Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-13
Erwin, New Senator,
Anxious 10 Learn
About DC. Problems

Samuel J. Erwin. jr., veteran
North Carolina judge who was
sworn in Friday as q member Of
the Senate and almost tmme.
diately assigned to its District
Committee, says he wants to
learn about Washington's prob
lens but doesn't yet know the
answers.
With refreshing modesty. the
new Senator says he has no
complaint about his assignment
to the District unit, but rather
expresses sympathy for WASH
ington for getting. as he put it.
ga city councilman so ignorant
of its affairs as I am"
In keeping with his experience
as a judge, he said he would
want to hear both sides of the
arguments before he arrived at
his conclusions.
II can't predict" he added
'that I will arrive at the correct
conclusions. but I will assure
you they will be honest"
Knows City Problems.
Senator Erwin was appointed
to the seat left vacant by the
recent death of Clyde Hoey, vet
eran North Carolina Democrat.
He is expected to run for cleo
ton in his own right after serv-
ing out this session as an ap-
pointed member.
Reporters threw the usual
questions at the new District
committeeman as to his general
views on this or that city prob
lem. He had no conclusion yet,
but he knew in general about the
problem of the size of the Fed
eral payment.
On this. he said the United
States should contribute q fair
share toward the costs Of the
Capital city because Washington
rendered many services to the
&SAOA "a N1OVC1 AA1C14Is
He said he realized also that
the costs Of this city in various
instances were greater because
Of the more costly type Of i'm
provementS that are required
here because this 10 the seat Of
the Government.
Bridges and other municipal
structures here bear witness to
this" he said. II know that be-
cause OF the desire to keep WASH
tngton a beautiful city projects
often are done in a more extern
sive instead Of the cheapest
way"
Increased Tax Load.
While reServing judgment on
what should be the Federal
share, he said he was aware that
District residents are paying in
creased tax loads.
Asked about the several moves
for local or national suffrage for
District people, Senator Erwin
commented. II know Of that
problem, but I haven't yet
thought 1t through"
AS to racial integration in the
Districts schools under the policy
decision of the Supreme Court,
Senator Erwin said he was in
clined to leave it to school and
District authorities as to whether
a fully non-Segregated system
should be invoked in September
or be deferred until after the
Supreme Court hands down its
final decisions in the still pend
ing school cases.
The new Senator is not q
stranger to Washington. While
most of his career has been in
North Carolina. he served q year
In the House, from January,
1916. to January, 1947, when he
filled out the unexpired term of
his brother, Joe Erwin.
A native of Morganton, N. c.,
he is 81. He has been a member
of the State bar since 1919, and
served in the State Legislature
in 1928, 1925 and 1881. Until
he came to the Senate last week,
he had been an associate Judge
Of the North Carolina Supreme
Court since 1913. He previously
had served in other judicial posts
in his State.