Evening star., 1945-02-09
Senate Fight
on Buying
Apartment Site
Committee Backs
Bill to Give $72, 500
For lond as Park

A contest on the Senate floor may
develop, 1t was indicated today, if
the Senate District Committee pur-
sues its plan for Federal appro-
priation Of $72,500 to prevent erec-
ton of an apartment house at Six
teenth and Shepherd streets NV,
by buying the site for park pur-
poses.
Tentative approval was given yes
terday by the District Committee,
by a vote of to 4, to bill to settle
in this way the long legal battle over
the zoning Of the Upper Sixteenth
street tract, but some members still
were in doubt about the policy and
the threat of a precedent that may
later haunt the committee"
However, Chairman Bilbo of the
Senate District Committee said to-
day he was satisfied a ma lority of
the committee will approve the plan
and that favorable report will be
authorized Monday
His prediction is supported by the
reactions of two doubtful" members
who yesterday visited the site-Sen-
ators Smith, Republican, of New
Jersey, and Saltonstall, Republican,
of Massachusetts. both newcomers
to Washington. They told report
ers they were inclined to go along"
with senior members of the commit
tee who have studied the issue. But
both still indicated they were con-
cerned over the proposal to appro-
pirate Government funds to buy
additional park land as a means of
settling a zoning dispute.
O'Daniel Continues Opposition.
Senator ODaniel, Democrat. of
Texas, declined an invitation to in
spect the site, saying he was and
would continue to be opposed to the
proposed appropriation as a matter
of principle.
Il think 1t Is a question beyond
the legislative duties of Congress, I"
he said, since Congress has estab-
lished q Zoning Commission and
courts to settle such matters. I
don't like appeasement settlements
and I believe this one would set a
precedent that would haunt us later"
Senator Briggs, Democrat, of Mis-
souri,, could not see the property yes
terday but said he would consult
with other members of the commit
tee. Senator Johnston, Democrat.
OF South Carolina, who yesterday
gave a tentative approval to the
plan, also reserved final judgment.
Chairman Bilbo said: IF we have
majority on record Monday we
will report the bill to the Senate. f"
Voicing sympathy for the plight
OF home owners in the Crestwood
section who feared a loss of prop
erty values If the apartment were
built on the nearby site, Senator
Bilbo predicted Congress would
outlaw the apartment project If
the plan failed to buy the site as
additional park land.
Tydings Cites View.
These home buyers" he said
were told there would be no apart
ment house there"
Senator Tydings, a co-sponsor Of
the land purchase plan, has told the
committee the Crestwood home
builders were asleep on their
rights in that they were not aware,
some years ago, that the coming
permitted an apartment to be built.
He played a major role in de-
feating a bill at the end of the
last Congress outlawing the apart
ment project, holding the prospec-
tive builder had complied with all
legal requirements. He is urging
the purchase Of the site for park
purposes, however, as the best set
tlement of the long fight. The two
acres, he declares, are we'll worth
the price.