Evening star., 1918-02-28
HOUSING CONDITIONS
CALLED ALARMING
Chairman Clark Asks Broad
Discretionary Power in Ad-
ministering Expedient.
CALLS FOR $4,000, 900

Alarming conditions regarding hous-
ing and transportation in the vicinity
of industrial plants engaged on essen
rial war supplies imperatively demand
passage of the s50,000.0o0 housing bill.
Chairman Frank Clark of Florida re-
ported to the House today for the COM
mittee on public buildings and grounds.
Broad discretionary power in admin
istering this expedient. entirely new to
the United States government. must. of
necessity. he said. be vested in the Sec
retary OF Labor. The bill makes clear.
Chairman Clark pointed out. that there
is to, be no "cost-plus" system in the
construction work. and that full item
lied reports are to be made to Con-
gress.
AS the general government building
program has been practically suspend
ed on account of the war, the housing
bill provides that the force of the su-
pervisfng architects Office in the Treas
ury Department should be used as far
as practicable.
Does Not Cover Housing.
This bill does not cover specifically
the housing problem in Washington,
but in a general way the housing diff
ficulties near all industrial plants en-
gagged on war supplies for the govern
ment. In Washington, as in 'all large
permanent cities. the committee and the
Secretary of Labor hope to have the
housing shortage taken care of by the
community through private capital.
For such communities the Secretary of
Labor is given authority to take over
lines of transportation already in oper-
alton or to build such lines where il
seems necessary to get the work
! to the plants. -
mittee, Chairman Clark said in his re-
| port:
The main object of the bill is to
provide for the housing of workers
engaged in the industries essential to
national defense during the war The
for the proposed legislation is the con-
idition confronting our country as shown
in the hearings.
Authorized to Acquire.
THE bill seeks to authorize the Sec
retary of Labor, at a limit of cost not
to exceed the sum of s50,O00,O0O, to ac-
proceedings or otherwise, such lands,
| improved or unimproved, etc, as he
may deem to be necessary for the
proper conduct of the war.
| tary of Labor the power to build such
| houses as he may determine is neces-
sary: to equip, manage. maintain. alter,
| rent, lease, exchange. sell and convey
| any such lands, houses, buildings i'm
| provements, parts thereof. or interest
| therein. upon such terms and condi-
| tions as he may determine. and to aid
| in providing such housing facilities by
| loans of money to such person or per-
, sons and upon such terms and condi-
| tionS he may determine.
| The bill gives to the Secretary of
| Labor the power to acquire by pur-
| chase or otherwise such local trans
! portation and other community facili-
! ties, parts thereof and equipment as
| in his Judgment may become necessary
for the proper execution of the trust
| created
| The necessity for this legislation
arises from the fact that all of the
| manufacturing and industrial plants
existing in this country at the time of
I the declaration of war with Germany
which could be useful for war purposes
! have been enormously expanded, and
| in addition. very many more such plants
! have been established. and this expan-
sion and growth have made it neces-
sary that many. very many, thousands
| of additional workmen should be en-
| pIoyed, and, of course, these workmen
| and their families must be housed
Should Be Expanded.
THE administration. realizing and an
| preciating the fact that it was of the
| very highest Importance that every
plant engaged in the manufacture of
arms and munitions and other war es-
| sentials should be expanded to the ut
most. and should be kept constantly
running at its highest productive ca
| pacity, and that this, of necessity.
would require a emendous increase
in the number of industrial workers,
caused the committee on labor of the
| Council of National Defense to make a
| survey of the problem. in order to de-
! termine what could be done in the
premises. Il
This investigation disclosed an alarm
/ ing condition. 1t was ascertained that
| good. skilled. competent workers could be
had, but that in many cases houses could
not be had, and therefore this vitality
| necessary work could not be performed as
speedily as the exigencies of the situa-
1 tion demanded. Private capital could not
/ or would not build on scale to meet the
Il /Cn,t;r,,ad a., =. -