Evening star., 1949-04-19
Senator Douglas
Joins Attack on
Capital S|ums
District Plonners Soy
Denial of Money Is
Reason for Situation

III SuppOIt Ol the DlpdT tlSdn ma
tional housing bill pending before
the Senate.
Senator Douglas. Democrat. of
Illinois displayed on the Senate
floor photographs of two Wash
ington alleys, along with similar
pictures from other large cities.
His action followed a slum tour
arranged yesterday by Senator
Flanders. Republican. Of Vermont,
a sponsor Of the pending bill.
Turning to a stack of enlarged
pictures on a stand near his desk.
Senator Douglas said:
L shall begin here in Wash
ington and show two photo
graphs. the first of Schotts alley,
which is only 100 feet from our
Senate Office Building and which
is one of the worst slums I have
seen. The second is a few blocks
northwest from here, but with
the dome Of the Capitol here
clearly evident"
Money Is Key to Situation.
Redevelopment and planning
officials made it clear, meanwhile,
that money. SO far denied. Is the
key to elimination of District of
Columbia slums.
While a new District act for
slum clearance and redevelopment
work has been on the law books
for nearly three years. money to
make it work still is missing
Senator Flanders said yesterday
he had been impressed by the con-
ditions after hearing the reactions
Of an Indian woman who had been
shown about the slums by an at
tache of the Czechoslovakian EN-
bassy.
The statement of Senator F1an-
ders about things he saw in near
by Southwest Washington, sent
police and health officials, report
ers and photographers scurrying
through the area, only to come up
once again with about the same
story.
Urges Inspection.
absolute squalor." the Vermont
Senator called it.
In one of the opening state
ments in support Of the housing
bill, Senator Flanders urged all
members of the body to make an
inspection Of housing "a few
blocks down toward the river"
He told the Senate: Il went
there and was shocked and in
censed that such conditions could
exist In this country. 1 cannot
convey to you the absolute squalor
of life for many thousands right
here In the Nations Capital.
High disease rates combine
with high crime rates to create a
dangerous and threatening situa-
ton. Public health and police
officials feel they can do little
to fight filth and crime in this
section.
There are too many people
living in too small an area. In
houses too old and neglected for
salvation.
These people have no place to
go. They cannot, with any stretch
Of Imagination, afford new hous-
ing built by private enterprise.
The rents they must pay now
consume 80 and 20 per cent of
their incomes.
He added that many had been
prevented from moving to other
sections by restrictive covenants.
Inspects Low-Cost Housing.
But he saw a brighter side to
the picture, from an inspection
Of some Of the modern low-cost
housing that had been built in
the same general Southwest sec
ton He described inexpensive
brick homes of simple design that
allow plenty of light and air.
with lawns for play. He quoted
a city health official as saying
that the transfer of "slum area"
families into these modern dwell
lings brought an almost un-
believable drop in crime and dis
ease rates"
Financing. however. remains
another matter. For two years
Congress has denied all
requests for pushing the District
program ahead. The only pro-
gress made in the new Congress
this year is House approval of
$4,000 for publication of a plan
developed in broad outline by the
National Capital Park and Plan
ming Commission. This awaits
action on the Senate side.
Congress enacted a new slum
clearance and redevelopment act
for the District in 1916. after a
legislative battle of more than
two years.
It was thought it provided a
VI O1O dlld COIltIiullS olN ~
wipe out or rebuild" Washington
slums since 1t called for l0-year
S20. .000. 900 program. But no
money was ever appropriated.
Making No Progress.
The whole program Is In q
hell of a mess" commented Mark
Lansburgh, chairman of the Re-
development Land Agency, set UP
by the l946 act. Yet each year
we have to make a report to
Congress. We are hopeful but as
yet we are making no progress" :"
The story Of Southwest WASH
ington was outlined to reporters
late yesterday by Larry Hender-
son of the staff Of Senator
Flanders and DR.. John r. Pate,
medical director OF the Southwest
Health Center.
They took reporters and photog-
raphers to a place where Is MEM
bers of one family live in a two
story frame shelter.
1t is in this house. Senator Flan-
ders was told. that o dozen mem-
bers must sleep in single room.
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