Evening star., 1944-05-25
SIum-CIearance
Plan Studied
For Legality
Committee Told
RedeveIopment Idea
Will Stund Test

Questions as to whether 1t would
be constitutional for the District
to condemn slum areas and later
sell or lease the tracts to private
interests for redevelopment pur-
poses were explored at length today
by members of the House District
Judiciary subcommittee.
James C. Wilkes, counsel to the
Metropolitan Home Builders Asso-
citation, gave assurances to the SUBJ
committee, which is headed by Rep
resentative McGehee, Democrat, Of
Mississippi, that the procedure
would stand the legal test since the
resale to private interests would be
subject to numerous conditions in
the. public interest.
A feature of today's continued
hearings before the McGehee group
on the several different plans for
future slum clearance work in the
District was the presentation by
Edward C. Carr and Lewis r.
Breuninger, members of the Home
Builders Association, of suggested
plans for redevelopment of Logan
Court, between First, North Capitol,
Pierce and l. streets NV.
Bill Provides Powers.
Use of the power of eminent do
main and resale or lease of blighted
areas to private redevelopment COR
porations Is provided for in both
the "free enterprise" slum clear
ance bill sponsored by private build
ers and civic groups and in the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission, although in the
latter measure it is proposed that
redevelopment work be done by a
public agency in areas where the
new housing would be predominant
ly in the low rental or subsidized
rental field.
Representative Bates, Republican,
of Massachusetts, former Mayor
OF Salem, questioned Mr.. Wilkes
closely about the constitutionality
OF the plan. saying, I'VE don't want
to walk into something that is IL
legal" but adding he had not de-
cided the question for himself.
Mr.. Wilkes replied he felt sure
the procedure would be upheld since
the public interest would be in
volved. In that the whole scheme
Is for the elimination of slums and
for the provision of decent rehousing
for slum dwellers. Further. he
added, the plans intail restrictions
on private builders as to housing
standards and limitations on rentals
in the low-cost field.
Conditions Described.
While Mr.. Carr was detailing the
present "horrible" conditions in
Logan Court, resulting from over
crowding, lack of sewer and water
facilities, Mr.. Bates noted pictures
/ Of conglomeration of trash and Junk
in an alley and asked:
isn't this question of a health
and fire menace that would be UP
to the District government authori-
ties to correct? 1t seems to me that
if the District departments were on
the job they would not tolerate
these conditions"
Mr.. Carr explained that the court
was in a second commercial zone
and that there were two commercial
junk yards in the block.
Yes" retorted Mr.. Bates, 'but
this is not junk, it is filth"
Officlals Of the House District
Committee, meanwhile, predicted
prompt action would be taken by
the committee seeking House ap-
proval of the@ Bilbo- Burton bill
passed by the Senate to extend for
one year from July /, the deadline
on occupancy of alley dwellings to
await Congressional action charting
future rehousing programs.