Evening star. [volume], March 21, 1951, Image 1

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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■ WASHINGTON, D. C., WEDNESDAY, MARCH 21, 1951—SIXTY-FOUR PAGES.
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Labor Denounces Congress,
Says It Has'Failed7 People With
'Inadequate Economic Curbs'
—__— 4
Green Tells Rally Laws
Have Been 'Larded' to
Aid Big Business
By James Y. Newton ,
Organized labor today turned
its guns on Congress, saying it
was to blame for the defense pro
gram controversy because it gave
the Nation inadequate economic
controls laws.
AFL President William Green
told a Nation-wide rally of AFL,
CIO and rail unions officials that
Congress had ‘‘failed the people.”
“In adopting the Defense Pro
duction Act last year,” Mr. Green
said, “Congress went out of its
way to lard the law' with special
privilege for business interests.
Under the law, which expires
June 30, it is virtually impossible
to stabilize the cost of living.”
Earlier the union officials pre
dicted that the defense program
was “going on the rocks” and
called for a “new deal” that w'ould
remove the program from “big
business” domination.
Intimidation Charged.
“In deference to the real estate
lobby,” Mr. Green continued.
“Congress acted to decontrol
rents. In obedience to the finan
cial interests of the Nation, it;
adopted tax law's that soak the
poor and spare the rich.”
Mr. Green said “the administra
tion became intimidated by the
reactionary coalition that rules
the roost in Congress. Apparently,
it decided to appease Congress
in order to get some co-opera
tion from Congress.
“This policy of appeasement
. . . resulted in the appointment
of big business executives to al
most every significant position in
the defense agencies.
"The results speak for them
selves. Not a single recommenda
tion by labor representatives in
the defense program was adopted.
Our views were either ignored,
or the exact opposite of our
proposals was put in affect.
Johnston Talks With Truman.
“We decided, therefore, to take
a dramatic step. Wc voted
unanimously for the withdrawal
of labor representatives from any
defense agencies in which they
were serving. We felt that this
was the only way we could ef
fectively impress upon the Ameri
can people the shocking failures!
and gross inequities of defense
policies.”
George Meany, AFL secretary
treasurer, told the rally that if liv
ing costs are to be stabilized “the
first step is to scrap entirely the
present price control system.”
“If you’re going to have price
controls you’ve got to have some
thing like the OPA,” Mr. Meany
continued. “We want a complete
new deal that will set up some
thing that will get prices back to
where they were a year ago and
keep them there.”
Independent Vote Hinted.
Mr. Meany hinted that the la
bor vote will be independent in
next year's national elections. Re
ferring to labor’s bitter criticism
of defense program policies, he
said:
“We’ve got to look for a cure.
Perhaps this won’t be decided on
until November, 1952. This may
be the start of a long-range po
litical campaign. The major part
of the job must be done back
home. We must convince the
people here in Washington in the
only way they can be convinced—
by votes—that the whole (de
fense) program is wrong.”
James B. Carey, CIO secretary
treasurer, told the labor rally that
“hypocrisy and shameful gouging
of the American people are be
coming more and more of a com
monplace under the present big
business rule of our Government.’'
He said that business interests
are gorging themselves with prof
its and at the same time trying
to suppress the labor union move
ment.
Mr. Carey produced figures in
(See LABOR, Page A-2.)
Cook, Killer of Five,
Gets 300 Years
By the Associated Press
OKLAHOMA CITY, Mar. 21—
William E. Cook, jr„ confessed
killer, today was sentenced to
terms totaling 300 years in “Alca
traz or another safe prison where
he has no chance to escape” for
the slaying of the five members of
the Carl Mosser family of Atwood,
111.
Federal Judge Stephen Chandler
gave Cook, who showed no visible
signs of emotion, 60 years for each
of five counts in the kidnap
murder of Mr. and Mrs. Mosser
and their three children.
Judge Chandler specified the
sentences were to run consecu
tively.
