[From the Washington Star, Sept. 6, 1967]

T. W. FLETCHER HUD OFFICIAL, GETS SECOND SPOT-JOHNSON MAKES ANNOUNCEMENTS AT WHITE HOUSE

(By Charles Conconi)

Walter E. Washington, 52, the chairman of the New York City Housing Authority, was named today by President Johnson as the first mayor-commissioner of Washington.

The President also named Thomas William Fletcher, a deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Housing and Urban Development, to become the city's deputy commissioner.

In an unusually brief announcement, President Johnson said that over the next few days he will be giving considerable attention to the naming of the new council. Under the reorganization proposal which cleared Congressional tests early last month, the 93-year-old board of commissioners will be replaced by a single commissioner, a deputy commissioner and a 9-member council.

UNUSUALLY COOL

The new government will go into effect once the commissioner, deputy and six members of the council are named by the President and approved by the Senate. Observers said the President appeared unusually cool today and speculated it was because the Washington appointment had leaked out to the press about two weeks ago. Since then nothing has been heard.

At the briefing, Washington, wearing a gray suit and a black tie, sat at the President's right. He said nothing, Fletcher, also in a dark gray suit and black tie, was at the President's left and made no comment.

After the President's announcement, Washington spoke to newsmen on the White House grounds. He said he has been charged by Johnson with making this city a "model showcase."

Washington added that he "feels very good" about his return to the city where he has lived most of his life. He indicated that he and Fletcher would devote much attention in coming months to the new community planned for the present site of the National Training School for Boys.

CITES CRISIS ARE AS

Despite the intense speculation that he had been selected for the job, Washington said he did not know definitely until this morning, before the President made his announcement. He was asked yesterday to come to the White House today.

Asked about special problems in the District, Washington cited crime, employment and welfare as some of the crisis areas which the new city government will have to look at.

Washington said that this city has had "a fair degree of racial harmony," and that despite some sporadic incidents "we have something to build on."

He declined to comment on the current controversy around the decision made by Skelly Wright involving District schools.

Washington, who was formerly executive director of the National Capital Housing Authority, left the District last year to take the New York job.

Flether, who has been with HUD since July, was city manager of San Diego, Calif., from 1961 to 1966.

He also has served as assistant city manager there, was city administrator of Davis, Calif., and was an assistant to the city manager of San Leandro, Calif.

Washington, who has an AB and a doctor of laws degree from Howard University, will be the highest ranking Negro city official if he is confirmed by the Senate.

WORKED IN NCHA

The Johnson appointment of Washington is expected to quiet complaints heard throughout the city when the White House announced that at least one of the two top positions would be from outside the District.

The appointment is also expected to satisfy the call for the appointment of a Negro to one of the high positions in the District, a city with Negro residents in the majority.

Almost all of Washington's previous experience has been in the NCHA, where he started out as a junior housing assistant in 1941.

Some of the positions he has held there include housing manager; assistant chief, property management section; supervisor of field operations; special assistant to the executive director; deputy director of management; acting deputy executive director, and assistant executive director.

He is a member of the Washington Urban League, Washington Action for Youth, the United Planning Organization and the Council of Churches.

Washington was born in Dawson, Ga., and grew up in Jamestown, N. Y., but lived here from the time of his college days.

He and his wife, Bennetta Washington, a well known educator and social worker, have maintained a home in the District at 408 T St. NW, since he went to New York City to head the Housing Authority there last November.

He became one of the top Negroes in the New York City government after Mayor John V. Lindsay personally persuaded him to accept the housing job there at a salary of more than $30,000.

Washington's resignation from that job was announced last month by Lindsay, who praised him as “an exceptionally fine public servant."

During his stay of less than a year in New York, he had to deal with a strike by service employees of the housing authority, which has over half a million tenants; a new law for more efficient incineration, and rising maintenance costs challenging the rent levels.

WIFE EX-PRINCIPAL

His wife, former principal of Cardozo High School who took a leave of absence from the public school system here nearly three years ago to help launch the Job Corps program for women, accepted a professorship in education last spring at City College in New York.

She had served the schools here in two trouble spots. From 1958 to 1961, she was principal of the experimental Boys' Junior-Senior High School for emotionally disturbed students. She then went to Cardozo with its high rates of dropout and delinquency problems.

The Washingtons' daughter, Mrs. Bennetta Jules-Rosette, is a student at Radcliffe.

At the time of Fletcher's appointment to HUD, Robert C. Weaver, HUD secretary, said: "HUD is fortunate in gaining the services of a man who is regarded as an expert in the field of city management.

"He has devoted his life to the public administration phase of city government, and therefore is ideally equipped to deal with the problems that accompany urban growth."

Fletcher, 43, was born in Portland, Ore., and was graduated from the University of California at Berkeley. He has done graduate work in public administration. Fletcher was appointed by Weaver to serve in the HUD office of Housing Assistance Administration as operating chief.

