Evening Star Newspaper, June 23, 1935, Page 17

[Cooeniven ] The Sunday Stac Pr— POLICE-FIREMEN MAY BE ADVANCED BY NEW METHOD City Heads Ask Change in _ System to Reward Prac- tical Abiltty. MENTAL TESTS VALUE IS HELD OVERRATED Revision Would Favor Older Men Held Retarded by Existing Scheme. Revision of promotion systems of the Police and Fire Departments, 0| give considerably more weight to ex- { perience and fitness and less to ex-| amination marks, was recommended to the Civil Service Commission yes- terday by the District Commissioners. At the same time they announced that the Police Department efficiency rating system has been abolished on petition of Supt. Ernest W. Brown, who informed them the ratings serve no practical purpose, are a burd_en\ on commanding officers and breed ill- feeling and jealousy among the men. In place of the efficiency rating systems of both departments the Commissioners would substitute & plan under which candidates for pro- motion would be judged as to their fitness at the time they take their promotion examinations. The promotion revisions are de- signed to favor officers who have grown old in the service, forgetting much of their formal education, but acquiring & wealth of knowledge eminently fitting them for their par- ticular duties. Brown Cites Examples. Police and fire promotions were aired extensively at the recent hear- ings before the House Crime Subcom- mittee, where Maj. Brown disclosed that & number of deserving officers are held back by existing rules. He named Lieut. George M. Little, vet- eran commander of the headquarters vice squad, as an example. The recommendations to the Civil Service Commission were carried in a report of a special committee &p- pointed by the Commissioners with instruction to revise the promotion systems to favor long service and in the interest of greater uniformity be- tween the two departments. The committee consisted of Assistant Cor- poration Counsel E. W. Thomas, chair- man; Lieut. A. E. Miller, assistant executive officer of the Police Depart- ment, and E. R. Pierce, executive offi- cer of the Fire Department. They urged that experience and fitness be counted for 70 per cent, with a maximum of 20 per cent for answers to practical questions and 10 per cent on the mental tests. Under the pres- ent rules, experience and fitness is weighted at 50 per cent and practical questions and mental tests for a total of 50 per cent. Mental Test Worth Cut. The Civil Service rule requiring candidates for promotion to make at least 50 per cent in the mental tests would be gliminated. It was this rule, especially, which has held back many of the older members of both depart- ments. An increase in the number of re- quired years of service in each grade is advocated, together with the giving of one-half point credit for each year over the prescribed period. A limit of 5 is placed on points to be acquired by length of service. The proposed and existing service | requirements are: From private to | sergeant, increased from five to seven | years; from sergeant to lieutenant, | increased from two to three years, and from lieutenant to captain, in- creased from one to two years. In addition to service, points would be given as follows: One point for each award of the official gold medal; | one-half point for each silver medal, | one-quarter point for each bronze bar, one-half point for a first-aid cer- tificate, and one point for an un- blemished record for five years im- mediately preceding the examination. Deductions of from one to ten points | would be made for each conviction of # violation of rules or regulations, ac- cording to the seriousness of the of- fense. In figuring fitness of a particular eandidate, five elements would be con- sidered. These are intelligence dis- played in daily work, self-control, physical ability, general attitude and ability to perform the necessary ad- | ministrative work. Old numerical marks would be aban- | doned and such ratings given as ex- | cellent, very good, good, fair and | unsatisfactory. HOMECRAFT GROUP’S| WORK IS EXHIBITED| Inlaid Furniture, Carving and Ship Models Displayed in Office Window. Thirty groups of exhibits, including fine inlay embellished boxes and fur- niture, intricate carving work and ship models, are featured in the first public exhibition of the Capital ‘Homecraft Club, which opened yester- day in the display windows of the Canadian Pacific Railway office, Four- teenth street and New York avenue. The exhibits on display were made by 14 members of the club. The or- tion is an association of men interested in homecraft and its mem- bers make toys for distribution to children of needy parents at Christ- mas time. It is non-commercial and is affiliated with the National Home- ‘Workshop Guild, Inc., having received its charter