Evening Star Newspaper, May 12, 1937, Page 9

FEDERAL WORKES FGHTTOHOLDBS Emergency Employes Start Campaign for Civil Service Status. Backed by members of Congress and Democratic clubs in & number of States and the District of Columbia, the thousands of emergency workers here are launching a militant cam- paign to hold their jobs and get civil service status. Adopting the unusual procedure of distributing prepared statements to desk-bound associates this morning, the newly-formed Association of Non- Classified Federal Employes -called for recruits and announced a meet- ing at the Willard Hotel, at 8 pm. tomorrow, at which several members of the House will speak. ‘The association, which is charging $1 dues for six months, seeks to have the employes brought under civil service either by non-competitive ex- aminations or through ocompetitive tests which would give preference in employment to those persons already in the Government. Its membership is drawm both from old line and New Deal groups, and two prominent District Democrats— not Government workers—appear in the list of officers. Arthur Clarendon Bmith is chairman of the Advisory Committee and Malcolm S. McConihe, Democratic national committeeman for the District, chairman of the board of directors. Thomas Cglhoun Ramsey is the president. In setting forth the aims of the association, the statements, which were distributed on the street, say: “Of course, you understand that this cannot be done through the efforts of a few individuals, it must be done by concerted effort of all emergency employes. And this is the purpose of the organization, to enroll all emergency employes into one body. “We further propose to see that legislation is enacted so that all em- ployes are retained in their present positions, and that where qualified workers have been dismissed that their names be placed on the W. P. A. register, and that any replacements in any other governmental department should be made from this register, before afy new and untried civillan employes are added to the govern- mental departments. “This movement has already had the indorsement of the Democratic Clubs of California, Ohio, District of Columbia, New York, Kentucky, Okla- homa, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota and many prominent individuals, including United States Senators, Congressmen and National Committeemen. “This is your fight. s join with those emergency employes who have pioneered this move to insure your Job.” Abattoir (Continued From First Page.) opponents of the bill and those de- siring to offer amendments would be beard later. Changes Suggested by City Heads. The principal changes suggested by the Commissioners in the terms of issuing permits for continued opera- tion of existing industries were: Renewsl of such permits for periods of three years instead of annually. To authorize continued use of in- dustries operated “primarily” to serve the District and areas a reasonable distance beyond the District. As in- troduced the bill would confine per- mits to concerns operated “solely” to serve the District and the area within 8 miles of the District. Added sections to allow the Zon- ing Commission to revoke permits for cause and to make the findings of the commission as to questions of fact final, if supported by substantial evidence. At one point yesterdal Senator McCarran asked it there is any place in the District where industry such 88 an abattoir could be operated with- out objection. Nolen of the Park and Planning Commission replied it was hardly likely, in view of the residential char- acter of Washington. McCarran recalled testimony to the effect that an abattoir had been operated at Benning for years. He sald “there has been a cessation to some extent,” but indicated he was wondering if those who bought prop- erty in the area had not done so with knowledge of the past opera- tion of the plant. Spectator Is Heard. From the rear of the crowded com- mittee room a spectator, Mrs. Helen Fowler, asked to be heard. She said she has lived in the District for 50 years and had resided in the Kenil- worth section, which is near Benning. “I remember being awakened morning after morning by odors,” she declared. “We were never able to get anything done, beczuse the north- east was treated like a stepchild, and Chevy Chase got everything.” Her statement was greeted with ap- plause as she added that recently a new day has become to develop for the northeast. On opening the testimony Secretary Ickes stressed the large investment the Federal and District governments have made to beautify Washington and declared the pending bill is es- sential if the character of the city as & National Capital is to be preserved. He spoke in part as follows: “The population of the District has increased rapidly and is continuing to increase. Unless steps are now taken to prevent the development of areas unsuitable for residential purposes Within the District through the estab- lishment of these industries—and these undesirable areas will include not only $he actual property used for such pur- poses, but also the surrounding areas for & very considerable distance—the District of Columbia will be unable satistactorily to take care of this in- erease, “The passage of the bill is essential %0 & realization of the benefits of the very large expenditures heretofore made, and now contemplated to be made, in the improvement of the Dis- trict. Unless the bill is passed the very substantial expenditures by the Federal Government, the District it- self and the States of Maryland and Virginia (for parks, parkways and other purposes), & substantial portion of which has been expended under the Jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior, and of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission, will to some extent be wasted; and the ex- pected benefits to be derived from such expenditures will be substantially di- minished if industries of the sort de- scribed in the bill are permifted to operate in the District. “In the last 10 years the