davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19
GLOSSARY OF DECADENCE
It's 'RedeveIopment'
Or Urbon Renewal
REDEVELOPMENT

What is the difference between "redevelopment" and
urban renewal?
REDEvELoPMENT
Congress 1s45 passed "redeveopment" act for the
provide special powers for u clearance and
the rebuilding of bghted The Federal Housing Act
of 1945 provided special powers to carry 1t out.
acts empower the city to designate "blighted"
acquire land in them through eminent domain. tear
down structures rehouse residents elsewhere and sell
lease land to private investors for rebuilding
Generally "redevelopment" implies the clearance Of en-
tire This Is the "atom bomb type Of attack being
applied Southwest Washington Some structures however
may This spelled out in the official redeveopment"
plan.
The Supreme Court in a sweeping decision upheld the
District acts constutionaty ruling went beyond i'm
mediate issues raised court challenge and interpreted
the ctys powers designating redevelopment" projects
to be extremely broad.
URBAN RENEWAL
urban renewal" concept enacted by Congress
in the Housing supplement cities edevelop
ment powers.
1t did not powers of "redevelopment" But it
said cities could designate for urban renewal certain sec
which do not require the drastic clearance provisions
of "redevelopment"
1t provided special aids otherwise foster
the rehabilitation of structures in the renewal area
said cities also could take special steps, through housing
ration.
These urban renewal" could include "redeveop-
ent in which certain blocks could be taken through emf
nent powers But the urban renewal areas need
any clearance They could include, the act sad
"redevelopment or rehabilitation or conservation
any combination part thereof. 80"
Any steps under urban renewal would be spelled
official plan The Federal act provided money to
assist the planning and to out the determined planning
detectives.
The specified however, that to be designated for
urban renewal" section must be "a slum or a
blghted deteoated deeriorating area These terms
by specific standards, not defined
The 1854 Federal act specifically amended the DISTRICTS
1854 redevelopment" act and made the urban renewal
provisions part OF It,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19
Bus 7 roIIey Preference
Study Asked by Citizens

report which foresees financial
hardship" on workers and trans
it riders here without compen-
sating advantages to the COM
munity If buses are substituted
for the street cars now operating.
The Federation acted earlier
on the street car-bus question
last October /. In view of re-
peated claims by public officials
that buses are cheaper to run,
the committee undertook further
investigation of the subject.
Cost Initiation Hinted
The committee commended
that present utilities commission
bookkeeping practices quite pos
sibly tend to distort the relative
economies Of the two types of
vehicles, and, through certain
arbitrary procedures. may very
we'll be initiating the true cost of
street car operation while re-
flceting less than actual cost Of
bus operation"
The report went on to say
that so far as the committee
could find out. wherever street
cars have been abandoned.
transit traffic and revenues have
decreased. 1t added that by
contract, the City of Shaker
Heights, Ohio. has retained its
street cars and is the only
transit company in the country
where riding has increased since
World War IL"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19
Will Collect
For Heart Drive

A quarter Of a million Wash
ington area homes will be WIS.,
tied by volunteer solicitors next
Sunday in the climax of the
month long Heart Fund drive.
About 5000 volunteers. headed
by 800 captains, will call on
homes between / and 5 pm. that
day, Heart Sunday"
Mrs. Herbert Brownell and
Mrs. Wiley T. Buchanan, CO.
chairmen OF the Heart Sunday
drive, said yesterday that collec-
tors will receive final instruc-
lions and kits in the mail in the
next few days.
Mrs. Brownell said collectors
will leave envelopes addressed
to the Washington Heart Asso-
citation for the contributions of
people who are not at home
when they call.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19

The Federation Of Citizens
Associations last night called for
public hearings on whether riders
prefer Streetcars or buses and
reiterated its opposition to the
precipitate and irrevocable de-
cision" to abandon streetcar OPP
erations here.
The Federation voted. after
hearing a long report challenging
claims that buses are cheaper to
run than streetcars, to recon-
mend that the Commissioners
and the Public Utilities Com
mission make an objective"
study of the costs Of both.
The Federation said the study
should include, but not be lin
tied to, such pertinent factors as:
Possible use of some street.
car facilities in connection with
the ultimate need of Washing
ton for a rapid transit system.
THE trend of fuel costs.
1.-THE probable increase in street
costs If an all-bus
system Is instituted.
THE comparative accident ex-
perience of the two types of We
hicles.
The influence on the public
health of the noxious fumes and
gases emitted by buses"
Wants Costs Studied
The resolution was proposed by
Edward c. Wilcox. chairman OF
the public utilities committee,
after reading the committees
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19
Museum 10 Get
Architect Soon
By WILLIAM A. MULLEN

