Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-11-08
ORDERS HEARING
ON T|NKHAM BILL
House Committee Considers
| Measure to Promote Better
| Living Conditions.

In support of the proposal to create
a. bureau of housing and living con-
ditions in the Department of LABOR,
representatives of prominent civic
and business organizations through
out the country are to be heard next
Wednesday by the House committee
on public buildings and grounds. Ihe
bill under consideration was intro
duced by Representative George Hol-
den Tinkham of Massachusetts,, a
member of the committee on appro-
priations. and also of the select COM
mittee on the budget. who was for
merly a member of the House Dis
trict committee.
Urge Adoption of Measure.
The organizations mentioned. in
letters to members of the committee
and to the members Of Congress gen
orally. have expressed hearty approval
ofthe principles involved in the Think
ham bill, and have requested that
they be allowed to voice their senti
ments at a public hearing and to pre-
sent formal resolutions adopted by
the organization urging passage of
the measure as valuable agency in
development Of thrift and to better
housing conditions.
the hearing are the American Civic
Association, National Municipal
League. American Institute Of Archi-
tects, Philadelphia Housing Associa-
ton. National Housing Association,
American City Planning Institute. Ma
tional Conference on City Planning.
National Federation of Construction
Industries. Y. w. G. A. Housing Blu
reau. architects, engineers and town
planners Of various cities. the Arts
Club of Washington and chambers of
commerce throughout the country.
Mr.. Tinkham Gives Views.
II feel that as good living condi-
promote better ter citieensiisp,. increased
productive capacity and reduced labor
turnover" said Representative Tink-
ham. 'it is the duty of Congress to
enact Legislation such as is proposed
would meet great social and in
dustrial problems which confront the
nation today. and which have con-
fronted it before the war began.
During the war this was met to a
certain extent by the federal govern
ment in its war housing program. 1t
is highly DESTROYS from an economical
and practical standpoint that this
vast fund of Information and expert
ence gathered during the war should
now be utilized and that a bureau of
housing and living conditions should
be established. In this way the whole
country may profit by this tremendous
accumulation Of plans. estimates, re-
ports, books and pamphlets for which
the government has already expended
millions of dollars.
Outlines His Program.
MY plan is to have this bureau not
only make an investigation of the
housing and living conditions of the
industrial population, but to make
available for public use such informa-
ton as will make economically prac-
ticable the reduction of the cost of
dwellings,, the elimination of slums
and the general Improvement of all
living conditions. 1t is to serve as a
clearing house of information on
housing and living conditions. This
is a national problem and one upon
which Congress should act immedi-
ately.
II trust that as these numerous or
ganizations throughout the country have
realized the necessity of legislation to
relieve housing conditions. so will the
members of the committee realize the
necessity and consequently will make a
favorable report on this bill so that
it may be passed at the earliest possible
moment.