District of Columbia has expended more than > y $10,714,000 and the Federal Govern- ment has expended® not less than $16,- 000,000 in the development of parks under the jurisdiction of the National Park Service of the Department of Interior. Further expenditures are continually being made to provide for a comprehensive, systematic and con- tinuous development of the park, parkway and playground system of the National Capital. The development of these parks was begun within tvo years after the founding of the Re- public, with the purchase,in 1791 of 541 acres, consisting, among others, of the Executive Mansion grounds, La Fayette Park, the Capitol grounds, the Mall and Garfield Park. Additions have been made to these holdings so that today the total appraised value of land and improvements under the Jjurisdiction of the National Park Service is more than $230,000,000.” After outlining the task Congress assigned to the Park and Planning Commission to improve and beautify the city, Ickes continued: “To hamstring the commission in its endeavors, and to impair substan- tially the value of the work which it has done by permitting great areas of the National Capital to be used for purposes inconsistent with any proper development of improvements specifi- cally mentioned in the act of April 30, 1926, would be indeed a calamity. “The expenditures for the park system are not the only ones to be considered. Substantial amounts have been expended for housing through the Public Works Administration and the Alley Dwelling Authority. The District has recently constructed (with funds provided by the Public Works Administration) a sewage disposal plant at a cost of more than $4,000,- 000, designed to prevent the pollution of the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers. If abattoirs of great capacity are per- mitted to operate in the District, either the benefit of this plant will be lost or huge expenditures will have to be made for its enlargement in order to take care of the enormous increase in the discharge of industrial wastes. “The Congress has a duty to the citizens of Washington in this respect. Action by the citizens—who in any other city through their ®fected rep- resentatives could themselves prevent the establishment of such industries— is ineffective unless the Congress sees fit to provide the proper legal support. There is no question that the citizens of Washington do not want such industries nor are they needed here, and national pride should enlist the support of all in favor of the beauti- THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. WEDNESDAY, MAY 12, 1937. fication and development of the Capital. National Pride Involved. “National pride alone has been effective to a great extent in the past to keep out undesirable industries. I believe that some of the industries mentioned in the bill have considered locating in the District and voluntar- ily have gone elsewhere solely because they felt that the National Capital should not be sullied through the erec- tion and operation of these noisome plants. Consequently, there are at present but a few of such undesirable industries in the District and all of them are strictly local plants devoted entirely to the immediate needs of the people of the District and could com- ply with the requirements of the bill in s0 far as securing a permit is con- cerned. It appears, however, that national pride is insufficlent. Strenu- ous efforts are now being made to locate an abattoir within the District, with a capacity many times the capac- ity of any similar structures now in the District. The proposed abattoir 15 to be located in the center of a large park development; it is practically adjacent to Fort Mahan Park, in which extensive facilities for picnicke ing and games are now being pro- vided. The National Arboretum is within 1 mile; a great stadium (for which plans are virtually complete) is proposed to be erected within less than a mile. This abattoir is to be 80 close to two housing developments of the Government that they will undoubtedly be affected by the unde- sirable odors and other disagreeable conditions resulting therefrom. To permit this is unthinkable. “The prompt passage of the bill would seem to be essential if the Gov- ernment is to prevent the establishe ment within the confines of the Dis- trict of a center for such undesirable industries. If the establishment of a single industry of large capacity is permitted, such industry will, in all likelihood, attract a number of sub- sidiary industries and gradually fix the character of an entire section of the District as one for the carrying on of industries of a class utterly unsuitable to, and inconsistent with, the development of the District as a National Capital. “For the foregoing and many other oconsiderations which are apparent to all, T strongly urge favorable action by the Congress on the bill.” Gray stressed the effect of an abat- toir at Benning on the Government's two housing sites. He said: “On land owned by the Adolph Go- bel, Inc, at the corner of Anacostia and Benning Roads, that company now proposes to alter, remodel and enlarge & building for the purpose of operating an abattoir, slaughter house, rendering plant and stockyards. The Gobel tract, located in & natural hol- low, is approximately 50 feet below the level of and about 1 mile from the Langston Terrace project; it is about 90 feet below the level of and ap- proximately one-quarter of a mile from the Anacostia housing site. At the time the Federal Government ac- quired the land for these two proj- ects, the Gobel plant was not only not operating, but due to a fire, was not operatable. “I do not believe it is necessary for me to dwell at length on the objec- tionable features which are attendant upon the operation of a plant such as that contemplated by the Gobel Co. I need only point out that it is an incongruous—an almost unbelievable situation—that almost side by side there may exist on the one hand projects financed by the Federal Government, intended to provide