The Housing Assistance Administration is concerned with public housing programs, college housing and housing for the elderly and the handicapped.

[From the Washington Daily News, Sept. 7, 1967]

WHO'S TOM FLETCHER? ASK ANYONE IN SAN DIEGO-CITY'S NO. 2 MAN HAS IMPRESSIVE CREDENTIALS

(By Samuel Stafford)

When the newspapers hit the streets yesterday, nearly everybody asked the same question:

"Who is Thomas W. Fletcher?"

At a White House press conference earlier. President Johnson had announced that Walter Washington was his choice for District commissioner under the city's new reorganization plan and that Thomas William Fletcher would be Mr. Washington's top assistant.

Mr. Fletcher, 43, a graying, large (6 foot 3) man, listened quietly as the President described him as "an innovator. . . highly respected and eminently qualified for his new job."

Completely upstaged at the briefing by the President and the commissionerdesignate, a well-known figure here, Thomas Fletcher spent much of the afternoon and evening conferring with Mr. Washington and explaining who he is to people who had never heard of him before.

CREDENTIALS

The credentials of Mr. Fletcher, who two months ago joined the Housing and Urban Development Department as a deputy assistant secretary, turned out to be impressive:

As city manager of San Diego from 1961 to 1966, he had been a powerful force in revitalizing that city's downtown area and cutting the unemployment rate in half.

During his tenure, a new city hall, theater, convention and exhibit hall, and parking garage were built in the heart of the city.

"The spirit of the citizens there was contagious," he said yesterday. At one point, we found ourselves $1.6 million short of our needs and the entire amount was pledged by businesses and citizens. Contributions ranged from $200,000 donated by the local press to $50 contributed by a city hall janitor."

During his administration, San Diego, the 15th largest U.S. city, was named an "All-American City" by Look Magazine.

REALIZATION

A year ago, Mr. Fletcher left his San Diego post to become president of a drive-in restaurant chain, but soon resigned to head a San Diego civic betterment group. "I realized that I belonged in government and wanted to get back into it," he said yesterday.

Born in Portland, Ore., Mr. Fletcher graduated from the University of California, and took graduate work in public administration. "I tried engineering, medicine, physics, and business administration." he said. "When I got to public administration, I knew I had found what I wanted to do.

"Working in local government seemed both the most challenging and the most rewarding field open to me. In local government, you can see both the good and the bad right now-the new parks and buildings and also the slums."

After World War II Army service and college, Mr. Fletcher became city manager of San Leandro, Calif., city administrator of Davis, Calif., then assistant city manager and city manager of San Diego.

FEELING

How did he feel about the prospect of becoming District deputy commissionera post many District Building observers believe may be every bit as demanding as that of the single commissioner who will replace the present three-man board? "It's one of the most challenging jobs anyone in my field could ask for," he said. "I'm just as excited as I can be. I'll try to do the best job I can for Walter Washington.'

What did he think were some of the District's more pressing problems?

"I'm not qualified to say yet. I'm still busy doing my homework, reading up on District affairs. Crime, obviously is a problem. Housing-there are many things to be done. .

He believes major urban problems cannot be solved unless government efforts are complemented by strong community and private industry involvement.

ENJOYMENT

Mr. Fletcher said he enjoys "walking and reading-history, spy novels

I have pretty catholic tastes." He added he isn't very athletic "because I work so many hours I just don't have the time."

When he took the HUD job in July, he confessed, he rented some colorful tempera paintings from the Corcoran Gallery for his office.

"I like bright colors, reds and blues," he said, "good modern paintings."

Mr. Fletcher is married to the former Margerie Muller, of Howells, Neb., and they have three children. "It's all very exciting," she said yesterday. She said her husband has "the ability to compromise" and a "fabulous sense of humor."

APPRAISAL

Jim Jenkins, San Diego's representative here, said Thomas Fletcher's dominant characteristic is "imagination, backed up by solid experience that gives him the tools to do the job. He was largely responsible for making San Diego the progressive city it is today."

And Hugh Mields, former official of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said, "He's very incisive. He has a good sense of government and he knows how to talk to people.

"This is a good guy and a real pro. Walter Washington and Tom Fletcher will make a great combination. Both are tremendously talented and should work well together."

[From the Washington Afro-American Sept. 9, 1967]

THE SEARCH FOR 'MAYOR'

The President has ended his search for a Commissioner-Mayor of Washington, D.C.

The administration's selection brought a sense of fulfillment to many, disappointment to others.

The man chosen to wear this mantle will bear a heavy responsibility in a position which is more desirable for its prestige and the opportunity to serve than for its salary of $28,500 per year.

Many names were suggested to the President as possible candidates for the position. His was a difficult choice to make.

In his final decision, we believe the President acted in accord with the desire of the populace that the appointee be one who is familiar with the problems of the District, a competent public servant and representative of the community he will serve.

