Evening star., 1949-06-04
Another Sium Investigation

While there may be room for debate as
10 whether Washington's slums are the
worst In the country, there is reason to
believe that they are the most investi-
gated. The investigating has been going
on since Civil War days-at first sporad-
ically and In more recent years almost
regularly. Congressional and other COM
mittees have inspected them countless
times, from one end to the other and in
side out. And photographs of them, with
the Capitol in the background have been
published In every State and many foreign
lands.
It IL perfectly natural and proper that
another congressional investigation of
washington's alley dwellings should be
made. This time q long-range study Is to
be undertaken by the Housing and Rent
Subcommittee of the Senate Banking Com
mittee. It will be, its sponsors say, a
comprehensive study of the whole housing
problem In Washington. Chairman Spark
man of the subcommittee hopes that it will
lead to final elimination of slum conditions
In the Nations Capital.
Many others will join In this hope. It
was the same hope that inspired the many
inspections and studies and reports in
the past. There were, for example, the
studies which led to passage of the Com
missioners' Alley Dwelling Act of 1914,
under which police power was to have been
used to force closing of alley dwellings by
May, 1918. But the First World War inter-
vened and Congress twice postponed the
deadline-the last time to 1928. Then
court test ended the police power expert
ment. In the meantime the usual inspec-
ton tours by various groups continued and
the same publicity shnts. appeared and
reappeared. This CYCLE eventuated In more
hearings at the Capitol and finally In
passage Of the District Alley Dwelling Act
Of 1884. under which the National Capital
Aoukinge Authority operates. A ten-year
program called for slun clearance and
public rehousing, but the Second World
War interfered with the program.
Then IN 1914, came the most contpse-
hensive Of all slum fnvestiga ations-tha Of
the Burton Subcommittee of the Senate
District Committee. Six months of hear
ings produced q mass of information on
every phase of sluin elimination and re-
development. The record was so extensive
JI1dt GuIc6 printed VUluHleS were IcQuIcu
to present 1t to Congress and the public.
Largely as a result of these hearings
Congress enacted the Slum Clearance and
Redevelopment Act of 1946 The Re-
development Land Agency was established
to carry out the $20,0OO,0o0 redevelopment
program-but no money has yet been
appropriated with which to start the job.
And now comes another congressional
investigation of the city's slums and of
the general housing situation here. More
hearings will be held and more evidence
compiled to add to that already attesting
to the deplorable conditions in Washing
tons inhabited alleys. All of this interest
In the problem is salutary. The more light
thrown on the situation the more prospect
of concrete action at last. And the only
concrete action that gives any real promise
of solution is appropriation of sufficient
money to begin the redevelopment pro-
gram already mapped out. Meanwhile it
is good idea to keep the subject alive
through such hearings as those planned
by the Senate committee.