Evening star., 1954-05-13
Worth Commemorative

Inc SuggeSClOn CnaC the signing Dy PreS1-
dent Eisenhower of the District public works
bill be made a ceremonial event is good one.
The occasion will be worth commemorating. It
will mark the successful elimination of note
worthy two-year effort, joined in by the whole
community, to lay the foundation for fresh
start on the development and Identification Of
Washington.
With approval Of the epochal legislation by
the President, the District will have both a
blueprint for a long delayed public works pro-
gram and practicable plan for financing It,
The bill is the result of the remarkably unified
laborS Of public-Spirited citizens, tireleSS and
determined District officials and cooperative
Federal and congressional leaders It .con-
stituteS an object lesson in what can be accom-
plished when the voteless Capital combines its
forces in support of so urgent and just cause.
It is timely and appropriate to recall some
thing of the history of this vital legislation
and to mention just a few Of those who played
major roles in bringing it into being. There
had been a growing realization since World
War II that drastic steps were needed to enable
the Capital to catch up with public works needs
and to avert threatened stagnation and decay
of the city. Former Engineer Commissioner
Robinson became especially concerned with this
problem and decided to do something about it.
He prevailed on the Board of Commissioners to
enlist the aid of a group of outstanding civic
and business leaders in surveying needs and
studying means of meeting them. Thus there
came into existence on March "a, 1882 the
Citizens Advisory Committee on Public Works,
headed by Francis g. Addison, jr. The mission
assigned this group by the Commissioners was
"to review a municipal construction program
for the District Of Columbia with a view to
preserving the economic stability Of the city,
and to recommend a sound financing plan for
the progressive execution Of any program
recommended" That was large order, but
Mr.. Addison and his associates selflessly plunged
into the task. Assisting the chairman were
such able subchairmen as Robert v. Fleming,
Everett ]. Boothby, Bruce Baird, Charles B.
Dulcan, H. Randolph Maddox and Charles H.
Tompkins.
After six months of intensive study and
consultation the Addison committee submitted
to the Commissioners detailed, far-reaching
report. It became the basis of the Commis-
Sioners' official request to Congress for public
works legislation. Then came the creation of
a follow-up citizens committee to aid in
selling" the program to Congress. This ener-
getic, representative committee was headed by
John A. Reilly and included croSs-section of
WashingtonS civic, trade and other groups.
Meanwhile the Budget Bureau was considering
the program, critically but, withal, sympa-
thetically The Budget Bureaus approval of
somewhat modified plan in July of last year was
followed by the Presidents strong Endorsement
OF 1t in his Federal budget message in January
Of this year. Congress showed unusual interest.
Chairman Simpson of the House District Com
mittee introduced the legislation and he and
Chairman Case Of the Senate District Commit
tee agreed on joint subcommittee hearings
under Craftsmanship of Representative o'Hara.
This expedited submission Of the revised bill to
the Senate and House, where there was sur
priSingly little opposition to the program.
Signing of the bill into law thus will be an
occasion for qualification by all who con-
tributed to its passage. The ceremony viii not
however, assure full realization of the carefully
drawn, long-range plans for improving the
Capital. The authorization can only evolve
into concrete and steel when Congress provides
the appropriations required to fulfill the dream
Of the programs authors. But given continued
united backing of the sort demonstrated during
the past two years, the vision surely can become
Q reality.