“Society stands indicted for per
mitting this child to grow up in
inhuman conditions that per
mitted these crimes,” Judge
Chandler said.
Cook said in a statement after
his arrest January 14 that he kid
napped the Mosser family in
Oklahoma County December 30
and held them at gunpoint three
days before he shot them to death.
Their bodies were found in an
abandoned mine shaft near Cook’s
old home in Joplin, Mo., the day
^tter hit arrest.
/ k
Truman Warns Russians as U. S.
Doubles Strength in 9 Months
Manpower Reaches
2.9 Million Mark,
Marshall Reports
By Joseph A. Fox
Star Staff Correspondent
UNITED STATES NAVAL
BASE, Key West, Fla., Mar. 21.—
President Truman today made
public a message from Defense
Secretary Marshall announcing
that the size of the armed forces
has been doubled since the Ko
rean outbreak and now has passed
the 2.9 million mark.
In response Mr. Truman praised
the accomplishment and again
served notice on the world that
the United States is determined
to resist "the menace of still fur
ther Communist attacks against
other free nations.” The military!
accomplishment, the President1
said, “should be a source of in
spiration and encouragement to
men everywhere who love free
dom.”
Gen. Marshall's statement and
Mr. Truman's reply were made
public as the President left Key
West for the day and sailed 60
miles west to the Dry Tortugas.
where with some members of his
staff he was taking another look
(See TRUMAN, Page A-3.1
New Anti-Submarine
Torpedoes and Other
Weapons Disclosed
The Navy disclosed today that
it is spending about $500 million
for guns, shells, guided missiles
and other weapons including newi
and deadly types of torpedoes for!
anti-submarine warfare.
Rear Admiral M. F. Schoeffel,
chief of the Bureau of Ordnance,
outlined parts of the program in
a statement prepared for a Pen
tagon news conference.
He reported that new types of
high-speed torpedoes soon would
be in production and that they
could be fired from surface ships,
submarines or aircraft.
The new torpedoes "will present
a positive threat to any submarine
now in existence or being built,”
he added.
The reference to firing the new
high-speed torpedoes from other
submarines apparently pointed to
the recently launched K-l anti
submarine sub which is specifically
designed and armed for hunting
down and killing its kindred. The
speeds of present torpedoes range
from about 30 knots for the stand
ard types to about 40 knots for
(See WEAPONS, Page A-3.)
McCarthy Aide Gives
His Version of Ride
At Butler Hearing
Surine Denies Charges
Of Threats and Coercion
Of Baltimore Printer
By W. H. Shippen
An investigator in Senator Me-!
Carthy’s office was questioned at
length today about his part in an
all-night ride in Baltimore in the
final days of the Butler-Tydings
campaign last November.
Donald A. Surine, who left his
job as an FBI agent to join the
staff of the Wisconsin Republican
a year ago, insisted that a pre
vious witness had lied when he
claimed he was threatened, co
erced and feared for his life dur-;
ing the automobile tour.
William H. Fedder, Baltimore
printer, had testified he was in
timated by Mr. Surine and two
other men wffiile he was conduct
ing them about the city to pick
up Butler campaign cards being
processed in job lots in private
homes. Mr. Surine w^as ques
tioned closely about the circum
stances under which he obtained
a signed statement from Mr Fed
der relative to the printer's ac
count with the Butler head
quarters.
Duress Charged.
Mr. Fedder told the Senate in
jquiry he signed the statement un
der duress after the three men
had accompanied him from mid
j night until 6:30 a.m. on November
6 in an effort to collect the cards.
The statement written by Mr.
Surine and amended by Mr. Fed
der was prepared in an a’l-night
drive-in restaurant shortly before
|daylight. It contained an open
ing paragraph which said Mr.
Fedder was signing it of his own
free will without threats or prom
ises.
Others present were Ewell
Moore, former part-time employe
of Senator McCarthy, and George
Nilles, Arlington, Va„ real estate
man, according to Mr. Surine.
