Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-01-02

e. III i
MAJ. GEN. U. S. GRANT III.
problems, 1t seems best to point out that
this war will probably not end in toto
but that it is much more likely to
change in at least two successive steps,
perhaps three. Moreover, the postwar
period may be expected to show an in
crease in certain governmental activ-
tiles connected with our relations with
foreign countries. which will last over
considerable period after the last enemy
has surrendered Internationally. If
this representation be sound, there will
be no such extreme sudden change in
the number of Government employees
as occurred in the past, and the prob
lens arising out of the war agencies
Rehabilitation may be spread out over
a considerably longer period. This will
help to compensate for the increased
difficulties foreseen in the very much
larger number of Government employees
at the present time, as compared with
previous wars.
Considering the probable increase Of
population due to the war and the
number Of persons who are living in
Washington today. so crowded that
their circumstances are well-nigh in
tolerable even temporarily, there is
bound to be housing shortage. The
question Immediately presents itself as
to how this shortage is going to be met.
I think we may safely assume that the
major amount OF new housing to be
constructed will have to be done by
private enterprise. This is the existing
policy. and there is no reason to ex-
pect that it will be changed. However,
for the lowest income groups it is evil
dent that private enterprise will have
to be supplemented by public housing
agencies, not only because this is like
wise the established policy, but also
because experience has shown that pri-
vate enterprise depending upon profit
cannot and will nd do the job Il is
best to emphasize, that the work of
public housir3 Will manifestly be gen.
orally limited to that for income groups
who cannot pay profit on the invest-
b ment. This will necessarily result in
considerable progress in slum clearance
Another problem, the impact of which
may be expected to be the most in
tensive of any, will be the enormous
increase in traffic to be handled on our
streets when general use of the auto
mobile is re-established. Besides solv-
ing the problems of thoroughfares in
and through the congested parts of the
city, it is necessary to hasten remedial
measures that will keep as much traffic
as possible out of the congested parts
Of the city. In general it must be ex-
pected that traffic. like a great river.
cannot be strictly controlled or indefi-
nitely limited by retaining walls, but
must be handled by inducing it to flow
in other channels. This can be done
only by producing more efficient and
more attractive by-passes through
which it will prefer to move
1t is, therefore, of the utmost i'm
portance to provide as soon as possible
for the exchange of traffic between
radial streets before it reaches the con-
gested central area; to provide suitable
and efhcient ways for the traffic from
the country to flow into the outer resi-
Dental areas without having to come
into the central area, and finally to
provide attractive and efficient by
passes for traffic that does not need or
desire to come into the city. One of
Washington's particular problems is
that most of the noncommercial traffic
passing by the city will want to pass
through 1t, at least to certain extent.
1t may be possible to satisfy this long
ing for the automobile traveller to see
Washington on his way by providing
good and continuous roads around the
outer parts Of the city from which salts
/ flying views of the Capitol, the Govern
ment buildings, the White House, WASH
ington Monument, ETC., may be had.
Fort Drive Planned in 1926.
AS long ago as 1926 the Planning
| Commission realized that an exceptional
| opportunity to provide for this need was
afforded by the line of Civil War forts
"AAASAA oSA AocuANCu Jul ivy. 1llCoC All 10,
generally located on hills, had not been
built on because of their topography and
could, therefore, be acquired cheaply.
Moreover, If SO acquired they would pro-
vide suitable local parks in the outlying
| residential areas and would afford ex-
ceptionally attractive views because of
their height In addition many of the
old earthworks were still recognizable
which would add historical interest to
the park in each case. The commission,
therefore, in the intervening years, has
acquired not only the sites themselves
but the right Of way for circumferen-
tial Fort Drive surrounding the city. In
some sections this drive will be needed
| to provide means of exchanging truck
| and commercial traffic from one axial
street to another; in other cases it may
be necessary to spend the money to de-
! velop the Fort Drive as heavy traffic
street, and the lighter and less expensive
construction Of park drive will be pos
| sible.
An especially favorable opportunity to
help solve the traffic problems in one
Of the most congested bottlenecks merits
consideration The Potomac River High
way Bridge must soon be rebuilt, but
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