THE PRESIDENTIAL APPOINTEE

Walter E. Washington brings to the position of Commissioner-Mayor of the District of Columbia the highest qualifications from a background of public and community service.

In 1964, he brought signal honor to the District of Columbia as recipient of the National Service League award.

No stranger to honors, Mr. Washington also received the community service award for Meritorious Community Service, Health and Welfare Council of the National Capital Area of which he was a former vice president and the Howard University Alumni Award for distinguished achievement in the field of public

service.

His community ties include the past presidency of the Le Droit Park Civic Association, the past presidency of the Board of Directors of the Southwest Settlement House; former member of the Boards of Directors of Big Brothers Inc., Washington Urban League, United Planning Organization, National Capital Area Council of Boy Scouts of America, Council of Churches of Greater Washington, Visiting Nurses Association, and United Givers Fund.

An attorney (graduate of Howard University) Mr. Washington spent most of his career in housing. He capped his service at the National Capital Housing Authority with his appointment as its executive director in 1961. He left this position in 1966 to accept the post as chairman of the New York City Housing Authority which he now leaves to return to D.C. as its commissioner.

A SIGNIFICANT CHOICE

The historical significance of the appointment of a Commissioner-Mayor for the District of Columbia is implicit in the fact that the appointee, whatever his identity, is the first to hold this position under the President's Reorganization Plan.

It becomes doubly significant when President Johnson nominates Walter E. Washington, a non-white person to the top position in the Nation's Capital. This is a welcomed sign of the change of times for the voteless city. Yet it is proper and fitting that a nonwhite person should hold this post in a city where more than 60 percent of the population is colored.

Less than a decade ago, it was unforeseeable that this could happen in Washington, then still laboring under the walls of segregation. At the time no one in Washington dared dream that a colored person would be its titular head.

It takes little memory to recall that dim past. Colored persons could not eat in downtown restaurants. They were barred at the theatre doors. Schools were separate and job discrimination was rampant.

The late Mrs. Mary Church Terrell and Dr. Edwin B. Henderson, now living in Tuskegee, Ala., headed a movement to desegregate the restaurants and hotels. Picketing and other types of pressure failed to alter the restaurants' policy, but a legal ruling by the Supreme Court in the Thompson Restaurant case finally brought victory.

The barriers soon fell in the hotels and other public places as the picketing continued. In 1954, the schools were desegregated under the now famous Supreme Court Decision.

Earlier the National Theatre, then the only legitimate theatre in Washington, had opened its doors to all, and the old Uline Arena, now the Washington Coliseum, revised its policy of barring colored persons to certain events.

During the administration of the late President John F. Kennedy, an Executive Order banning discrimination in Federal employment created the climate for the promotion of colored employees in areas where public service had been denied them.

Subsequently, the District Commissioners, acting under police powers, executed orders forbidding discrimination in employment in District areas and requiring fair housing.

The appointment of Walter E. Washington comes at a time when much is still to be realized in the areas of equal employment and fair housing.

The machinery for handling housing complaints and employment petitions is still too slow moving and cumbersome. So much so that it discourages would-be complainants. The District Human Relations Council which has initial jurisdiction over these complaints is hampered by insufficient authority and an inadequate staff.

Yet the Washington which Walter E. Washington will oversee has come a long way toward overturning barriers in a few years and is making headway toward making the Nation's Capital a "Model City."

To continue this progress is a monumental challenge, but we view Mr. Washington's appointment as a symbol of future progress for the mass population here and feel assured that his leadership will provide further impetus for progress.

[From the Washington Afro-American, Sept. 9, 1967]

PRESIDENT JOHNSON LAUDS WEW AS "MAN OF VISION"

(Following is the text of President Johnson's statement announcing the nominations of Walter E. Washington as District commissioner and Thomas Fletcher as deputy commissioner)

Three weeks ago Congress approved a reorganization plan to bring modern government to the Nation's Capital.

Even this new system can be only as strong and fair as the men who will lead it. That is why, for the last three weeks, I have engaged in an intensive search throughout the nation to find the very best city executives for the posts of D.C. commissioner and assistant to the commissioner.

In the search, we have reviewed literally hundreds of names and records. Today, our search for a new D.C. commissioner has come to a happy end. First, we have found a man who can provide the leadership, the vision, the understanding, and the talent to move the Capital City forward steadily and surely. We have found a man who will be a strong and authentic voice for the people of the District.

His name is Walter Edward Washington.

I am sending his nomination to the Senate as soon as it reconvenes. I hope that it will receive speedy and favorable consideration.

Walter Washington's adult life and his distinguished career have been spent in this city. He is a graduate of Howard University and attended the American University and has been a fighter for effective government in the Nation's Capital. He knows the people of this city-because he is one of them.

The summary of the jobs he has held is an exciting story of commitment to the public service and the public good.

He is a distinguished lawyer.

He is a nationally famous specialist and innovator in urban problems.