The Washington times., 1918-12-08
EIDLITZ DEFENDS
HOUSING PLANS

your war workers are being
housed here under conditions that
are a crime The situation which de-
mands Government housing in Wash
ington has not changed materially"
This was the declaration OF Otto
NJ. Eidlitz. in charge of the Housing
Corporation and director of housing
under the Department of Labor. to
the subcommittee of the Senate Pub
lie Buildings Committee, which is in
quiring into the facts concerning
housing expenditures and plans.
Declares Moral Obligation.
Mr.. Eidlitz, who clashed repeatedly
with Senator Reed, head of the sub
committee, and who found himself In
disagreement repeatedly with the
views of some of the subcommittee.
declared that for months there would
be need of additional housing here.
that while some clerks were leaving
Washington others were coming in
and that the applicants for rooms
were still many.
There is q moral obligation there"
said Mr.. Eidlitz, at the end of a de-
scription of the conditions obtaining
here in the influenza epidemic and
at the present time.
Senator Reed took issue with the
idea the Government was under
moral obligation to house the war
workers, or Government employees, in
peace time.
Opposition Evident.
1t became plain In the cOuse Of the
hearing that. while Mr.. Eidlitz and
many Of the Government officials are
bent on going ahead and having the
Government run hotels" as some of
the Senators put IL, there are strong
elements in Congress that will oppose
such thing.
lated especially TO the house on the
the Capitol. Under a grilling series
Of questions by the subcommittee, he
told in detail the plans for housing.
He indicated this was one OF the pro-
jects to be completed and operated by
the Government
II was the plan, he said, and was
backed by other officials of his or
ganiZation. to charge the young
women renting rooms in these dormi-
tories $45 a month and furnish two
meals a day and three on Sundays.
He said the Government would
break even"
Furniture f'urcnaSed.
The furniture ft- these buildings Is
already purchased and most OF it is
on the ground, Mr.. Eidlitz told the
subcommittee.
The buildings OF this project. for
which the George A. Fuller Company
has the contract consist OF twelve
tion and cafeteria buildings. a boiler
house, a storage house and a small
infirmary. The contract is for 81 1,S34.-
500.
In the administration building is an
assembly hall, Eidlitz said. He de-
MED reports that il was a moving
picture building.
Explains office Buildings.
Explaining the need OF offices and
an administration section, he said:
why this is pretty close 10 a 1000
room hotel II Will be one of the big
gest hotels in the country"
AS TO need for an assembly hall, he
said:
There has been a great hue and
cry about keeping the young women
off the streets. II the Government
does not feel willing to have a place
to hold dances, or lectufes-why, l
don't know, that's all"
The witness said all the buildings
were started and the project was 90
per cent completed.
Proposes Laundry.
The storage house probably would
be made a laundy, he said.
He explained this was to be the
mother plant for the 3,OOO-room
building at Twenty-third and B
streets. which had been abandoned.
In answer to questions by Senator
Hardwick and others. Mr.. Eidlitz said
it was the purpose to go ahead and
run the hotel" housing about 800
women.
Senator HardwicII asked whether
the Government would be out less
money IL it stopped construction now
and "scrapped" the buildings, or went
ahead and leased them. Mr.. Eidlitz
was not very definite on this point.
Prospective Manager Present.
Senator Reed thought the build
ings could be used fer hospitals. Mr.
Eidlitz agreed this could be done.
The investigation, which was begun
yesterday. will cover many phases
OF housing. Among those at the
hearing in company with Mr.. Eidlitz
was Manager Amer. of the st. Charles
Hotel. New Orleans. who offers, for a