last September. One outstanding bit of craftsman- ship on display is & set of bookends made by George A. Simonds, 930 H | ministrator, said yesterday. | have. WASHINGTON, D. C, COST OF REPAVING Escape Lightning Bolt HELEN AND ELIZABETH CARY, Daughters of Representative Cary of Kentucky. HE Misses Elizabeth and Helen Cary, twin 16-year-old daugh- ters of Representative Cary of Kentucky, had a narrow es- cape yesterday afternoon when a bolt of lightning struck a second story bal- cony outside their bed room at their home, 3154 Highland place, and shat- tered two windows only a few feet from the bed on which they sat. —Star Staff Photo. ‘The lightning bolt splintered part of the woodwork on the balcony, | cracked a small portion of the slate roof and put both telephone and elec- tric wires in the residence out of com- mission. Neighbors, who heard the crash of thunder and saw the sharp flash, turned in a fire alarm, The firemen found nothing to do. RELIEF JOBS WAIT ONROLL SCRUTINY Employables Must Be Sort- ed Out of 20,000 on D. C. Aid Lists. District case workers must sort out some 20,000 persons now on relief rolls, separating employables from unemployables, before the new works program can swing into full oper- ation, figures made public yesterday by Elwood Street, director of' public welfare, indicate. His report shows there were 20,639 relief cases at the end of May, re- flecting & gradual reduction from the peak of 23,200 reached last Summer. 3, by July 1. Thry five huridred . em~ ployables among those now on relief rolis are expected to be put to work by.July 1, Commissioner George E. Allen, the District work-progress ad- A year's employment for this number is pro- vided for in seven projects already submitted to the Federal Allotment Board, which probably will be ap- proved this week. The number of employables is esti- mated, roughly, at about 16,000, all of whom will have jobs by the end of the Summer. Allen has called & conference of District government departmental heads for 11 am. tomorrow to ask them to submit projects. Will Instruct Procedure. He said he will instruct them on the procedure to be followed, par- ticularly emphasizing the irnportance of furnishing continuity of employ- ment for at least a year in planning projects. According to Street's report, there were 53,360 persons dependent on re- | lief at the end of May. This figure | refers to Individuals rather than cases. Cases removed from the relief rolls during the month totaled 1,641, ‘while 1,160 new applications for relief were received. Of these 573 were ac- cepted. TAXICAB DRIVER DRAWS $15 FINE Goes to Court to Regain $2 Col- lateral and Receives Heavier Penalty. Out of a number of persons receiv- ing heavy traffic sentences yesterday from Judge Ralph Given in Traffic Court, Bertie I. Cain, a taxicab driver, was the most unfortunate. Cain, who was arrested Friday night on a charge of failing to give a stop | signal, the failure resulting in the collision of two cars behind him, was required to post $2 collateral for his appearance in court yesterday. De- ciding he might be able to secure the return of collateral, Cain was ar- raigned before Judge Given and promptly fined $15, which he did not He was at first committed to jail and later released on his per- sonal bond to return tomorrow with the amount of his fine, Convicted by a jury, Marcus C. Powell of Alexandria was fined $50 on a reckless driving charge. Halcomb D. Weant, 1621 T street, and Willie D. Hooe, 1011 Massa- chusetts avenue, were each fined $15 on second-offense speeding charges. No permit charges resulted in the fining of Irving Hill, $75, with an alternative of 45 days in jail and Thomas I. Copeland, $25 or 25 days. After his conviction by a jury, Roy W. Brown, 638 East Capitol street, was sentenced by Judge Isaac R. Hitt in jury court to pay a fine of $25 for reckless driving. . _— SENATE 0. K.’S KEECH Reappointment to Utilities Body Is Confirmed. The Senate late yesterday con- firmed the reappointment of Rich- mond B. Keech for another term of three years as & member of the Pub- lic Utilities Commission. Favorable action was taken unani- mously and without deébate after Chairman King had submitted the report of the District Committe ap- proving the nomination, KINDLER LEAVES 10 HIRE PLAYERS Members of Orchestra As- semble to Begin Rehear- sals for Series. Officials of the National Symphony Orchestra Association yesterday be- gan to assemble the 75 members of the orchestra and the guest soloists who will appear in Washington's first season of Summer symphony concerts, following announcement that the pro- gram of concerts is definitely assured. Dr. Hans Kindler, general musical director for the series of bi-weekly evening comcerts, left for a visit to several Eastern cities. During the trip he will