Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-01-26
BRATNARD'S ABSENCE
DELAYS HOUSING PLANS
Emergency Fleet Corpora
tion's Expert Expected to
Arrive Here Today
HOG ISLAND HAMPERED
Shipbuilding Company Officials De-
clare Inactivity Is Detrimental to
Work of Nation

conference between officials of the
Department of Public works, the Amer
ican International Shipbuilding com
pany, and owen Braiuard, representative
Of the housing committee of the l'mer-
gcncy Fleet Corporation, which Is eN-
pccted to put in motion plans for the
laying out OF the great Hog Island
housing site in the Fortieth Ward had
not taken place up to a late hour this
morning.
NIr Brainard is expected TO arrive III
The city about noon, though none ol tHe
officials OF the public works department.
or Of the international Shipbuilding
Company would admit that they were
assured Mr.. Bralnard would visit Phit-
adelphia today at all
II am getting tired of this delay. The
work of my department is being inter-
fered with and important city work is
being held up while conferences go
on at Washington
The seriousness of continued delay IN
this matter Is thus clearly indicated by
Chester Il. Albright, chief Of the Bureau
Of Surveys.
WAITING FOR BRAINARD
Director Datesman, head of the De-
partmcut Of Public Works. this morn
ing reiterated his statement Of yester-
day that the next move must come
from Washington" lie said hc has
nothing to add to what he has already
said and that nothing can be done in
the matter until Mr. Brainard or some
other official of the Emergency Fleet
Corporation housing committee will au-
thorize the commencement Of operations
at the ElmwOod site.
Inquiry at the offices of the Interna-
forth virtually the same statement. Their
housing department can 20 nothing until
the city acts. Asked whether they pre-
fcrred the lGlmwood site to any site on
the New Jersey side of the river, they
refused to comment other than to say
that anything to start housing plans
would be agreeable and acceptable to
them. 1t is claimed also by this office
that the Hog Island work Is being badly
crippled by delay in providing for proper
housing facilities for the men now cm-
ployed ut the Hog Island yards.
READY FOR PROBE
"a trick Of partisan politics is seen
by officials of the American luterna-
tional Shipbulding Corporation in the
resolution introduced in Congress pro-
viding for an investigation Of conditions
at the Hog Island shipyards and the
ShiDbuildtng industry OF the country III
general. The company is fully prepared
for any Investigation that may be made,
il was stated, and nothing is to be feared
from the fullest inquiry into the opera
ton Of the plant.
The Imperative need Of Speeding
up" the housing program has beer
stressed in the hearings before the
committee on Merchant Marine in Wash
ington, and those in Il position to know
have declared that the efficiency Of the
plant Is being impaired almost so per
cent by the delays that have taken
place in the erection Of homes for the
wurlmCn.
Warning was sounded by Charles II.
Whitaker and FREDERICK l.. Ackerman,
housing experts, and members of the
American Institute OF Architects. in
their evidence before the committee
against the failure to provide for recrea =
ton and social Centers in the housing
plans. Failure Of the scheme was pre-
dicted unless due regard is had for
ways and means to keep the workmen
Cunteuted,