Asked to describe the restaurant
by Committee Counsel Edward A.
McDermott, Mr. Surine said It
was well lighted and patronized
by a number of customers during
about 45 minutes while he and
the other three men were present.
“What kind of customers pa
(Continued on Page A-8, Col. 3.)
U. 5. Tank Force Rolls
Into Chunchon, Once
Major China Red Base
Allies Encounter Bitter
Red Resistance on West
Front North of Seoul
ly the Associated Press
TOKYO, Mar. 21.—An Ameri
can tank force today rumbled into
the former Chinese stronghold of
Chunchon. It met only flag
waving Korean civilians.
The Chinese, who had made
the Central Korean road center
Governments, Not U. N., Expected to
Decide Parallel Question. Page A-26
i
their troop massing point in I
South Korea, apparently had
withdrawn north of Parallel 38.
Chunchon is 8'i miles south of
the Red Korean border.
It was from Chunchon that the
Chinese mounted their two mas
sive offensives in January and
February against Wonju, deep
in Central Korea.
Bitter Resistance Met.
On the western front, South
Korean and American task forces,
ranging up the historic invasion
route of Korea bumped into bit-'
ter Communist resistance north
of Seoul.
An American tank patrol on:
the road to Uijongbu ran into
a heavy mine field.
“The small arms and mortar
fire were so intense that it was
impossible for the men to leave
j the tanks and remove the mines,”
an operations officer said.
Infantry Secures City.
Chunchon was secured tonight
by the infantry, who camped on
its outskirts. Thousands of troops
had moved up following the
spearheading tanks.
The American tanks crossed
minefields on their way to Chun
chon from Hongchon. Engineers
walked ahead of the column and
dug them out. One was a 50-pound
aerial bomb.
Only 5.000 civilians remained in
the once heavily populated city in
Central Korea. Children and
adults eagerly followed the in
fantry and tanks.
Only one sniper bullet was fired,
jit did not hit any one. The sniper
;was not found.
Some Chinese surrendered to
'< (See KOREA, Page A-6.1
Several Bomber, Fighter Types
Used in Current A-Bomb Tests
By John A. Giles
The Air Force said today that
three types of bombers, but not
the giant B-36, were being used
for the atomic testing program in
the Pacific.
A spokesman told a Pentagon
briefing that the B-29 Super
Fortress, the B-50, and the B-47
Stratojet along with several
fighter types were being used at
the Atomic Energy Commission’s
Eniwetok Proving Ground.
He said that the Air Force was
interested in the effect of ex
plosions on all types of planes, in
cluding fighters, but that the com
mission had not requested the use
of the B-36 as yet.
i The spokesman said that the
AEC was completely responsible
for the test which is carried out
by Joint Task Force 3 commanded
by Lt. Gen. Ellwood R. (Pete)
Quesada of the Air Force and is
made up of personnel of the
armed forces, the commission,
other agencies and AEC con
tractors.
The spokesman would not com
ment on the actual tests them
selves which the commission said
yesterday were under way. The
commission said these tests in
clude “extensive provisions for
measurement of atomic weapons
effects on structures and mate
rials of various kinds.”
“The B-47 has been assigned
to the project along with other
different types,” the spokesman
said, “but any comment on the
tests themselves must come from
AEC.”
Neither would the AEC com
ment today on reports that the
B-47—reportedly the fastest jet
bomber in the world—had suc
cessfully carried an atomic bomb
thousands of miles over water and
hit its target at Eniwetok.
The bombers can operate from1
bases either at Eniwetok or at
Kwajelein.
i
Costello Defies
Crime Probers
For Fourth Time
Won't Tell of Wealth;
Gov. Dewey 'Invited'
To Hearing Again
By the Associated Press
NEW YORK. Mar. 21.—Under
world Boss Frank Costello today
defied Senate crime investigators
for the fourth time in their efforts
to find out his net worth. He said
he wouldn’t answer the question.
