Evening star., 1952-05-23
Publicity Campaign
On Washington Needs
Urged by Donohue


A campaign to acquaint Con-
gress and the country with the
problems of Washington was ad-
vocated today at the annual Help.
Welfare and Recreation Confer
ence at the Shoreham Hotel.
The conference. under the aus
pices of the United Community
Services. is being attended by
some 900 persons.
Commissioner F. Joseph Dono-
hue said Washingtonians are to
blame for Congress reluctance to
give the city sufficient funds. He
declared Congress is unfamiliar
with the city's problems. and sug-
gested that a liaison Office Of
the District government be set
up on Capitol Hill.
This would be similar to those
maintained by Federal Govern
ment agencies to answer questions
by Congress.
Strategic Location Cited.
Mr.. Donohue also suggested that
If the story of Washingtons prob
lens could be put on hotel desks,
visitors wolud carry the message
back to the grass roots. He de-
clared that even if the Federal
Government moved out altogether
under a dispersal program, Gen.
eral Motors and other industries
would move in.
He pointed out that Washing
ton lies between the industrial
North and the agricultural South.
on a navigable river, with a good
climate and adequate labor supply.
He said if Government were not
the chief business here, Washing
ton could become a great indus.
trial city.
The second largest freight yard
IN the world is at Alexandra.
across the river, he said.
The Commissioner declared that
the Conference of Mayors would
be an effective vehicle for pub.
llclzing the needs of Washington.
He said an item Of $1,500 for Join
ing this organization-long denied
the Districts in the current
budget.
Mr.. Donohue said Washing.
tonians do not take time to edr.
cate members of Congress on the
needs OF the city. He said people
are amazed that all salaries of the
Park Police are paid by the Dis
trict.
Handicap in Improvement.
He said the House District Com.
mlttee's action in failing to in.
crease the 4-cent-a-gallon gaso.
line tax by l cent will hamper
improvements. He said the Wash.
lngton- Baltimore boulevard, as a
result, will run into a dead end
mere. He explained that connec-
tlons at South Dakota, New York
and kenilworth avenues will not
oe constructed unless the money
is forthcoming.
Newbold Noyes, jr., Sunday ed.
ltor OF The Star, urged that citi.
zens associations make them-
selves heard effectively before the
committees of Congress. He said
This city must be in the forefront
OF the Nations cities because il
is the capital of the free world.
Washingtonians have been en-.
gagged in losing fight to have the
Federal Government contribute
its equitable share to the city's
upkeep. Mr.. Noyes declared. Con-
gress down through the years has
whitfield away at the Federal con-
trlbution, he recalled. He said:
our industry is government
and that doesn't pay its own way"
City Can't Do Proper Share.
The people of other cities are
free to spend their money on
schools. the poor, old people and
the sick, this being the most i'm
portant work of all, he said. But
Washington cannot do its proper
part in these fields. he added. il
I'VE have to go on keeping the
Federal Government in the style
to which it has become accus-
toned"
Capt. Rhoda Milliken, former
director of the Police Depart
ment's Woman's Bureau, told the
group Washingtonians are unable
to do the job they want for well
fare. She said they must shift
their programs to handle problems
left by Government failing to do
its share. The Board of Public
Welfare gets insufficient funds.
she said, to do its job properly.
The slack must be taken up by
private agencies. she asserted.
"The State provides a little and
we have to do the rest on a vol
untary basis" she declared.