Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1943-03-11

ways and means to open
outlets for foreign investment, to
promote world trade, and the fec
tive world-use of productive re-
Souces.
c. Plans for Improvement OF
Physical Facilities.
We recommend for consideration.
l. Preparation during the war
for expanded programs of develop
ment and construction of physical
facilities.
A. With private enterprise through
the Reconstruction Finance Corp.
or possibly one or several Federal
development corporations and sub
salaries providing for participa-
ton of both public and private in
vestmen and representation in
neutrality-suspicious. for ur-
ban development, housing, transport
terminal reorganization and energy
development. Government should
assist these joint efforts through
such measures as
I'd Government authority to clear
away obsolescent plants of various
kinds, as, for instance, we have done
In the past through condemnation
of insanitary dwellings, to remove
menace to health and competition
with other or better housing.
90 Governmental authority to
assemble properties for reorganiza-
ton and Observation-Disclosures
along the lines of previous grants
Of the power of eminent domain to
canal and railroad companies for
the acquisition of rights of way.
B. With public agencies, through
public works and work programs, as
recommended in previous reports of
the board and summarized in III"
of this section.
2. Plans, legislation and organ
ization now for:
A. Urban redevelopment: In order
to facilitate city building and re-
development, improve urban living
and working conditions, and stabil-
lie employment and investment, we
recommend
Cd That metropolitan regions and
cities set detectives and make plans
now for their whole urban areas and
for the human, institutional and
physical problems that will follow
the war. Federal and State agencies
shall provide technical assistance
and grantsin-a to promote such
planning, both for the long time
building and rebuilding of urban
areas.
Basic Urban Problems.
'2) The establishment of agencies,
authorities or arrangements in
metropolitan regions and cities
broad enough to deal with the
problem regardless of existing ar
bitrary boundary lines, and with
powers adequate to deal promptly
and effectively with the basic prob
lens Of urban reconstruction. in
Guiding: Public land assembly
ownership and control, taxation,
transportation terminal co-ordina
uon and redevelopment, elimination
Of blighted areas, whether residen-
tlal, commercial or industrial; con-
Structlon of buildings and facilities
TO assure adequate housing and
working conditions and for provision
OF essential urban services such as
sanitation, health, welfare, educa-
ton, recreation and transit.
90 That Federal legislation be
enacted authorizing such Federal
participation in such agencies, au-
thorlties or programs as may be
necessary and appropriate in par
tlcular localities to carry out the
foregoing purpose of stabilizinp
employment and investment and of
promoting the development, security
and wellbeing of urban communi-
ties, such as assigning to an urban
subsidiary or group of metropolitan
subsidiaries of a Federal develop
ment corporation powers to finance
or directly acquire and develop or
redeVelop urban properties.
"a. Relocation and modernization
OF terminal facilities-air, rail, high
way and port-either these metro
pohtan authorities should. be given
appropriate powers or such powers
should be included with
B. Transportation modernization.
We recommend % A national
transportation agency should be
created to coordinate all Federal
development activity in transporta-
ton, absorbing existing development
agencies and cooperating actively
with regulatory agencies. The
agency would be responsible for
unlfying Government transporta-
ton planning. administrative and
development functions. and would
assume leadership in consolidation,
COORDINATION and reconstruction of
transportation facilities and services
All Media of Transport.
90 Public responsibility for basic
transport facilities for all media of
transport-air, rail. water, highway,
pipes, etc.-through-
Terminal reconstruction-pla planning
terminals as an integral part of
the city plan for urban areas, is
logical public responsibility for
which the transportation agency
should undertake active leadership:
Federal credit for the provision
OF new facilities, and for the
modernlzaton and rehabilitation
Of selected old facilities such as
new transcontinental transportation
strips for all media. East and West
and North and-South. new aids to
navigation and safety provisions for
all modes.
80 For each media we recon-
mend consideration of:
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of rail-
roads into limited number OF re-
gional systems by legislation, with
appropriate authority granted to the
transportatio agency to enable
such a program to be carried out
vigorously. Grade and curvature