Surrogate for the Cities

The 20th century has profoundly transformed the nature and needs of U.S. society. Yet only three new Cabinet posts have been created to cope with them in the last 62 years.-Last week, in belated recognition of the problems facing America's cities, the Congress approved a fourth, the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In the Senate, which passed a bill establishing HUD by a vote of 57 to 33, opposition was predominantly Republican. The bill's aim, to coordinate 115-odd federal housing and urban development programs within a single department, seemed worthy enough. But for many critics it portended yet another Parkinsonian encroachment on community affairs. Objected Senate Republican Leader Everett Dirksen: "I never yet saw, when you set up a department that it didn't grow and proliferate. If we're ever going to put an end to this gargantuan growth of government, it will have to be done at this end of Pennsylvania Avenue, not the other." No Bet. At one point Dirksen challenged Connecticut Democrat Abraham Ribicoff, floor manager of the bill, to 1) write down the initial number of employees in the new department, and 2) put the list in an envelope, along with a $100 bill. "I'll put in a $100 bill too," said Ev, "and if this thing doesn't grow, you'll collect the $100." It was no bet. "You'd collect it," retorted Ribicoff, "because this Congress will be voting new programs." And, he argued, the nation needs them. "When our Constitution was adopted," Ribicoff said, "only five per cent of our people lived in urban areas. Today, 70% of Americans live in cities, towns and suburbs, and by the end of this century, over four-fifths--350 million people--will be living in our urban areas. There is no end in sight to the need for more schools, more highways, more hospitals, more sewage and water facilities, and more and better programs to house our urban population and improve our communities." The need for HUD, concluded Ribicoff, is indisputable; the only question is "whether the Federal Government will be able to act more effectively and more efficiently." Surprise Candidate? A majority of the Senate agreed that it could, sent the bill along to conference to iron out minor differences between it and a similar bill passed by the House. As to whom President Johnson will appoint as his first surrogate for U.S. cities, the obvious choice seemed to be Robert Weaver, whose job as administrator of the Housing and Home Finance Agency will be eliminated under the new setup. Weaver was President Kennedy's candidate for the post in 1962, and his selection in advance was a cause for the bill's rejection by a riled Congress. Johnson, however, has a predilection for making surprise appointments. In this case he might really surprise Washington by, after all, naming Weaver--who would then become the first Negro Cabinet member in U.S. history.

*Commerce (1903), Labor (1913), Health, Education and Welfare (1953), making a total of ten. Defense (1947) simply merged the old War and Navy Departments.

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