BY WILLIAM A. MULLEN
The architect for the Smith
sonian Institutions new Museum
Iof History and Technology. TO bt
constructed on Constitution ave.
nue., between Twelfth and Four.
Iteenth streets, NV. is about Il
lbe chosen.
This was learned yesterday al
the Public Buildings Service o.
the General Services Administra-
ton and Smithsonian Institution
Iofiicials confessed.
Meanwhile, the House is ex-
Ipected to take up shortly the
recommendations of its Appro-
priations Committee indorsine
$33.7l2,000 for construction Of
the new museum.
Last year, Congress appropri-
.ated s2,288. 900 to- design the
building and prepare working
drawings. Federal officials. hav-
ing gathered the necessary basic
data on which these will be
drawn. are just about ready u
select an official architect.
The architect will study the
site and surrounding buildings
make block studies and submit
the designs to the National Capt..
tai Planning Commission anc
the Fine Arts Commission.
The planners, who have al.
ready approved the general site
will control the exact location o
the building on the property. Tht
Fine Arts Commission will pas
on the design of the building
Congress. in the enabling legisla
ton, will set forth the site.
| About a year from now, tn,
temporary buildings on Consti.
tuition avenue. between Twelfth
and Fourteenth streets. NV.
occupying the site of the new
museum. will be torn down un
der present plans.
OF these. Building u is occu.
pied by part of the Defense De,
partment and has around 60t
occupants. The other, Building
1T. has upwards of 1000 occu,
pants. They are divided amont
the Air Force. Federal Commu
nications Commission, Arm!
Signal Corps. part of the Nav!
and Labor Departments.
The Smithsonian Tentatively
has set UP this construction
timetable:
| Construction contracts are ex'
Ipected to be let some time mex
year between February ane
May. Ofi1cials expect construc.
ton to begin by June SO Of mex
year. 1t will take about two ane
! a half years to complete tn,
building, If all goes well. official!
Explained. Then. the Smithson'
ian hopes to open the building
to the public some time in 1860
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19

ammo 1900 was Inc year Oh
Davy Crockett" in the District
Public Library.
Adults read books on foreign
policy; little children wanted
fairy tales and funny books;
Iteen-agers read everything under
the sun. But everybody. appar-
emily. called for Davy Crockett
The 1ibrary's annual report
for Fiscal 1855. just released
calls the craze for information
about the coonskin-capped from
tiersman "the conspicuous new
trend of the year" and quotes
one Of its librarians as saying;
Nothing has ever rung in oul
ears with such vehemence as the
cries for Davy Crockett-from all
ages and both sexes"
2 Million Books Borrowed
The report shows that books
borrowed from the library went
over 2 million for the first time
to 2.065,6 the number Of card
holders rose to l55.547. and the
book collection climbed to $685.
1873 volumes. These figures are
presented with statistical aplomb
But the universal cry for Davy
Crockett leaves the library
stumped for a reason why.
1T is a sociologist's problem to
discover to why" the report says
YEARLY.
The second biggest trend OF
the year was a rush for books
and magazines about high f.
deity" music reproduction. An
almost phenomenal interest, >
says the report.
Perhaps equally startling. how
ever. is a listing of the range OF
subjects which the city's teen
ayers are calling for these days
The report gives this as a sample
Iof what the young people want
to know about:
THE problems Of the teen
.ager; waste in Government; the
effects of comics on young
people: the functions of Con-
gressional committees: how teen
ayers can improve their driving
and the wiring system OF
Ford"
Girls Read More
Strangest Of all. the teen-agers
are also demanding-for what
reason they themselves know
best-to be given fiction and
non fiction about leprosy."
Girls continue to read more
than boys. The girls are show
ing an increased interest in vo.
cational novels, especially stories
about teachers. The boys. wal
babies now in their teens" have
heard about their fathers ex-
periences in World War II land
they are eager readers of wal
stories"
Something has to give, OF
course. and two old favorites
are dropping out of sight. the
report says. Boys are reading
less science fiction and girls dc
not seem as enamored with ballet
as they we're two years back"
| Television Booms Reading
A conclusion drawn from the
books being read in general, the
report says. is that television,
instead of being a threat to
reading. as had been predicted
In some quarters" actually is
serving to introduce many peo-
pie to reading.
The financial status of the
library makes grimmer reading,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19
Transit Crisis Goes
To House Hearinq
District Committeeman
Facing Big Decisions

