Evening star., 1949-04-29
Planners Seek
Share Of Funds
For D. {. SIums
Moves for Solution
Of BIiehted Areas
Press at Copitol

Press at Copitol
The National Capital Park and
Planning Commission wants
Washington TO get an equitable
share of Federal funds for public
housing and slum clearance.
The commission will end its
monthly session tonight at a joint
planning meeting with architects.
Meeting with Brig. Gen. Gordon
r. Young. District Engineer Com
missioner. the planning commits
sion yesterday approved two reso-
lutions dealing with the need OF
Federal appropriations to remove
and redevelop blighted areas near
the Capitol.
1t voted approval of the Spark
man amendment which would re-
store to the National Capital
Housing Authority the power to
acquire lands for low-rent public
housing.
Grant to Testify.
A second motion directed the
planning staff to support an
amendment that would permit the
Land Redevelopment Agency to
share In the loans and grants
under the housing bill. Mai. Gen.
U. s. Grant III. chairman. and
others of the staff will appear be-
fore the House Banking and Cur
trency Committee in support of 1t
Meanwhile. on Capitol Hill. sew
eral legislators continued to ex-
press concern over Washington
slums and plan further action.
A Senate Banking and Currency
subcommittee on housing and rent
saw a presentation by sound pic
lures of slum rehabilitation In
Baltimore. The program was
demonstrated by the National As
sociation Of Home Builders. The
Baltimore plan, 1t was explained
Is based on aggressive enforce
ment of q minimum health and
sanitation ordinance.
Senator Douglas, Democrat. OF
Illinois, a subcommittee member
said he did not think the plan was
the answer to the slum problem
here.
Senator Ferguson. Republican,
of Michigan said he will look next
into the Baltimore plan.
He conferred at length yes
terday with officials from the
Health Department and the Dis
trict Corporation Counsels office
DR.. George c. Ruhland. District
health, ofdcer. proposed to Senator
Ferguson during the conference
that a farm for vocational training
and personal hygience instruction
would be q useful project to help
people from the slums. He also
recommended that some sort Of
group leadership from among the
slum dwellers might be developed
to help improve living conditions
there. through cooperative en-
deavors.
The Senator also plans to con-
tinue a long-range study. leading
to specific recommendations.
He is a member OF the Senate
Appropriations Committee, which
probably viii get requests later
for funds to do something more
about Washington slums.
Senator Margaret Chase Smith.
Republican, of Maine plans to
confer soon with Senator Fergu-
son on prospects Of legislation.
Mcmillan to See Officials.
Chairman Mcmillan Of the
House District Committee indi-
Gated he will talk with District
officials in the mot too distant
future" about the issue. His prin-
cipal recommendation, he said,
win be that, for every public hous-
ing unit built, a comparable num-
Der of slum units should be re-
moved.
The Planning Commission con-
sidered a site for the National
Air Museum, which is to be under
supervision of the Smithsonian
Institution. Several sites are un-
der study by the advisory board
Of the museum.
Gen. Grant announced that the
report on the comprehensive plar
for Washington and its environs
is virtually complete. A few re-
naming chapters remain to be
submitted to the Citizens Adj
visory Committee, but the report
itself is now in manuscript form
The commission still is hoping
Congress will appropriate the
$40, 900 needed for publication and
distribution.
Segregation Issue Of Today.
The segregation issue In Wash
ington's public recreational setur
was to come before the Commis-
sion today.
Although Gen. Grant said the
planning commission has moth.
ing to do" with the present
practice of racial designations on
these areas. he nevertheless viii
present q letter from Representa-.
tive Klein. Democrat. of New
York. The New Yorker was in.
formed by Gen. Grant that elimi.
nation Of segregation at thu
District facilities would require
congressional sanction" Since
then. Mr.. Klein has written again
The District National Guard
was disclosed as having asked
the planning commission II
purchase additional land for Camp
Sims In Anacostia. The Guard
was advised. however, that the
planners may buy land only for
park and public recreational pur-
poses. Gen. Grant said the
commission win discuss with
ofIicials plans for the future de-
velopment 70 Camp Sims. an ex-
tenSive training area for the
District Guardsmen.
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