Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-05-04

Economic Academy
Is Told Fixed Routes
Overcrowd Lond
John Ihlder. executive officer of
the National Capital Housing Au-
thority, last night sharply attacked
subways and the principle OF rigid,
inflexible transit routes" on the basis
that they lead to land overcrowding,
and community loss" He charged
the profit" motive was responsible.
Transportation should serve
housing, not housing serve Transport
tation," Mr.. Ihlder declared in a
speech before the Academy of World
Economics at the Brookings Insti-
tuition. He was one of many speak
ers listed for the three-day 23d
general meeting of the academy de-
voted to the subject of "Transpor-
tation in War and Peace"
Mr.. Ihlder made no specific men,
ton of the comprehensive proposal
by consulting engineers, now before
the District Commissioners, to re-
design the downtown traffic system
to include a number of subways
for mass rail transportation. His
remarks were interpreted, however,
as being an oblique attack on the
proposal for subways here.
Private Autos Best.
Criticizing fixed route transit
Mr.. Ihlder told the academy that
1.-The best vehicular transit is pro-
vided by private passenger automo-
biles, supplemented by free-wheel
mass transit" including buses.
Fixed route transit, with subways
as its latest expression" he declared
tends to destroy or to lower the
character of residence districts
causing land overcrowding and
changing them from areas of one.
family dwellings to those of multi.
family dwellings, and then causing
deterioration even Of the multi
family houses"
Praising the private automobile al
the best means Of transportation
Mr.. Ihlder said lit has converted
our once ,star-shaped cities into
round cities, bringing into good use
between rail lines large areas that
formerly produced only dandelions
broom sedge and poison ivy.
More recently" he added, 1.-THE
free-wheel bus has helped in this
utilization Of vacant space and sc
provides a constructive method oil
safeguarding the spaciousness of oul
residence districts.
Sees Pressure for Profit.
But against the helpful effect Of
these transit facilities there is the
constant pressure of interests which
see immediate profit in methods that
result In land overcrowding. Just a
the land Spectator sees an imme-
date promoters profit In filling 90
per cent OF his lot or adding another
story to his building, SO the transit
specialist sees profit In constructing
subways to distribute present down.
town crowds.
Experience has shown that, IL
both cases the end result is COM
munity loss. Land overcrowdine
leads to decay. Rigid, inflexible
transit routes lead to land over
crowding. The more rigid they are
and the more costly they are, the
worse their effects upon housing"
City planning and coming, said Mr.
Ihlder, should produce a community
in which there is required the least
vehicular transportation (transit)
between home and business, shop
ping centers, schools and places oil
recreation"
Col. Finlay Speaks.
Principal speaker at this mornings
session was to be Col. Luke w. Fin.
lay, executive officer to the chief Of
transportation of the Army. Hi.
subject was Wartime Modification.
Of the Transportation System and
Transportation Planning From the
Standpoint of National Security"
Prof. Oliver E. Baker of Maryland
University last night warned tina,
farm boys who have seen the world
while in the armed forces may CON-
prise a "lost generation" to agricul-
ture after the war.
DR.. Josef Solterer of Georgetown
University spoke on "Ethico-Eco-
nomic Characteristics of Transports.
ton"
Plan for Next War.
Brig. Gen. Donald Armstrong
commandant of the Army Industrial
College, told the gathering plans
were being made against the posi-
bilities of another war when the
United States some time in the
future might be attacked suddenly
and without warning"
This country, he said, might be
the No. country attacked in the
next emergency instead of being one
of the last to get into a conflict
Extensive study, he said, was being
made, not only by Army and Navy
officers in the Industrial College, but
also by staff of civilian research
experts. The mistakes of the past
he said, were being analysed with
a view to preventing them and
being better prepared for any new
war.
Pea Fores Are Reduced