With the same sullen stubborn
ness he has displayed when the
Television's Big Hit Resumes of Capitol
Hearing Tomorrow. Poge A-5
Washington Resident Explains Gifts to
Tobey's Campaign. Page A-5
Kefauver Considers Writing Book on
Nation-Wide Crime. Poge A-4
Implied Attack Made by Spruille Braden
on O'Dwyer Regime. Poge A-4
matter came up previously, Cos
tello said the committee was ask
ing for information it had not
right to.
“I refused before," Costello said.
“I'm not going to answer that
question.”
The gambler, labeled by the
committee as head of a national
crime syndicate, pictured himself:
to the committee as a man now
engaged in purely legitimate busi
ness.
And he said he w’asn’t going to
talk about what assets he has.
Dewey Invited Again.
Before Costello's appearance,
the committee issued a second in
vitation to Gov. Dewey to appear
before it and testify on gambling
at Saratoga Springs. N. Y.
Costello described himself as a
promoter of jet broilers for the!
benefit of housewives with small
apartments.
He conceded before the Senate
Crime Investigating Committee
the jet broiler business hadn't
taken up much of his time so far.
“It's in its infancy,” he said.;
It’s just started.”
The broiler was described as an
infra red broiler for use in apart
ment houses, but Costello said he
didn’t understand It’s mechanical
details.
Senator Tobey, Republican of
New Hampshire, said Costello’s |
refusal to answer on his wealth!
"makes us suspicious and I don't
want to be suspicious.”
“The world can’t think well of
a man who covers up,” he added.
Told of $150,000.
Costello has disclosed he has
around $150,000 in cash in his
home safe and in two bank ac
counts, but beyond that, he con
tended his holdings are his own
affair.
“Do you have a safe deposit box
anywhere else other than in your
home?” asked Committee Counsel
Rudolph Halley.
Costello stared at the ceiling
momentarily, blinking into the
white, hot glare of klieg lights.
Then he said in his hoarse, thin
voice: “No.”
Costello’s attorney, George Wolf,1
has contended that his client is
constitutionally entitled to with
hold data about his wealth. The
committee has asked for a legal
brief on this claim.
It says the brief will figure in
its recommendation to the Senate
to cite the witness for contempt
of Congress.
Made Plunge in Oil.
As he began his seventh round
with the committee, Costello said
he has become an ordinary busi
ness man, with interests in various
honest endeavors.
He made a plunge Into oil on
“a hunch,” he said, and another
jinto jet-broilers because "I like it.”
two-year prison term.
Mr. Halley asked Costello
whether the broiler business and
the New Orleans Beverly Club
were the only legitimate busi
nesses he was engaged in now.
Costello: I would say, yes. Of
course, I have a trading com
pany.
He was referring to a real
estate company.
Then he said he had “a little
interest in an oil field.”
Mr. Halley asked whether Cos
tello had in excess of $10,000 in
cash “anywhere else” than in his
strongbox at home or in his bank
accounts.
Refuses to Answer.
Costello: I'm not going to answer
that question on the ground it
pertains to my net worth, which
I refused to answer before.
Mr. Halley: Do you have a safe
(Continued on Page A-4, Col. 2.)|
Late News
Bulletins
Wreckage Reported Sighted
Wreckage of a Marine plane
missing with two aboard since
Monday was sighted from the
air today on the eastern side of
the Blue Ridge Mountains, near
Culpeper, Va., the Quantico
Marine Bake reported. Heli
copters were reported sent to
the area.
Budget Cut $1,675,000
Congressional economy advo
cates today pushed through
additional cuts totaling $1,675,
000 as the House continued
consideration of its first major
appropriations bill for the year—
the Treasury-Post Office meas
ure.. However, a move to slash
S3 million from funds for the
Bureau of Internal Revenue was
. defeated on a voice vote.
(Earlier Story oa Pare A-2.)
Flowers That Bloomed THIS Spring—Tra-la!