engage musicians to oc- cupy key Achu(‘n in the orchestra. These” include” ar ‘ssistant concert master, a flute player and a bassoon player. At the same time he will select several soloists. Meanwhile, George Gaul, person- nel manager, is assembling the local members of the orchestra. Since the close of the Winter season many of the men have been playing in other orchestras or have taken other posi- tions. These musicians will stand ready for rehearsal call as soon as-Dr. Kind- ler returns. The opening concert has been set for sundown, Sunday, July 14. Work -on the barge which will seat the orchestra will begin in a few days. The schedule for the entire six-week season, with concerts each Sunday and Wednesday night, has been com- pleted. TRIBUTE IS PAID ANGUS W. M'LEAN Personages High in Government Attend Rites for Former North Carolina Governor. By the Associated Press. The Nation's Capital, where he served in the turbulent war and post- war days, paid a last tribute yesterday to Angus W. McLean, former Governor of North Carolina, and his body was borne to his old home, Lumberton, N. C,, for burial today. Mr. McLean, former Assistant Sec- retary of the Treasury and director of the War Finance Corporation, died Priday, in his 65th year, of a blood clot in his right lung. Personages high in the ranks of his party and the Government, his family and a large number of friends gathered i about his flower banked bier at the Central Presbyterian Church for the rites at noon yesterday. The church's pastor, Dr. James H. Taylor, officiated. Henorary pallbearers included Sec- retary of State Hull, Secretary of | Commerce Roper, Attorney General Cummings, Senators Bailey and Reyn- olds of North Carolina, Robjnson of Arkansas, McAdoo of California, for- mer Gov. O. Max Gardner of North Carolina, Controller of the Cur- rency O'Conner, Eugene Meyer, J. Crawford Biggs, former Surg. Gen. Rupert Blue, Everett Sanders, Representative Doughton of North Carolina, Marvin McIntyre, secretary to President Roosevelt; Gov. Eccles of the Federal Reserve Board, Kingman Brewster and Garland Ferguson. The active bearers were Represent- ative Warren of North Carolina, Jos- eph P. Tumulty, James M. Butler, Brice Clagett, Charles E. Wainwright and J. Fred McClerkin. e b e ZIONIST DELEGATES TO BE PICKED TODAY Ballots Being Cast at Jewish Community Center for Con- gress Members. One of the most important Zionist elections in years will be held here today when ballots are cast at the Jewish Community Center for dele- gates to the World Zionist Congress. Because of the interest in this year’s Zionist Congress, efforts are being made throughout the United States to have & large American representa- tion. Thépolls will be open for the voting at The center from 9 am. to 6 pm. The first ballot in the local elec- tion was cast yesterday by the oldest ‘Washington Zionist, Miss Mathilde Behrend, 92, at the Takoma Park Sanitarium, where she resides. STREET CAR TRACK PROVOKES BATILE Capital Transit Refuses to Meet $400,000 Bill on Abandoned Lines. DISTRICT WILL INSIST, AND SUE IF NECESSARY Different Provisions of Merger Act Are Relied Upon by Each Side in Controversy. ‘The Capital Transit Co. yesterday tossed into the laps of District taxpay- ers the cost of repaving some 20 miles of street car tracks recently ordered abandoned by ‘the Public Utilities Commission. This makes it appear likely the courts will be called on to decide whe must pay the $400,000 bill. Far from accepting the burden Dis- trict officials let it be known they in- tend to present the company with the repaving bill as soon as the work is completed and sue, if necessary. Refusal of the company to pay for the work was expressed in a letter, written yesterday, and addressed to Capt, H. C. Whitehurst, District high- way engineer, The District contends in a three- fold legal argument that the entire cost of repaving the street should be shouldered by the company. Attorneys for the company say they see no obli- gation to pay. Both sides reluctantly admit a court clash is likely. Prettyman Offers Opinion. Corporation Counsel E. Barrett Pret- tyman has furnished the Commission- ers with an opinion insisting the com- pany should bear the cost. He quotes the language of the merger act of January 14, 1933: “The Capital Tran- sit Co. shall bear the entire cost inci- dent to track irs, replacements and changes * word “changes” is intended to include track abandonments, ‘The same section of the act, how- ever, contains a provision on which the compahy reliés to exempt it from liability under the common law. It purports to relieve the company of all respoasibility contained in prior laws in connection with “permanent im- provements, renewals, or repairs” to street pavements. It is upon the common law that Prettyman grounds his