Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-08-02
Aide Proposes
Bon Limited to
l-FumiIy Areas
By SAM EASTMAN
Star Staff Writer

NNS S'S HNSA@A4ASA oAPPOAS W
legislation that would bar for
eign government chanceries
from locating in Washington's
residential areas.
The bill, sponsored by Sena-
tors Fulbright of Arkansas and
Monroney of Oklahoma, came
up for a hearing today before
the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee.
The measure also drew sup
port from the District Com
missioners and enthusiastic in
dorsement by citizen spokes-
men.
At the hearing, Angler Biddle
Duke, the State Departments
Chief of Protocol, proposed
that the legislation's chancery
ban be limited to areas zoned
for single family detached
homes.
Would Bar Chanceries
Under the legislative pro-
poSal by the two Democratic
Senators, these offices of the
foreign nations would not be
permitted in any residential
neighborhood. This would take
in not only the single-family
detached homes, but also the
areas zoned for Semi-detached
houses, row houses and apart
mentS.
The bill would allow foreign
governments to continue their
office operations in existing
chanceries located in residential
neighborhoods, and to make
needed repairs. The legislation
would forbid construction of
additions on the offices.
Mr.. Duke suggested that con-
struction of additions to the
chanceries be permitted if ap-
proved by the Federal Fine Arts
Commission and city coming Of
ficials.
/ Another State Department
witness. James r. tombstone,
director of the Office of Foreign
Buildings. said the departments
proposal to narrow the ban to
the single family detached
home neighborhoods (R-l dis
tricts) would cover the number
one residential neighborhoods
of the city" These Ri dis
tricts are scattered throughout
the city but mainly are found
in the Northwest section. En-.
bassy row on Massachusetts,
avenue is in an RI district.
Urge Time Limit
The State Department wit
nesses also proposed that thai
legislation carry an effective
date of next January /. This
would allow the foreign ma
tons that are already planning
chancery moves to complete
the projects.
There has been growing re-
sistance from Washington resi-
dents to the location Of the
offices in their neighborhoods.
The feeling has been particu-
larly high in many cases where
one of the new nations is in
volved.
The homes of both Senator
Fulbright, chairman of the
Foreign Relations Committee,
and of Senator Monroney, are
located near the MasSachu-
ettS-Kalorama section where
many chanceries are located.
In testifying today in sup
port of the bill. Senator Mon
roney said it should be made
crystal clear that the people
of Washington welcome the
embassy residents" in any Sec
ton of the city. The chanceries,
however, have an adverse i'm
pact on residential neighbor-
hoods, the Senator said.
Senator Monroney suggested
that consideration be given to
provisions that would allow an
"enclave" of chanceries in the
Districts Southeast urban re-
newal area.
Subject to Z0nerS
A request by a foreign gov
eminent to locate a chancery in
a residential area now is sub
ject approval by the District
Board of Zoning Adjustments.
This system has been in effect
since February, 1858.
District officials today testi-
fled that SINCE February, 1858.
there have been So chancery
requests filed with the zoning
board. OF these, 26 were ap-
proved, five were rejected and
the remaining five were with
drawn.
After the hearing, Mr.. Duke
said that there are only six
more such requests ION the
horizon"
Senator Sparkman, Demo-
crat of Alabama. who sat as
chairman at today's hearing,
wanted to know where along
the line" of moves to locate
the chanceries would the legis-
lation come into play. Senator
Monroney suggested that if
actual construction had started,
the project should be allowed to
continue. If there was no con-
Struction but the chancery re-
quest had been approved, then
the foreign nation should be
given some compensation, Sen
ator Monroney said.
Senator Morse, Democrat OF
Oregon, a committee member,
asked for more detailed infor-
nation from State Department
and District officials on a
number of points involved in
the question.