Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-12-17
D. s HOUSING BOARD
ATTACKED IN HOUSE
Mr.. Clark Says ''Grafters''
in Corporation Come From
Both Parties.

Vigorous attack on the United
States Housing Corporation was made
today by Representative Frank Clark
of Florida. when the bill reported
from the committee on public build.
ings and grounds to abolish the hous-
ing corporation was called up for con-
sideration.
'Grafters are grafters, whether
democrats or republicans, and you will
find them. about equally divided in
this housing corporation" said Mr.
Clark. He discussed in detail extrav-
|agances in connection with the build
ing OF the plaza. dormitories for wal
workers and the dormitories in South.
east washington adjacent to the
pioyss and a s ssis
$25, 900 was paid to a special architect
on the plaza project, instead of en-
ploying either the supervising archi-
tect of the Treasury or their own ar
chitect.
Rooms Cost SesS Each.
In the navy yard project he said
there are 5SS rooms which cost $685.
each, although these rooms are scarce
~ large enough for a small size bed.
No room has ever been occupied by a
mechanic from the navy yard. They
were all equipped and furnished, the
furniture removed and sold at a loss.
the rooms were then refurnished and
the furniture sold again.
Representative Clark charged that
since the signing of the armistice a
committee of the housing bureau,
whose duty it was to regulate salaries,
regulated the majority of them up
ward. He cited particular instances
erfV ~ ~< y, s<l~
5000 to $4,000 and dated back a
month.
Another was from $1,000 to 1896.
One woman was raised from $500
to $4,000. A number were increased,
as stated. from $4,000 to $1,000. $4,000
to $1,000, etc. o
Representative Clark emphasized
that officials of the bureau have en-
deavored to arouse young woman war
workers now housed in these dormi-
tories, claiming that this bill pro-
posed to turn them out into the street.
He insisted that there is no such in
tention. and that the plaza dormi-
tories should be run as long as they
are needed, but on an economic basis.
He said that the girls in these dor
mitories should not be charged 1
cent more than the efficient cost of
running the structures.
Chairman Langley's Report.
Chairman Langley in his report on
the bill says: .......
college professors and alleged ex-
perts in various lines were called in
and placed on the pay roll at large
salaries and designated as town plan
ners, town managers, etc, ad nauseam
and ad abSurdum. This committee is
sure that no private concern in the
world could have lasted any length
of time with SO topheavy an organi-
cation as was created for the manage
ment of this government outfit with
the attendant colossal overhead
charges"
He points out that five months aft
er the signing of the armistice the
bureau had more than eight hundred
persons. about half Of whom were at
the Washington office. With this i'm
mense Office force in Washington. the
bureau had one of the most magnif-
cent buildings in the city rented for
it's use at more than $4,000 a year.
Mr.. Langley said.
In the bill under consideration pro-
vision is made for sale of all the
property which has been acquired
with as little expense as possible
through the Treasury Department,
because the Treasury has an organi-
zation to take charge of just such
work without additional cost.
The bill provides that all buildings
in the District of Columbia con-
be turned over to the public building
commission. This. would include the
plaza dOrmitorieS, with the under
standing that the public building
commission would allow them to run
as hotels for government workers as
and could be conducted without cost
to the government.