second argu- ment, maintaining that the merger act affects statutes guly and does not, repeal the common MW liability of a public utility to repair the surface of » public _thoroughfare” which it de- Original Charters Cited. Besides these two arguments, it is contended that the charters of the two original traction companies would compel them to pay for the work. Much besides the repaving has to be done in connection with the track abandonment. Tracks must be taken up, underground and overhead trol- leys removed and trolley poles taken down. Company officials were inclined yes- terday to minimize the value of prop- erty which can be salvaged in the track removals. John H. Hanna, company president, said the salvage would amount to lit- tle more than the cost of the opera- tions. Roberts Scores Rulings. Peoples Counsel William A. Rob- erts yesterday made public a memo- randum to the Public Utilities Com- mission taking sharp issue with some of its recents acts. He renewed his objection to the 10-cent fare ordered for the Chevy Chase express busses and his contertion that the propor- tion of passengers allowed to stand on busses during rush hours, now fixed at 40 per cent, should be low- ered. Protesting against details incident to the P street track abandonment and car rercuting, he urged that the G street loop line cars should be run as far as Thirty-fifth street in- stead of Wisconsin avenue as at pres- ent. The greatest hardship is in the area north of P street and in estab- lishing connections with the Mount Pleasant and other cars in the vicin- ity of Dupont Circle, he declared, suggesting as a practical solution that the rates on the Burleith-Trinidad bus line be placed on the street-car fare basis anc the present 10-cent fare be discontinued. MAN FOUND INJURED Unconscious Victim, About 35, Taken to G. W. U. Hospital. Found unconscious at Eleventh and K streets early today, an unidentified man about 35 years old was taken to George Washington University Hos- pital, where his condition was said to be serious. He was seriously injured about the head and hand, received in some manner unknown to police. The man is described as being about 5 feet 7 inches tall and having a dark mostache. He was wearing & pair of dark trousers and a white shirt. MR PRI OO 150 AT TELEPHONE FETE One hundred and fifty veteran telephone men and women of Wash- ington attended the annual meeting of Alexander Graham Bell Chapter, Telephone Pioneers of America, yes- terday at Annapolis Roads Club, near Annapolis, Md. The day was devoted to sports and was topped off with a dinner at 6. Members of the organization, all of whom have completed 21 or more years of telephone service, elected John Bradley president for the com- ing year. Other officers selected avere P. C. King, vice president; Mrs. Pearl Gentry, secretary and treasurer, while ‘Mrs. Grace Conrad, H. B. Stabler and Harry Scharnikow were named to the Executive Committee. and contends the | ‘initiated 10 days ago by Representa- SUNDAY MORNING, JUNE 23, 1935. Site for Slum Clearance in District Area in lower right corner inclosed by black line has been selected for a low-cost housing project in the District. OPPOSITION SEEN ONDISTRIGTBILLS Effort Also Will Be Made to Eliminate Garnett Clause From Crime Report. BY JAMES E. CHINN. ‘The spotlight of congressional at- tention will center on the District in the House this week, where efforts are to be made to pass two highly con- troversial bills and to eliminate from the widely criticized crime report & recommendation for removal of United States Attorney Leslie C. Garnett. Legislation scheduled for considera- tion in the House tomorrow, the sec- ond District day of the month, includes the much-debated airport bill and the Ellenbogen bill Teviving the war-time Rent Commission, with some amend- atory changes. Two other District measures are on the House calendar and may be con- sidered—a bill to relieve the civilian Commissioners and the surveyor of posting & bond and a bill to amend the child labor act to permit children to take part in public concerts and dramatic productions. Close Vote Seen on Garnett. A move to take the Garnett recom- mendafion out of the crime report, tive Nichols, Democrat, of Oklahoma, is to be revived at the regular meeting of the full District Committee Wednes- day. Its outcome is still in doubt, with both the opponents and pro- ponents predicting victory. A poll of the commitiee, however, indicates that the decision will be marked by a close vote. A shift of one vote either way is expected to de- termine the fate of the Garnett rec- ommendation. The committee is composed of 21 members. Latest reports indicate that 10 will vote for the Garnett recom- mendation and 10 against it, with 1 vote—that of Chairman Mary T. Nor- ton—still in