Acheson Indorses Resolution.
On Amity for Russian People
Peace Can Be Achieved and Held
Only by Hard Effort, Official Declares
Passage by Congress of a reso
lution expressing American friend
ship for the Russian people was
indorsed today by Secretary of
State Acheson.
The resolution was introduced
in January by two Connecticut
Democrats — Senator McMahon
and Representative Ribicoff—to
let the Russian people know this
country does not want war but is
rearming only because Soviet lead
ers have failed to co-operate for
peace. A bipartisan group of 22
Senators joined Senator McMahon
in the move.
“It is w'ell that the resolution
makes clear that while we covet
peace, we will not sell our souls
for it," Mr. Acheson wrote to Sen
ator McMahon today.
“The peace we seek is not
simply the absence of war but a
sound and free collaboration
among nations in a pattern of
responsibility based on mutual
respect. Peace in the first sense
might be obtained by moral
capitulation. Peace in the sense
of our seeking can be achieved
and held only by long and hard
effort. We and our allies with us
are determined to create that
kind of peace. The goal would
be brought incalculably nearer
with the help rather than the
hindrance of the Soviet Union.”
The resolution, still awaiting
action in House and Senate com
mittees, was based on the belief of
the sponsors that the Iron fcurtain
erected by Communist leaders has
kept from the rank and file in
Russia America’s desire for peace.
Mr. Acheson gave three exam
ples of how the Russian people
(See RUSSIANS. Page A-8.1
McClellan Proposes
Truman Withdrawal
Of RFC Revision Plan
Says Action Would Leave
Congress Free to Work
Out Future of Agency
By Robert K. Walsh
Chairman McClellan of the
Senate Expenditures Committee,
suggested today that President
Truman temporarily withdraw his
plan for reorganization of the Re
construction Finance Corp.
Such action would leave Con
gress “free” to work out a com
House Investigators Study Defense Loans
Approved by NPA. Page A-9
prehensive bill for revamping or
even abolishing the agency. Sen
ator McClellan said, as his com
mittee opened hearings on the
President’s proposal to replace the
existing five-man board of RFC
directors with a single adminis
trator.
Chairman Maybank of the Sen
ate Banking Committee, told th,e
Expenditure-3 Committee that his
group plans to hold hearings as
soon as possible on several bills
providing for reorganization or
abolition of RFC. He said he in
tended to vote for the President’s
reorganization plan, but only as
the lesser of two evils.
“I think the Banking Commit
tee will be pretty rough on RFC
and it ought to be,” Senator May
bank said.
“Horrible Situation.”
Senator Maybank added that!
the Banking subcommittee head-;
ed by Senator Fulbright, Demo-!
crat, of Arkansas may come up
with further disclosures, and thati
the outcome of a current inquiry!
by a grand jury here might have'
some effect on eventual legislation
affecting RFC.
“I can’t find the truth in a
lot of the things that have been
testified at the subcommittee
hearings," Senator Maybank said.
“It’s a horrible situation. I hope
a grand jury finds the truth, and
(See RFC, Page A-2.)
Miss Truman to Star
In Play With Stewart
By the Associated Press
NEW YORK, Mar. 21.—Marga
ret Truman, in her first dramatic
role on radio, will co-star with
James Stewart in a play over the
National Broadcasting Co. net
work April 26.
The daughter of the President
will appear in “Jackpot.” a fea
ture of the Screen Directors’
Playhouse series. It will be broad
cast from 10 to 11 p.m.
Editor of La Prensa
Held by Argentina
From Uruguay Trip
Police Guards Formally
Take Over Main Offices
Of Closed Newspaper
By the Associated Press
BUENOS AIRES. Mar. 21.—
Police prevented Alberto Gainza
Paz, editor of the closed news
paper La Prensa. from leaving
Argentina by plane today for a
holiday in Uruguay.
The administration of President
Juan D. Peron has charged Mr.