finally take on the size Of the
Federal payment.
The District budget situation
is based in part on a proposed
restoration of 81 million cut from
the Federal payment as appre-
priated for the present fiscal year
and on a proposed increase in
the authorized Federal share for
the fiscal year beginning July
from $40 million to $22 million.
A District official who was
asked what would be the result
should Congress turn thumbs
down on one or both of the Fed
eral payment proposals, said the
city would be in real trouble.
He indicated the District might
have to have a second District
tax increase program in the same
year in order to avoid a deficit
unless the Commissioners found
it necessary to order a second
increase in the real estate tar
rate.
Real Estate Tax Rate
Already pending in the city
finance program is a plan by the
Commissioners to raise. on theii
own authority. the real estate
tax rate by 10 cents per $l0(
Ievaluation, from 1920 to $3.50.
One member Of the fiscal sub
committee said last night it was
his hope to keep the new tai
bill down to the barest necessi.
ties. He said it was his hope il
would not be necessary to raise
the sales tax on groceries from
one to two per cent since Thu
was a nuisance item that should
be avoided at all costs.
This member said Il think Il
would be a mistake to add any.
thing to the tax load on the
people of the District that is mo-
actually needed"
But he added it must be con-
templated that there were somt
possible heavy additional cost!
facing the District government.
For one thing. he said shoule
Congress decide that there wa!
no responsible private operator
to take over Capital Transit Co.
this might mean the creation o.
public authority.
And aside from the question,
Iof how much Congress might
have to provide in the way Of
loans, for the new operator, Oh
whatever is the cost of some
public authority. the District
would be faced with new
burdens.
Hearings on the District budget
will be opened Thursday by 6
subcommittee Of the House APP.
preparations Committee headec
by Representative Rabaut. Demo
crat Of Michigan. He sais
Iclosed-door hearings for Distric
officials probably will be followet
| by sessions at which the citizen
and taxpayers would be given ,
! chance to be heard.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19

robbers who stripped him of his raj
ments, beat him and departed leaving
him half dead.
Others passed along the road and
saw the wounded man but gave him
no assistance. Finally Samaritan
came along, saw the man and had
compassion. He treated and bound
his wounds and set the hurt man on
his own beast and brought the in
jured man to an inn.
The Samaritan paid for the
mans keep at the inn and offered to
pay any additional cost on his return
to that city while the man regained
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19

What is the difference between "redevelopment" and
urban renewal?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19
A Tlrnnght fur Tnhay
Lenten Reflections on Fovorite Stories
From the Bible by People You Know
BY HOWARD v. COvELL

Jesus upon being questioned by lawyer, asked
this question And who is my neighbour"
In answer, Jesus told the story of the who
going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19
BY DON S. WARREN

District committeeman in
Congress this week face some of
the toughest decisions in years
or how to finance the operation
of the City Government.
The new tax program. the rec
ord breaking city budget and the
rebound from any move to set
up a public transit authority to
take over the service of the Cap
ital Transit Co.. when it's fran
chise and charter expire next
August Is are among the prob
lens.
Sometime tomorrow the Dis
trict Commissioners are expected
to send to the fiscal subcommit-
tee of the House and Senate Dis
trict Committees a report on
Just how much money can be
expected to be raised by the tax
boost program.
There has been wide differ
ence on this in the estimates Of
Capitol Hill and city govern
ment experts. There was some
thing of an air Of optimism last
night that no added layers Of
taxes would have to be substi-
tuted for the revenue measures
tentatively dropped by the fiscal
committees.
Hearings Scheduled
Representative Smith, Demo-
jcrat of Virginia. chairman Of the
House District Fiscal Subcom-
mittee of the Senate District
Committee. was hopeful that he
could call a meeting later this
week to mark up the new city
tax bill, which experts say. must
bring in new revenue Of at least
I$l0.l million.
The District subcommittee OF
the House Appropriations Com
mittee is scheduled to begin
hearings Thursday on the Dis
jtrict budget for the next fiscal
year. This calls for an outlay of
Sl82.8 millions. a record breaker,
but to this will be added about
$l4 million for public works i'm
provements If necessary city a.
nancing can't be found.
Engineer Commissioner Thomas
a. Lane. speaking on a radio
broadcast last night, declared
that it now appears the estimate
of revenues on the income tax
proposal may be 50 million un-
der that which the levy will pro-
lduce.
He said he did not feel that
/ Congress will increase the size
of the revenue program in terms
of dollars. but that added ex-
penses, such as possible larger
appropriations for schools. could
eat up the average.
The whole program for the
next fiscal year and for one or
more following years depends
upon what action Congress will
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19
Urbon Renewal
Stirs Six-Point Fight
Group in Foegy Bottom Area
Contends With D. c. Officials