doubt. Mrs. Norton did not vote when the committee first approved the report a month ago, and she declines now even to intimate whether she proposes to break the prospective deadlock. Mrs. Norton does not have to vote, and Chairman Randolph of the Crime Tavestigating Committee points out that if she fails to cast her ballot a 10-to-10 tie would automatically re- sult in reaffirmation of the commit- tee’s previous action in approving the report. Nichols Asked Reconsideration. The battle over the crime report will be renewed as a result of a mo- tion made by Nichols at the commit- tee meeting June 12 for its reconsid- eration. The committee recessed for two weeks without passing on the motion. In the meantime, strong efforts have been made on committee members to have the Garnett recommendation re- moved from the report. Because of this, the final action may take the form of a partisan division with the Republicaps supporting Randolph, a Democrat, who refuses to waiver from the original recommendations. According to present indications, the vote on Nichols’ motion for reconsid- eration of the crime report, assuming that the entire membership of the committee attends the meeting, will be as follows: For reconsideration: Representatives Palmiseno, Democrat, of Maryland; Patman, Democrat, of Texas; Ken- nedy, Democrat, of Maryland; Jenckes, Democrat, of Indiana; Ellenbogen, Democrat, of Pennsylvania; Quinn, Democrat. of Pennsylvania; Cole, Democrat, of New York; McGehee, Democrat, of Mississippl; Weraer, Democrat, of South Dakota, and Nichols. Against reconsideration: Represen- tatives Randolph, Carpenter, Demo- crats, of Kansas; Schulte, Democrat, of Indiana; Wood, Democrat, of Mis- souri; Hull, Progressive, of Wisconsin; Dirksen, Republican, of Tilinois; Short, Democrat, of Missouri; Brewster, Re- publican. of Maine; Reed, Republican, of Tilinols, and Fenerty, Republican, of Pennsylvania. The bill to amend the child labor act is scheduled to be the first meas- ure called up in the House tomorrow when it begins consideration of the District calendar. The measure to re- leve the Commissioners and the sur- | Earhart Putnam. veyor of a bond requirement will next be called, with the rent control and measures have been on the calendar for more than a month. Neither was called up on the last District day two weeks ago for fear of a controversy, | which might have jeopardized passage | of other District legislation. An attempt is to be made on the floor, however, by Chairman Norton | to amend the airport bill to eliminate | the principal objectionable features. ‘This measure provides for the creation | of a commission to select a site for | the long-proposed municipal airport. | One of the objections was that the proposed seven-man commission failed to give the District adequate repre- sentation. In order to overcome that, Mrs. Norton plans to offer an amendment | which will substitute representatives of | the National Capital Park and Plan- | ning Commission and the Washington Board of Trade for those representing | the air transport lines and Amelia Representative Smith, Democrat, of | Virginia, hopes to block the bill and | substitute his measure providing for the establishment of the airport at Gfavelly Point. 14 ARE INIRED INTHO ACCIDENTS 9 Hurt in 3-Car Crash on Mt. Vernon Boulevard. Car Hits Viaduct. Fourteen persons were injured, one perhaps seriously, in two automo- bile accidents shortly before mid- night last night. A three-car crash on Mount Ver- non boulevard in front of Station WJSV resulted in injuries to nine, with Mrs. A. R. Graf of 32 K street northwest suffering a broken collar bone and possible internal injuries. Five were hurt when the car in which they were riding ran into the viaduct on Riggs road northeast after the machine is said to have been sideswiped by another car. Young Wife Injured. Mrs. Edward T. Stakes, jr., 19, of | 3827 Kansas avenue sustained sev- | eral fractured ribs and is in Sibley Hospital where other members of her party were treated and discharged. They are: Edward T. Stakes, jr., 27, her husband; Arthur Weber, 20, of 925 Ninth street; Alma Smith, 17, of 1417 Harvard street, and Frances Hafle, 16, of Silver Spring, Md. ‘Those injured in the Mount Vernon boulevard accident are: George Bailey, 25, of 530 Fifth street southeast; driver of one of the cars who police have charged with reckless driving; Leonard Lightcap of 1900 F street northwest, Frances Hausner of 1717 R street, and Ruth Brundage of the Washington Hotel, all riding in Bailey’s car. Also in- jured were Mr. and Mrs. Harry Ketler of 734 Fifth street northeast; A. R. Graf of 32 K street, and Alvie C. Kidd of Clarendon, Va. They were treated at Alexandria Hospital after being rushed there by Officers H. M. Borger and F. T. Cain of the park police. None of