The Washington times., 1919-11-12
.ENDORSEPLAN
OF NAVY YARD
House Subcommittee Favors
Workers Taking Over Hous-
ing Corporations Projects.

The proposed $1,000 900 home build
ing project of the Washington Navy
Yard workers moved a step forward
today.
A subcommittee of the House Pub =.
lie Buildings and Grounds Committee,
which has been investigating the
proposition of the workers to take
over the dormitories and property of
the Housing Corporation today COM
pleted it's report and indicated that
the workers proposal would be rec
commended.
It will cost the Government $500. :
600 to accept the offer of the Navy
Yard workers. In the opinion of the
committee the loss will be greater
the longer the transfer is delayed.
The housing corporation has spent
sss6.516.s1 on the three building pro-
jects in southeast Washington.
Fourteen Dorimtories.
There are fourteen dormitories in
the community which have SIS rooms.
These have never had permanent
tenants.
The navy yard workers, through an
organization they have effected among
themselves, have agreed to pay the
Government s71,620 for the Govern
ment's ss69, 1851 investment.
Real estate men who were engaged
by the House Committee to appraise
the property agreed that the offer of
the workers was fair and just.
he subcommittee, of which Con-
gresham Kreider, of Pennsylvania, is
chairman, does not wish to assume to
responsibility of recommending that
the Government pocket an 100000
war loss, but will lay it's report before
the full committee with a severe criti-
cism of the Housing Corporation and
this proposition:
"Reckless Expenditure
"Here is an example of reckless
expenditure of Government funds. As
salvage IL is worthless. OF allow the
property to stand idle will mean that
additional expenses will be added. To
turn 1t over to the navy yard work.
ers will mean it's development and
will assure permanent employees at
the navy yard who are satisfied and
contented because they will have their
own homes"
A specific recommendation that the
Housing Corporation turn the prop
erty over to the Navy Yard organiza-
tion win probably not be made, but
=
such a transfer to be effected.
Congressman Brooks, of Illinois. a
member OF the subcommittee, de-
clared today that about $4,000 was
wasted in grading OF the property.
There was plenty OF ground in that
vicinity that could have been utilized
for building those dormitories with
out that useless expenditure for
changing the grade"
Options on Property.
In addition to the S71 $50 the Navy
Yard workers agree to pay the Gov
ernment they have options on adjoin-
ing property for which they propose
to pay $93,3So. making a total OF
s165. 900.
The Navy Yard Building Associa-
tion has arranged to build homes on
the plots and sell them to the workers
on terms. There will be twelve styles
Of houses from which to make selec-
tions.
A cooperative building plan has
been worked out by which II Is pro-
posed to erect a house for $4,000 that
would cost $500 IL erected in the
usual manner in any other part of the
city.
Should the home building project
be a success at the Washington Navy
Yard, 1t will be put into effect in
many Industrial centers of the coun-
try
The House Public Buildings and
Grounds Committee is expected to re-
ceive the report of the sub-commit-
tee and take early action shortly
after the House re-conyenes in De-