de- cent living conditions for the city's underprivileged, and on the other hand an industry whose operations will re- sult in offensive smells which, be- cause of prevailing winds, will be inimical to the health of the neigh- boring residents.” In response to questions, Ickes and Gray both contended it is not neces- sary to locate within the borders of the District the plants to supply the needs of the city. Commissioner Sultan read a letter from the Board of Commissioners sup- porting the bill, with the proposed amendments. He said the constitu- tionality of the measure had been carefully considered, and filed a mem- orandum - from Seal supporting fits constitutionality. In response to questions by McCar- ran as to past industrial activity at Benning, Sultan said the Gobel plant has not operated since he oame to the District service, between two and three years ago, and that he was not famil- iar with its operation prior to that. Sultan told the subcommittee he understood the nearby Union Stock- yards are being operated as a shipping and receiving point, but that slaugh- tering is not done there. Statistics on Operation Given. Frederick H. Walton, an animal expert of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, gave the subcommittee sta- tistics on the extent of abattoir opera- tions at Benning prior to 1933, and of the anticipated capacity of the pro- posed remodelled plant. Finnan of the Park Service began his statement as follows: “In the immediate vicinity of the proposed slaughter house and packing plant to be located at Benning and Anacostia roads northeast the United States Government has to date acquired by purchase, reclaimed and partially developed 1,451 acres of park areas at a cost of exceeding $3,000,- 000. Title to a portion of this aren, the value of which is approximately $288,851, has been acquired since 1934. “Extensive development and im- provement of park facilities in the vicinity of the proposed slaughter house and packing plant have been accomplished during the last few years. The most important and expensive work may be seen today at Fort Bupont Park, & section of the fort drive extending from Ridge road to Pennsylvania avenue southeast, Fort Mahan and sections F and G of Anacostia Park.” After describing these park im- provements in greater detail, Finnan added: “In conclusion we wish to advise this committee that park officials are thoroughly convinced that the opera=- tion of & slaughter house and packing plant of a capacity indicated by the plans, the holding of cattle, hogs and sheep in pens and stock yards to await slaughter, the noises resulting from the switching of cattle cars and the frightened animals, the odors emanat- ing from these cars and pens, the very objectionable problem of flies, the transportation of animals by truck through city streets in close proxim- ity to parks, additional pollution of the Anacostia either directly or indi- rectly by this industry, and for other reasons, will be detrimental to the present holdings of the Government in this locality, and will make it inad- visable to proceed with the investment of funds for the development of Gov- ernment areas in accordance with pro- posed plans.” What Other Areas Are Doing. The steps nearby counties of Mary- land and Virginia have taken to pro- tect their communities from certain types of industry were outlined in a statement from Arno B. Cammerer, executive officer of the National Cap- ital Park and Planning Commission, which was presented to the committee by Nolen. That commission, Cam- merer wrote, regards the bill as desir- able because “it will furnish a more adequate control over existing and prospective undesirable industries than that now held by any agency of the District government.” Cammerer said the parts of Mont- gomery and Prince Georges Counties, Md,, subject to zoning now prohibit 54 “nuisance industries unless the assent of the District Council has been obtained. Similarly, Alexandria re- quires adoption of a resolution by the City Council for setablishment of 35 industries after determination of whether or not the desired use in each instance would be for the best inter- ests of the health, safely and general welfare of the public. Arlington County abeolutely prohibits abattoirs, slaughter houses and 21 other nuisance type industries.” He also stressed the value of park and recreational developments being made by the Federal Government in the northeast. Attorney Clarke of the Gobel Co. asked Nolen if he was aware the revised plans do not call for enlarge- ment, but for making the improve- ments within the walls of the plant. Nolen said he had heard discussion of an enlarged output. Objects to Number of Animals. Clarke suggested that would be due to improved equipment. Nolen re- plied that there is objection arising from the number of animals to be handled at the plant. Clarke also asked Finnan what use the property could be put to if the proposed plans cannot be carried out. Finnan suggested it could be used as & warehouse. The attorney asked Finnan to ex- amine a drawing of the proposed re- modeling, but the park official re- plied: “As a slaughter house I don’t think it is an improvement.” Mr. Neale, official of the stockyards, entered the discussion with the state- ment the stockyards were established in 1877 and that the freight lines of two railroads pass through that vicinity. He wanted to know whether Government officials had considered these facts in buying land for im- provements in that area. Finnan said he was an administrative park official and not a member of the commission handling park acquisi- tions. 00F LEAK NA. 4370 GICHNER 0R Heres the BR“MMA] of tite molor car parade IF you know a leader when you meet one, you'll see the moment you try this sparkling Buick why it’s called the out-in-front car of the year. You'll go for the way it goes for you— serene, steady, gallant as the figsurehead on a buoyant ship—you’re in for a thrill every time you put it into action. 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