these eight was seriously hurt. 3 Others Hurt. Three other persons were injured in accidents yesterday. Mrs. Betty Cross, 42, of 1269 Simms place northeast, received chest in- juries when the machine in which she was a passenger was struck at Fourteenth street and Potomac ave- nue southeast by a cab, which is reported to have failed to stop. She was treated at Providence Hospital for bruises and returned home. Po- lice began an intensive search for the taxicab, which had been reported stolen on Friday. Mrs. Ethel Sinkov, 56, of 518 H street, was injured when the auto- mobile in which she was riding with Abraham Sinkov, 27, of the same ad- dress, was in collision with another automobile at Seventeenth street and Potomac avenue southeast. She was treated at Casualty Hospital for cuts and bruises, shock, and kept under observation for possible internal in- juries. Ben Springfield, 30, colored, driver of the other machine, was ar- rested on a charge of driving while drunk. E Daniel Hartman, 20 months old, 1902 Lincoln road northeast, was treated at Sibley Hospital for bruises NEW YORK AVENUE UNDERPASS VOTED Bill to Open Up Two New Northeast Traffic Arteries Approved. A Senate subcommittee yesterday approved a bill to open up two new traffic arteries in the Northeast sec- tion of the city by having the rail- | roads build one bridge and one under- pass across the tracks criss-crossing New York avenue. The subcommittee, consisting of Senators King of Utah and McCarran of Nevada, took under advisement for decision later another bill to author- a bridge gver New York avenue north- east, just west of West Virginia ave- nue, to carry a spur track into a sec- ond commercial zoning area on the south side of that avenue. Both measures already have passed | the House and probably will be acted on at the next meeting of the Senate District Committee. Traffic Highway Planned. The firs bill calls for a bridge over the terminal railroad yards that would make possible a new traffic highway from Brentwood road and T street northeast to the extension of Mount Olivet road northeast. This structure would cross New York avenue above grade, thus reducing traffic hazards. Highways then would branch off in two directions, one toward Sixth street northeast and the other toward Mount Olivet road. At New York avenue there would be ramp outlets for traffic desiring to turn down from the bridge to New York avenue. ‘The underpass would carry a higway beneath the railroad tracks at Eighteenth street northeast, and make possible a diagonel traffic lane from Fourteenth street and Rhode Island avenue northeast to New York and West Virginia avenues northeast. The bill calling for this bridge and underpass was worked out by the National Capital Park and Planning Commission and the District Com- missioners. As intended by the Union Station railroad act of 1903, the bridge and underpass will be paid for by the railroads and the under- pass will be maintained by the rail- roads. i Three Bridges Originally Planned. ‘The Union Station act called for the building of three bridges, at Ninth, Twelfth and Fifteenth streets, but it was decided that deelopment of the area since its passage made it de- sirable to revise the plans and have two structures. There was no dis- agreement over this bill at the sub- committee meeting yesterday. ‘The other bill relating to the rail- road bridge was taken under advise- ment after arguments had been pre- sented for end against. The sub- committee members may make a per- sonal inspection of the area this week. Arguments against the bill were made by People’s Counsel William A. Roberts, who said residents of the Trinidad section objected. The bill was defended by J. E. Schwab, rep- resentating owners of the erea into which the spur track would be ex- tended, who stressed the fact the property is already zoned as second commercial and can be developed com- mercially now. CITY NEWS IN BRIEF. TODAY. Dance, Young People's League, B'nai Israel Synagogue, Potomac Boat Club, 9 p.m. TOMORROW. Luncheon, Graphic Arts, Raleigh Hotel, 12:30 p.m. Meeting, Ford Motor Co., Mayflower Hotel, 8 a.m. Meeting, Tau Phi Sorority, May- flower Hotel, 8 p.m. Banquet, United States Wholesale Girocers’ Association, Mayflower Hotel, 8 p.m. Bingo party, Masonic Temple, Eighth and P streets northeast, 8:30 pm. Smoker, Variety Club, Willard Ho- tel, 9 p.m. » ize the Pennsylvania Railroad to build | Sports—Pages 7 to 11 i PAGE B—1 SLUM CLEARANGE PROJECT FOR CITY STARTED BY ICKES Condemnation Papers Filed in $3,000,000 Housing Plan in Southwest. 