Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-24
Action Urged
On Social Ills
ByCivic Group

The D. C. Federation of Civic
Associations has demanded
that the District Commission
ers spearhead a community
wide attack on the social and
economic ills which beset
Washington.
The action came in a resolu-
ton adopted at the groups
meeting Friday night. The fed
Grafton is an organization of 80
Negro civic associations repre-
senting an estimated $4,000
District residents.
I'VE will be merely fighting
brush fires until the Commits
sioners assume their RESPONSE
bility to bring the civic and
business communities together
to solve these problems" said
Henry L. Dixon, federation
president.
The approach to the Dis
trict's social, economic and
crime problems should be met
ropolitan in character, similar
to that taken to the areas
transportation problems, he
said.
THE whole city is willing to
accept the metropolitan con-
cept in transportation. but APP
parently does not want to ex-
tend this thinking to the criti-
cal areas of education, employ
ment, housing, urban renewal,
welfare and public safety" Mr..
Dixon continued. Perhaps it's
because a good transportation
network will get the whites in
and out of the District without
bother, leaving the real prob
lens Of living to be solved by
those who are are not allowed
to live in suburban Maryland
and Virginia"
Mr.. Dixon said it is regret
able that public discussions of
recent incidents Of lawlessness
and police actions have deteri-
GRATED into a racial issue. The
city has divided itself into yari-
Gus camps on these issues, he
said, thereby making it almost
impossible for an intelligent
consideration of the hard-core
problems which give rise to
criminal action.
I'VE are opposed to crime
no matter who commits it, "
he added. I'VE are as interested
in the civil rights of policemen
as we are in the civil rights of
Negroes. We are just as inter-
ested when a white or Negro
policeman is shot, or when a
Congressional secretary is at
tackled or robbed.
The federation believes, Mr..
Dixon said, that the real COM
munity problems are being
ignored and an atmosphere
bordering on hysteria is being
created by editorials express
ing concern at the Districts
high crime rate and speeches
attacking Negro leadership"
There have been enough
studies Of community problems
Mr.. Dixon observed, and the
causes Of these problems are
known.
The federation believes very
strongly that the community
power structure-the Board o
J Trade. Merchants and Manu-
facturers Association and ;
. cross-section of the civic ant
religious community - shoulC
be called together to take {
hard objective look at our basic
community problem S." Mr.
Dixon declared.
There is no need for us tt
fool ourselves" he emphasized
THE D. c. Federation of Civic
Associations should not be re.
quired or expected to do the
job alone nor should the
Urban League. the NAACP
CORE or any single citizen OF
Governmental group. It's a jok
for everybody and every group
which lives or does business ir
the District.
I'VE want the Commissioner
to take the responsible first
step and get these groups to-
gether not to launch some
more studies, but to determine
positive programs Of action,
said Mr.. Dixon. This has II
be a community effort"