Evening star., 1949-10-02

as vice chairman for the last two
years. DR.. Daniel L. Seckinger
assistant District health officer,
was reelected commission treas
urer and Oliver GaSch, assistant
District corporation counsel, was
reelected commission counsel.
Mr.. Kemp, who has headed the
District Sanitary Department since
1914. succeeds Raymond V. Long,
head of the Virginia Economic Re
search and Development Commis-
sion. Mr.. Long remains member
of the commissions executive
committee representing Virginia.
Was With Army Engineers.
A native of Frederick, Md, and
a graduate of Virginia Polytechnic
Institute, Mr.. Kemp was chief of
the airport section, Office of the
Chief of Army Engineers, prior to
coming with the District.
Calling for an aggressive pro-
gram for the next year, Mr.. Kemp
said the work of the commission S
various committees must be trans
lated into action.
Public works projects are highly
competitive to the detriment of
needed sanitary facilities, he said,
asserting that this is the primary
reason that many streams have
deteriorated, in some instances to
cesspool conditions. Buildings,
highways, water and sewer sys-
TENS take precedence over needed
waste disposal facilities, he ex-
planned.
II do not favor subsidies" Mr..
Kemp said. But since we have
them. waste disposal should be
given top billing. Irrespective of
this. We must elevate the impor-
tance of waste treatment and dis
posal in the field OF public works. -"
Cites S10,OO0,0O0 d. C. Plan.
Mr.. Kemp said the District
alone is now considering the ex-
penditure of $10,000,000 for the
expansion of it's sewage treatment
facilities to meet one of the goals
set for the Washington Metropoli-
tan area.
He gave the commission credit
for many of the improved condi-
tions within the Potomac basin,
and for the good will and cooper
alton now apparent between men,
Der State control agencies.
He said there is excellent CO.
operation between the District and
the Washington Suburban Sani-
tary Commission in adjacent
Maryland. An agreement between
the District and the sanitary COM
mission has been reached whereby
Maryland suburban sewage will
be treated at the District disposal
plant, this relieving the necessity
of additional treatment plants in
the Maryland area.
Praising the commissions COM
mittees, Mr.. Kemp said the work
done by these groups has gone
far toward eliminating the pollu-
ton problem in the basin. The
land committee, one of the newest
commission groups, has been re-
sponsible for the definite realiza-
ton that soil erosion constitutes
a pollution problem, he added.
Financing Authority Weighed.
Attacking the problem of financ-
ing treatment facilities, the COM
mission asked Maryland State
Senator L. Harold Sothoron OF
Prince Georges County to investi-
gate the possibility of forming
one or more financing authorities
for the basin.
Senator Sothoron was directed
to determine whether one author
ity serving the basin only, or sepa
rate State authorities that would
have the power to finance State
wide projects, would be prefer
able.
It was the consensus of com
mission members and advisors
that the cost of financing waste
treatment facilities could be
greatly reduced through a financ-
ing authority.
Such an organization, it was
stated, would permit many small
communities and industries to
finance projects. The cost of the
projects would be repaid through
rentals or other forms of income
from the various completed facili-
ties.
The commission voted to hold
its winter meeting in Washing
ton early next year. A date will
be decided later by the executive
committe.
Dance, Teo Reopen