested they not be
made public until he can address to-
nights mass meeting.
Terms Called Satisfactory.
James E. Land representing the
kensington Chamber of Commerce
attended the Council meeting and
said he was satisfied with the prof.
ect as explained by Mayor Lewis.
Meanwhile, Commissioner Roby
and Norman S. Meese, 108 Everett
street, Kensington, exchanged let
ters over the housing project. Mr.
Meese protested as a citizen, home
owner and taxpayer of Chevy Chase
View against approval of the de-
velopment by public officials.
Citizens of the area should have
been consulted in advance Mr.
Meese said today. eff such things
are put through without nearby
areas being consulted, then We have
lost our democratic form of govern
ment. Placing this development
near here will drastically reduce
property values and promote the
type of living conditions we have
been trying to prevent"
Mr.. Roby reaffirmed his faith in
the housing development and termed
Mr.. MeeSe's statements "a totally
unjustifed insult to the officials of
this county,
Protests to Ihlder.
Another citizen. H. S. Klund. 107
Glenrose street, Chevy Chase View,
today released the text of a letter
he wrote to Mr.. Ihlder. Mr.. Klund
contended "the erection of such
buildings is not only contrary to the
wishes and interests of all the prop
erty owners in that vicinity, but it
also would depreciate the value of a
most desirable piece of land"
The partial text of Mr.. Roby's
letter follows:
II am disappointed that you feel
justified in voicing the observat tions
stated in your letter, and I am
sorry that you and any other cit
izens of this county, either privately
or publicly, are opposed =.
Your statement that this entirely
proper and well-planned group of
temporary detached dwellings for
war housing cause strong suspicion
of lot Of well-planned dirty work
among our local officials is a totally
unjustifed insult to the officials of
this county. Mr.. Ihlder requested
a meeting with the president of
the Board Of County Commissioners,
the Park Commissioners of the Park
and Planning Commission, the
Montgomery County member of the
Washington Suburban Sanitary
Commission, the director of the
planning and chief engineer of the
Park and Planning Commission and
the chief engineer of the Sanitary
Commission, some several weeks ago
on the subject of locating these 300
detached homes for war workers on
the Straight property.
Officials Not Apprehensive.
ut at no time occurred to any of
these Montgomery County officials
that Mr.. Ihlders plan was danger
Gus, damaging or Objectionable to
the residents of any part of Mont
gomery County. The question
of announcement was left to
the Federal authority charged with
the authorization to actually rent
or buy the site and build the build
ings, which is entirely normal
procedure both in and around
Washington City and throughout
America.
Personally, I regard the proposal
as meritoriOus and proper, and in
fact, one of the kind of things that
the necessities of the present war
situation obligate our people to CO.
operate in and accept
II think that the unjustified state
rnents in the public press have been
harmful to Montgomery County and
have placed an unfortunate and in
accurate appearance on the willing
ness of the people of this county to
do their share in the times that are
now at hand.
"I shall not only do nothing to op-
pose this project but will do all that
I consistently can to bring about the
erection of these homes"