needed to provide for orderly
development" of the whole area,
plan such improvements as parks
and highways in conjunction
with private development. remove
what slums do exist, and insure
protection for all types Of de-
velopment. They say the pros
pect of considerable new private
development makes it especially
necessary that the development
be planned on an afea-wide
basis.
The proponents say private
developers should participate
fully in drawing the plan. They
note also that urban renewal
provides special Federal financ-
ing aids for home improvement
and gives the city funds fol-
streets and other public uses.
Opponents. however. argue
that Foggy Bottom is renewing
to the point that public
money would be wasted there.
They say it should be spent in
areas which really are slum-
ridden
The opponents also contend
that the city has all the tools
it needs to improve areas and
protect development, through
coming. the new housing code
and condemnation powers.
Would substantial portions OF
land be seized for other uses
through eminent domain?
Proponents say that probably
no land would be taken in the
small ''Foggy Bottom" project
except for such public uses" as
street improvements. In the
George Washington University
area, they say, some land may
be taken. But any such taking
would have to be spelled out in
the plan.
Some opponents have likened
the Fobby Bottom projects to
"redevelopment areas" in South
west Washington, where entire
blocks have been acquired and
cleared for rebuilding. Urban
projects are intended to
provide less drastic improve
ments. But it is possible for
renewal plans to include land
acquisition and clearance-in
effect. small "redevelopment"
projects.
Could land be acquire d
urban renewal" for re-
newal and then resold to George
Washington University for cam
pus expansion?
GNU officials have expressed
hope that the renewal" plan
would provide 1t with needed
land for expansion. Opponents
the legality of this.
In other cities. Federal attor-
neys said. universities have ac-
quired property through rede-
velopment projects. But the
specific purpose of acquiring the
land has been to clear slums or
remove some other blight" con-
dition, attorneys said, not for
the predominant purpose of the
lands resale use. The District,
meanwhile. has made no COM
mitment to GNU.
Should the Commissioners
have called public hearings be-
fore designating the renewal"
areas?
District officials contend the
law requires public hearing
before a final plan is adopted.
but not before the area study is
They cite the word
ing of one procedural part Of
the law to bolster their point.
Opponents cite another Sec
ton of the same law. Defining
a project area" it says the city
heads can adopt an area as IAN
appropriate unit" for planning
after a public nearing.
This point is one Of those
raised in the court suit, contest
ing the legality Of the urban
renewal designation.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19
Dovy Crockett Credited
For 1855 Library Boom
All Ages, Both Sexes Showed Big interest
In Frontiersmun, Official Says in Report

1855 THE Year Of however Librarian Harry
Davy Crockett" in the District N. PETERSON
r.,,. IA Although increased
l u'ie A"'"i'' and good planning have i'm
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19

however. notes Librarian Harry
IN. Peterson.
Although increased revenue
and good planning have i'm
proved service in several areas
Mr.. Peterson says. the public
library does not meet the needs
Iof the people of Washington"
There are two main deficien.
Icies, the librarian says. The first
lis an inadequate operating
fund" The per-capita budget OF
the library is second from the
bottom of the list Of cities be-
tween 100000 and one million
population. The District spends
ls1.91 per person on its library
while other cities go as high as
l$4.64. Only st. Louis Is lower
with $l.49. The 1855 District Lii
Ibrary appropriation for opera
Itions was $l,6ll. 900. Cleveland's
lin 1854 was more than 81 mil
lion
Book Fund Inadequate
The second deficiency, Mr.
Peterson reports. is in the allot-
'ment for books-$l40,4 22 in 1856
This is entirely inadequate" he
says, especially because of in
creased use of the library, the
rise In new book prices and such
"a deterioration in their physical
manufacture that they wear out
faster.
In the amount spent on books
the District Library is again sec
ond from the bottom among COM
parable cities, Mr.. Peterson notes
Except for st. Louis. every city
in the Districts population class
spends more than twice as much
every year to buy new books.
This situation is especially
grievous in Washington. Mr.
Peterson says, because educated
persons read more and the peo-
pie of Washington are better
educated than those in any oil
the other cities compared.
Washington. he said. ranks
highest in education with ar
average OF 10 years Of school 9TH,
other cities range from 8.6 to 10.1
years. and with 68,ll5 college
graduates compared to a low Of
23.3l5 and a high Of 32,635 ir
the other cities.)
Mr.. Peterson cites no statistics
however. on what kind of ar
audience Davy Crockett found ii
other cities.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19

Jesus told the lawyer that the Samaritan showed
mercy his neighbor Jesus also said to the
LAWYER GO and do thou likewise"
We not called upon to suffer as did the Saviour,
only do the Samaritan did in the story Each OF
everyday life should go and do thou likewise"
Tomorrow-Carl f. Ericsson
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-02-19
Safety ToIks
District Visits
Listed by Mansfield

Inspector Dick MonsfieId. director
Of The Stor's School Society prosrom.
will give his safety eortoon ehoIk
toIks OF the following schools in the
District this week:
Tomorsow-Peyne School. S:l5 ON.
ond l0:45 ON.
Tuesdoy-Lotoyette School, s:l5
an. and l0:45 ON.
Thursdoy-Merritt School. S:l5
ON. and l0:45 ON.