13-ACRE TRACT IS NEAR WAR COLLEGE Flats and Row Houses Will Be Built on Site of 0ld Buildings. ‘The $3,000,000 slum clearance proj« ect for Southwest Washington, an- nounced yesterday by Public Works Administration Ickes simultaneously wam the filing in District Supreme Court of condemnation proceedings against a 13-acre tract near the Army War College, is expected to convert one the the city’s typical colored slum areas into a model housing subdivi- sion, with spacious lawns, recreation grounds and gardens surrounding at- tractive, sanitary dwellings. The row houses and flats of the project will be grouped in attractive courts, with the buildings occupying only about 24 per cent of the land, it was explained by the Public Works Administration Housing Division. The greater part of the ground area will be devoted to front and rear yards, | 8arden and open recreation space. The row houses will have front and rear porches and even the tenants in the flats will have garden space in which to grow vegetables and flowers. The entire project, covering the area bounded by M, P, One-Half and Canal streets southwest, will provide 26 two- | room flats; 230 three-soom flats; 70 | four-yoom flats; 82 four-room row houses and 100 four-and-five room row houses. This will make available |a total of 1,800 rooms in 508 living units, | Minimum Rents. The combination of row houses and flats was determined on by the Hous- ing Division as making possible mini- mum rents. Such arrangement, it was explained, will cut ground main- tenance and other maintenance charges below the level required by straight apartment buildings and also will enable tenants to cultivate small family gardens in their rear yards. | The whole area will be carefully land- | scaped. Preliminary studies indicate group heating systems will be installed, it was announced. All dwellings will be completely fireproof and will have full kitchen and bath room equipment, kitchen stoves and refrigerators. Under the contemplated plan the | tenants will pay a single rental fee and this will cover all equipment, heating, hot water, refrigeration and fuel for cooking. The project has been indorsed by the National Capital Park and Plan- ning Commission, the housing di- vision announced, and will be fitted into the general plans for the de- velopment of the City of Washington. The Washington Committee on Hous- ‘ing. an advisory group of prominent local citizens, headed by Clarence Phelps Dodge, president of the Wash- ington Community Chest, has been consulted on the project and is partici- pating in the development of plans, Public Works Administrator Ickes an- nounced. The P. W. A. officials also have consulted with District officials | and with the alley dwellings authority |of the District. Rents for the houses and flats will |be determined by the final cost, it | was announced, and will be scaled to return the Federal Government's nnancing over a period of 45 years. Shums to Go. The dwellings to be demolished to make way for the new housing project represent “typical Washington Negro slums,” the P. W. A. chief explained. “The houses are old, outmoded, and in advanced stages of disrepair,” Ad- ministrator Ickes said. “Sanitary conditions are bad, and occupants are forced to live in cramped quarters with little light and air. In direct contrast, the new housing will be placed to af- ford maximum circulation of air and plenty of light, with rooms arranged for convenience and privacy. Modern methods of construction will be used to provide well built, highly sanitary dwellings.” Except for rough preliminary pencil sketches of the general layout of the area, no plans have yet been drafted for the project, it was said. Drawing of general site plans for street layout, .’general arrangement of the living | units and other details will be under- taken at once, preparatory to archi- tectural planning for the buildings themselves. The Justice Department filed the condemnation proceedings against the 13-acre site, which is in sight of both the Capitol and the Army War College. It was explained by P. W. A. of- ficials_that the housing division, of (See SLUMS, Page 2.) . JUDICIARY SQUARE PROGRAM IS PUSHED Senator King Confers With Sece retary Ickes on Funds for Project. Chairman King of the Senate Dis- trict Committee expressed the hope yesterday that the District soon would be able to obtain the funds to go forward with the proposed court buildings in Judiciary Square, for which the Commissioners recently were authorized by Congress to apply to the Public Works Administration for a loan. The Commissioners have filed the necessary application for an allotment, and Senator King had a conference off the subject with Administrator Ickes during the past week. The Senator, however, did not disclose the result of the conference beyond describing it as satisfactory. Acting under the recent amendment to the District’s P. W. A. loan law, the Commissioners have applied for $3,000,000 to construct three build- ings to house "the Police, Municipal and Juvenile Courts.