Gainza Paz with violating state
security, but he has not been
under arrest. The charges were
brought against the editor in
connection with the closing of
the newspaper, a relentless critic
of the Peron regime.
Friends said Mr. Gainza Paz
had planned to spend the Easter
week end with his mother.
Paper Formally Seized.
Last night a congressional com
mittee formally seized control of
La Prensa.
Police guards formally took
over the newspaper’s main offices
and barred Mr. Gainza Paz and
all other employes from the prem
ises unless the congressional com
mittee members are present.
Mr. Gainza Paz’ mother, like
her son one of the principal own
ers of La Prensa, is spending the
summer at her estate near Co
lonia, Uruguay, about a half hour’s
distance by plane from Buenos
Aires.
The committee ostensibly will
investigate La Prensa's ties with
(See LA PRENSA. Page A-2/>
Larry Parks Was Red
In 1941, Quit in 1945,
He Tells Committee
Has Always Been Loyal,
Screen Actor Testifies;
Gives No Film Names
By L. Edgar Prina
Movie Star Larry Parks today
told the House Committee on Un
American Activities that he joined
the Communist Party in 1941. He
said he quit four years later and
always has been a loyal American.
The screen actor said that he
felt he had never done anything
wrong and, therefore, was “open
ing himself wide” to committee
questions on his affiliations.
“I would like to point out that
there is great difference in being
a member of the Communist
Party in 1941 and being a Com
munist in 1951—and the differ
ence is not a subtle one,” he said.
“I was a member of the party
10 years ago when I was a much
younger man,” he continued. “I
felt that being a member would
fulfill certain needs in a young
man who was liberal in thought
and was for the underprivileged
and the underdog. A young man
of 25 who is not full of liberalism
and idealism is not worth his!
salt. Today it’s an entirely differ-1
ent kettle of fish. There is a
great power trying to take over
ithe world.”
Attended 10 or 12 Meetings.
Mr. Parks said he was in no way:
making an apology for what he
had done, although there probably
iwas a question of poor judgment
on his part. He added that he
never was particularly interested
in the Communist Party and had
'attended probably 10 or 12 meet
! ings and had contributed not more
than $50 or $60 during the four
years of his membership.
"I don’t think I’m a stingy man,
but I am known as a close man
(Continued on Page A-13, Col. 1.)
Alger Hiss lo Surrender
Tomorrow lo Begin Term
By th* Associated Press
NEW YORK. Mar. 21.—Alger
Hiss, former State Department
official, will surrender tomorrow to
begin his five-year perjury sen-!
i fence, United States Attorney
| Irving H. Saypol said today.
The term could be reduced by
one-third for good behavior.
Hiss lost his last chance for
freedom when the Supreme Court
recently refused to review' his con
viction.
He was convicted on two perjury
| counts. He was accused of lying
jin denying he passed State De
partment documents to Whittaker
Chambers and in denying he had
seen the confessed former Com
munist after January, 1937.
Diet of Handouts Sends Ducks
Staggering Blindly in Park
An eye infection that has near
ly blinded some of the ducks in
Rock Creek Park was attributed
by Government scientists today to
a diet of "handouts” deficient in
vitamin A.
"It's a case of too much cracked
corn and not enough greens,” ex
plained George H. Harding, chief
of the horticulture division of Na
tional Capital Parks. Plain lazi
ness on the part of the ducks was
a contributing cause.
Scientists at the Beltsville Ex
perimental Station pinpointed the!
trouble after half a dozen Peking
ducks were found staggering
around the park.
Park attendants now are go
ing to mix chopped alfalfa with
the cracked corn, and see how
that affects the ducks. The Agri
culture Department scientists said
a
the added greenery ought to cure
the ducks’ staggers.
More than 100 ducks—mallards
and white Pekins—live in the
park. Ordinarily they would for
age and in the course of browsing
would get plenty of greenstuffs.
But well-intentioned park visi
tors have stepped in with hand
outs of cracked corn and have
thwarted nature.
