Evening star., 1954-05-14
Issues Raised
ByPopuIation
Shifts Studied
Problems Must Be
Handled SensibIy,
Speakers Declare

face up to the problems OF its
shifting population and cope
"sensibly1 with their effects on
crime control, health, welfare,
religious activity and recreation.
This view was expressed by
speakers at the fifth annual
Health, Welfare and Recreation
Conference sponsored by United
Community Services of Wash
ington today at the Hotel Stat
Ter.
''The problem" said Col.
Campbell c. johnson, assistant
to the director of Selective Serv-
ice, who presided over a panel on
Washington's shifting popula-
ton. sis not so much to bring
about stability now as to meet
the changes that are taking
place and to meet them sensi-
bly,"
District Director of Correction
Donald Clemmer pointed out that
while real stability means de-
cay. at the same time "popula-
ton influx invites crime" He
expressed pessimism for the i'm
mediate future about crime and
delinquency.
Increasing Costs Expected.
The District Government
spends about $21 million a year
for police, courts, probation,
prisons and parole, he noted. and
there is no reason to believe
but what such. monumental costs
will continue and even increase"
"a less pessimistic view could
be held, however, if and when
the various agencies, both public
and private. which must conjure
with the problems of law en-
forcement were more adequately
f1naneed now, and if, just as i'm
portantly, some social magic
were to occur that would make
of this city a more stable en-
vironment," he said.
Mr. Clemmet said that most
of those who transfer their
homes to the suburbs are those
with more financial resources.
Crime stems more frequently
from the impoverished than the
financially secure, he added. An
other point he made was that
the flight to the suburbs takes
persons with community and
neighborhood leadership away
from the city proper, and while
other neighborhood leaders will
emerge, the critical question is
What kind?"
Homer Hoyt, president of
Homer Hoyt Associates, drew a
picture of the District popula-
ton with a great increase of
colored people, normally dis
tributed, and a white population
with a high proportion of older
and unattached people. Mean
while, outlying counties are hav-
ing greater problems of provid-
ing new schools for the growing
child population, he said.
City Center Desirable.
While homes, shopping centers
and factories all seek locations
with more room, certain func-
tionS still seek the center of the
city, he pointed out. Headquar-
ters for trade associations. re-
gional office buildings and the
like all want to be close to the
Government agencies, he noted.
Redevelopment of the center
of Washington should take into
account these factors: Added
parking facilities and hotels,
particularly catering to single
people.
DR.. Herbert P. Ramsey, preSi-
dent of the District Medical
Society, called for closer CO.
operation among the health Off
GERS of the area and also among
voluntary agencies.
Germs don't know bound
aries" he pointed out.
He cited three reasons which
he has found as to why people
move out into the suburbs: They
want more room for the chill
dren, they want to become
Americans" by having the right
to vote, and white people in the
District flee from the Federal
ly accelerated racial intermlxing
we enjoy"
Reasons for Shift.
DIR. E. B. Henderson, director
of physical education in colored
schools here, pointed out that
colored persons shift into the
District because of various lacks
of opportunity in the surround
ing counties. He pointed out
that colored families, too, ap-
preciate living in areas where
there is ample space for raising
their children.
Raymond E. Clapp. research
director of the Department of
Welfare, said four-f1fths Of the
dependency burdens of greater
Washington is carried by the
District.
At present, he said, most de-
pendentS are Negroes who rep
resent the majority of lower in
come families. This condition is
changing, however, he went on.
One factor he cited is that the
Negro is becoming better edu-
Gated, his health has improved
significantly and he is demon
Strating a capacity to carry
responsibility and produce effec-
lively. AS the Negro's economic
status improves, his welfare
needs tend to diminish, Mr..
Clapp said.
In planning welfare services,
special attention should be de-
voted to the needs of Negro
school-age children who repre-
sent most of the expected in
crease in numbers of children in
the next 10 years, he declared.