The Farmville herald. (Farmville, Va.) 1957-current, 1962-06-08
W. D. Worknon


renewal" has acquired q We
neer Of artificial completely in
recent years. and with this COM
plexity has come the feeling in
some quarters that only Uncle
Sam-the federal government
can meet its challenge.
Too often, we overlook the
fact that cities. like individuals
or institutions, have slways
been faced with the problem OF
aging gracefully - and too fire.
quently have not measured up
to the task.
We also tend to assume and
this is a carefully cultivated as
sumption - that neither state
nor local communities are able
to handle the problem Of urban
renewal. In bare truth, this is
an admission of the inability Of
municipalities to govern them
selves.
Today. urban renewal has
taken on an added urgency be-
cause of the rural-to-urb
population shift, the increasing
interest of the federal govern
ment in sponsoring and finan-
cling programs, and the growing
eagerness of municipalities to
rely upon such federal assis-
lance.
Along with all this has grown
up wealth of legislation, le-
gal decisions. and city plan
ming. The sheer volume of this
growth is both imposing and
confusing.
Thus. it is both refreshing and
reassuring to find a small, we'll
reasoned, and matter of fact
treatise which cuts through the
verbiage, and puts the problem
of Renewing Americas Cities"
into sharp focus and clear Ian
guage.
The In titute for Social
Science Research has perform
ed that service for Americans
in a l26-page book which war
rants the considered attention of
city jewellers as well as city
fathers - and state legislators
as well as members of Con-
gress.
The real value of the book is
two-fold: It traces the role of
the federal government in the
realm Of urban renewal (includ-
ing such ia ce S as housing,
Slum clearance, Identification,
and others,. and it points out
the responsibility and the op-
, portunity of municipalities to
renew themselves through their
own efforts.
Despite its calm language and
collected facts, the book con-
tainS material which can furrow
the brow and distrub the mind.
It is impossible even to scan
the volume without realizing
how serious has been the
erosion of individual property
rights.
Two quotations. at opposite
poles of personal rights, illus
trate the point:
William Pitt the e]der) said
in the 18th Century: 1.-The poor
est man may in his cottage bid
defiance to all the forces of the
Crown. 1t may be frail; its roof
may shake; the wind may blow
through it; the storms may en-
ter, the rain may enter. but the
King of England cannot enter
all his forces dare not cross the
threshold Of the ruined tene-
ment."
The modern U. S. Supreme
Court, in Berman VS.. Parker,
ruled that the government could
seize private property, not only
for public use. but even for
aesthetic satisfaction, saying:
1.-The concept of the public
welfare is broad and inclusive
It is within the power OF
the legislature to determine that
the community should be beauti.
full as well as healthy, spacious
as well as clean, wen-balanced
as well as arefully pa
trOlled -
And pertinent to both quota
tons is the comment of Har-
wards Prof. Charles M. Haar
The Supreme Court, BY up
holding in sweeping terms ur-
ban redevelopment legislation,
has ruled in effect that the King