“The ducks got so much cracked
corn they weren’t hungry enough
to go foraging,” Mr. Harding ex
plained.
When attendants found six
Pekings staggering about they
picked the ducks up and fount
their eyes were covered with a
white film.
Mr. Harding feared a possible
infection that might deplete the
duck population, so the six ailing
birds were sent to Beltsville for
examination.
Big 30-Year Plan
For D. C. Traffic
Has Ring Routes
8 New River Bridges
Among Proposals for
Area of 2 Million
By Nelson M. Shepard
A 30-year thoroughfare plan
dominated by major ring and ra
dial routes, interregional express
ways and at least eight additional
river bridges, was proposed today
to facilitate traffic through
Washington.
Suggested remedies for public
transit and automobile parking
problems, without which the value
of expressways would be nullified,
also were put forward tentatively
by the National Capital Park and
Planning Commission.
In a 40-page report—fifth in a
series supplementing its earlier
summary of a comprehensive plan
for the Metropolitan Area—the
commission geared transportation
proposals to the needs of a 2 mil
lion population, half of whom
would be living outside the Dis
trict.
Tunnel System Suggested.
Based on gradual substitution of
all streetcars by buses, the report
suggests a new transit plan to fit
into a designed cobweb pattern of
thoroughfares to speed up traffic
of all kinds. It called for:
Construction of a tunnel system
carrying eastbound buses and
vehiclar traffic under the bottle
necks of Pennsylvania avenue.
Fifteenth and Fourteenth streets
and into E street. Both E and D
streets would be one-way streets
under this plan.
Conversion of the Mount Pleas
ant carline to bus operation
as an early objective to relieve the
situation in the central area.
Downtown this line would be re
routed, with some buses running
on I and Twelfth streets and the
others being routed south of the
White House.
A general realignment of public
transit routes for the central area
north of* the Mall, with some 23
radial lines leading to central
areas from all parts of the Dis
trict. Also a system of eight ex
press-bus routes on main streets
to serve the District. If conditions
warrant some or all of these
routes might be extended to
Maryland suburbs. Similar routes
might be established in Virginia
to operate over such roads as the
Shirley highway and Lee boule
jvard.
Parking ISeeds Estimated.
j Downtown streets are now used
.to about 80 per cent of capacity,
(presenting acute parking prob
lems impeding the flow of traffic.
An estimated 42,400 parking
spaces are available, leaving some
12,000 space requirements.
A series of peripheral off-street
parking lots, with ramps leading
to expressways, would be a par
tial solution. To justify shuttle
bus service each lot should ac
commodate 800 to 1,000 cars, it
was suggested. Some lots would
be within walking distance.
Given power to buy and lease
land to stimulate private garage
construction, it was believed the
Motor Vehicle Parking Agency
might provide about 7,500 off
street spaces in both the retail
and office-building area over the
next two or three decades.
With present curb parking ex
pected to be restricted drastically,
it was believed sufficient fringe
parking lots could be provided for
some 9,000 cars.
A carefully study of Government
parking problems was urged in the
report.
Traffic Increase Estimated.
By 1980, planners estimate half
the area population will live out
side the District. The proportion
now is two-fifths. The predicted
spread is based on a continuation
of present trends, accentuated by
a more definite policy of decen
tralizing Government activities.
Harland Bartholomew of St. Louis,
the commission’s consultant, esti
mated the central area can absorb
(Continued on Page A-6, Col. 4.)
Spring Officially Arrives;
Weather Cool But Normal
Spring hit town at 5:26 o’clock
this morning, but you couldn’t say
it was busting out all over. Even
so, the Weather Bureau said this
morning's 38-degree temperature
is quite normal.
Today will be a little cool, the
forcaster said, with the tempera
ture reaching only to 50 degrees.
Tonight’s low will be 34 degrees.
The sky should be clear today,
but a little cloudy tonight and
tomorrow.
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