Evening star., 1944-02-16
Letters to The Star
Advocates "City Planning"
For Benefit of Washinston

To the Editor Of The Star:
Housing in this city, even for people
Of moderate incomes, is tragic, viewed
from the eyes of one from west of the
Mississippi River. To me, an adequate
house for family of three or four is
five or six room bungalow or cottage,
set on lot at least 40 by $50 feet,
with back and front lawn and a garden.
These row houses lived in by so
many persons in Washington are COM
parable to the cliff dwellers' homes except
that the row house does have the ad-
vantage of light and air on two sides
instead of only one side. The thought
of raising family in row house with
front and back yard not even large
enough for child's play pen is abhor-
rent to me. Also, practically sunless
rooms at certain seasons Of the year
are inevitable in row houses.
These blocks upon blocks OF row
houses represent desire by private
enterprise to erect as many dwellings
as possible on the smallest pieces Of
land possible. And then, to derive
just a little more income from the
block Of land, third class dwellings are
erected on the alleys thereby eliminat-
Ing any space for garages and back
lawns Cars are parked on the streets
day and night, cutting the effective
Width OF the street by one-half or one
third.
The need for crowding as many per-
sons as possible near to the business
section OF downtown Washington, of
course. is due to the concentration of
Government buildings and the business
sectlon. A person naturally desires to
i've near his work. However since it
Is no longer practicable to place many
more persons near the center of Wash
lngton, and since Washington still is
1alrly young city (by European STAN
dards), believe a planning board
should be set up to plan for the future
oeVelopmen of the city with view
10 providing adequate living space near
future Government and private in
ouStrlal buildings. Let the city expand
horizontally, not vertically. When new
once buildings or industries are needed
set them up on the outskirts of the
city and provide living facilities nearby
ana make law against the erection
OF row houses and alley dwellings. with
proper planning, Washington within the
next $40 years, could become a desirable
place to live.
A MISSoURIAN.
Quotes Soldier on Politicians
To the Editor Of The Star:
MY son has been in the Army for
almost 20 months and has been over
seas 10 months. Today I have received
MS letter OF February l, part of which
1 wish to quote. believing it worthy of
puollcatlon to show what our men are
thinking about the doings over here.
quote: I suppose you have been
reading what Congress is faced with
on paying bonus to the men upon
their being discharged. The system of
payon is a beautiful political game.
"A guy IN the Army up to so days will
get 500; in year he gets 5000, and
over that $500 Some guys have soft
jobs IN the States, but the guys who've
spent couple of years overseas or on
the front get no more. It's plain to
see somebody wants votes Politicians
at war! All Of us CTS over here know
what's going on and We don't like it.
They think they're doing us a favor
buying votes. What are we fighting
for? Pray God. not them"
Will you kindly publish the above
directly from my sons letter? I think
1t well to take account Of what those
lads are thinking, because they will
translate their thoughts into action
when they come back.
BENJAMIN. S. ELLIOTT.