Evening star., 1918-04-05
The Housing Bill.

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Passage by the House of the housing
! bill, with its item for the expenditure
7 Of $l0,000,000 for the provision Of hous-
ing facilities for government workers in
the District of Columbia, should be fol-
lowed by prompt acquiescence by the
Senate. This measure is of urgent i'm
portance. Washington cannot aecommo-
]. date today all the people who have come
{ and those who are soon to come for the
conduct of the governments work in
war time. Its facilities have been al
ready exhausted, in effect, though few
hundreds may be squeezed in here and
there by the opening Of more private
homes to department workers. During
the next nine months, it is estimated, be-
tween 10000 and $4,000 additional peo.
pie will arrive under government ap-
pointment, and where to put them for
comfortable shelter is an acute problem
that can be solved only through the pro-
vision Of housing by the government it.
self.
Private enterprise cannot be depend
ed upon to erect homes for these new
eomers. At the present price of ma
terials and labor and with the pros
pect Of restrictive legislation respect
ing rents, local capital will not be in
vested in constructions, the demand for
which may pass in year or two. Every
body hopes that the war will soon be
over. To speculate in real estate ven
lures st such time is to gamble ON the
prolongation Of the struggle.
It if proposed by the bill that has just
passed the House for the Secretary Of
Labor to prepare plans for the seeur-
ing OF already existing buildings and
the construction Of new ones to make
room for the new coming clerks and war
workers. All such plans, however. must
be submitted to Congress for approval
and specific appropriation before work
can hs undertaken. This il an unfortu-
nate limitation. Every delay in the
process will be disadvantageous. posi-
bly, Srayely hurtful. Unless these es-
stimstes are approved with exceptisnal
speed every project under the general
Asusiag plan win be checked seriously.
Possibly the Senate viii sse At to leave
the authority fully with tho Secretary
Of Labor. depending upon his discretion,
49, : ~
guided by the advice Of experts, to pro-
ducs the necessary constructions in the
shoRtsst space Of time.
Whether small individual buildings or
large shotsls" will be erected is now I
squestisn. Also how far the structures
shall BE- temporary and how far per-
mansnt. There is no specific plan. It
has been suggested that temporary
quarters might we'll be built in some
Of tho public spaces. The Mali and the
Union Station plaza have been men
toned. Il is to be hoped that the i'm
proved park space viii be preserved from
further invasion. Already much Of the
reservation area has been utilized for
war oAlees, and to put barracks for the
clerks in the same range would be seri-
ousIy detrimental to the appearance and
to the health Of the city.
But there is ample ground for these
Temporary constructions outside Of the
park areas. The government could cas-
fly acquire leaseholds upon suitable
spaces within convenient range of the
departments on which to erect tempo
rary buildings Of this character. A sur
vey Of all possible sites should be i'm.
mediatsly conducted, If it has not al
ready been made, in anticipation of the
final passage of the bill. "Cities" Of
suburban homes may be constructed, for
which ample space is available. The
bill as it stands authorizes the aiding or
acquiring Of means Of local Transports
tion, under which it may be possible to
utilize areas at distance from the Of
fees without handieapping the clerks by
'5nadequate transit facilities.