Evening star., 1919-01-08
SAYS HOUSING FOR
CLERKS IS LACKING
Secretary Baker Tells House
Committee 1t Will Be In
adequate for Year.
WOULD FINISH BARRACKS

Housing facilities for government
employees in Washington are not ade-
quate and will not be for the next
year. according to testimony given by
Secretary Baker today before the
House committee on public buildings
and grounds.
Secretary Baker described the War
Department as the principal employer
of labor In the National Capitol. and
many bureaus additional employees are
now being put on in large numbers in
order to handle the increased work
| of clearing up war business.
AS an illustration he cited the adju-
| tant generals office, which has recently
called into employment 1000 additional
workers, and is now asking for an
other large increase.
Brings Increase of Work.
return of material allotted to military
units, the work of handling the allot-
ments for the soldiers, and the check
ing off of uniforms and equipments
are among the tasks suggested by the
Secretary which make an increase in
the fact that this work all has to be
done at once and cannot be spread
over the entire year.
He urged the completion of barracks
as homes for government employees,
and was especially urgent that gym
nasium and recreation rooms should
be completed and equipped. He call
ed the attention OF the committee to
the facilities in this line offered by
the Bell Telephone Company, a pri-
He said that this concern had
bought a building in Washington, cut
1t up into small rooms and provided
recreation facilities therein. They
made no charge for this to the girls
employed by them, and considered it
a good business investment because
they got better service from the girls
as the result of these improvements
in living conditions of the latter.
The Secretary invited the commit
tee to visit this building, promising
that they would be mortified at the
comparison between what a private
corporation has done and what the
government has not done.
Criticises the Landlords.
Secretary Baker expressed much
dispIeasure at distasteful situation
| which has resulted because landlords
in Washington have rented out all
the rooms. leaving no place where
young women can entertain company
except in their own rooms. He said
that the War Department has a rec
ord Of one girl who was getting $S5
a month. and when she was raised
to 500 the landlord increased her
rent, saying he must. get part Of that
raise. Scores of such instances have
been brought to his attention. the
Secretary said. He also described a
garret room with slanting roof in
which eight girls are quartered, and
that in order that once in eight
sleep near the widow for fresh air,
these eight girls have adopted a sys-
tenn of changing beds.
The hearing was on the Senate
joint resolution which orders that all
work on government housing projects
which are not rs per cent Completed
shall be stopped. and that all con-
tracts for furnishing them shall pc
cancelled. At the outset the commit
tee indicated that it was not inclined
but that it's principal idea was to
ascertain in what way the govern
ment could best salvage the build
ing projects
Capt. Peyser to Testify.
Capt julius ]. Peyser. in charge of
the housing and welfare section. will
testify before the committee, the Sec
retary promised.
Many communities throughout the
country were represented by officers
of business organizations. These in
cluded Newport News. Va; Newport.
r. l.; Bridgeport, Conn: Philadelphia.
Pa: Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Is
land and Moline. III.
J. Crosby Mccarthy. formerly en-
ployed on The Evening Star, repre-
sented Davenport business interests
Dudley Harmon, who has for several
years been active in the interests of
the Connecticut Avenue Citizens As
sociation. especially in the co-opera-
tive store which that organization has
established. represented the Manufac-
turers' Association Of Connecticut. in
which he is assistant to the president.