Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-19
SENATORS ARE TOLD.
OF HOUSING NEEDS
Calder and Kenyon Here at
Meeting to Discuss Problem
of Reconstruction
MAYOR TELLS OF SHORTAGE

would require sum Hs lhrBt Ut w
national debt" saia Senator William
housing hearing before the Senate com
mittee on reconstruction and produc-
ton. ..,
The committee. Of which Senator
Calder il chairman, is touring the
builders, real estate men. representa-
tives Of tenants protective associa
tions, bankers and city officials.
Senator Kenyon was present at the
meeting with Senator Calder. Senator
Edge is in Europe, and Senators wal
colt and Gay, other members OF the
committee, also were absent.
Yesterday the committee took testi.
mony in Baltimore. They have heard
testimony also in New York. and their
itinerary will be with them all over
the United States.
Mayor Tells Of Needs
Mayor Moore spoke Of Philadelphia as
'city of homes" in introducing Sena-
tor ~i frld'r, Sa m, ior,tv ., our two. story
houses he said, "nre owned by the
occupants. We have not a sufficient
number of them. however, to meet the
needs Of all those who wish separate
homes.
"The multiple house has been Sug-
gested as relief, but there is some
question as to whether this would be
satisfactory answer
The Mayor declared the fact that this
country is the only one still technically
at war. He said the nation was ham
strung" because Of restrictions on trans.
portation. He pointed out that it had
been necessary for the city to use much
influence to get rails from the Bethle-
hem Steel Co. for the Frankford ele-
vated.
Discuss Coal Shortage
William II. johnson, vice president Of
the Philadelphia Electric Co.. told the
committee of the city'S coal needs,
especially in regard to coal for electric
power.
He asked the committee TO use its in
! fluence to get cars, so that free supply
of coal may be- moved from the mines.
Senator Calder, in cOlloquoy with
Mr.. Johnson. made the assertion that
the expectation 'of coal is costing the
people Of the United States S3OO,OOO,-
900 a year. =,
II am not surprised at that. replied
! Mr.. Johnson. IL asked an English :
man how his country managed TO get
supply of American coal. and ne re-
piled it was by paying $2l ton at the
mines for it.
Mr.. Johnson said that the Philadelc >
phia Electric Co. would require l0o,Ooo
! tons of coal by November ! in reserve
for the city's winter needs.
Paul Thompson. of the United Gas
Improvement Co., made the same re-
quest as Mr.. Johnson, that the com :
mittee use its influence with the Inter
state Commerce Commission to get coal
cars so that public utilities might get
an adequate supply of fuel.
Senator Calder. in survey OF the
situation throughout the United States
said that "the housing situation
throughout the country is more serious
problem today than ever before in the
naton'c history.
1T may not be great exageration t.
say that the total amount Of money
necessary to rehabilitate the depleted
national plant at present cost will ap
proach in magnitude sum equivalen
to our entire national debt.
Must DO Deferred Work
lie pointed out that during the wa
necessary construction work was de
ferred. so that the needs of the wa,
might be met. He said that the coun
try must catch up with construction t
give adequate earning power to th'
nation.
Deferred construction. he said. II
in fact Il part of our war debt. and l
must be paid before the war debt cal
be paid.
He said that various ideas had beer
offered TO increase production. Dur
ing the war. he said. it had been neces
sary to appropriate 500, 900, 900 Il
build for war workers.
Industrial expansion and immigra
tIon will require housing development
on Il very much greater scale in tn
I near future: So great, indeed. that /
will be yond the power of the gov
, crnmcnt either to finance or administe
such housing work." he added. "Pri
vate initiative must be called upon a
in times past to settle such a prob
lem.
Senator Calder said the first prob
lem to be solved was one of transpor
tation. At the outset of its work. h
said, the committee turned its atten
tiOn to this problem. He said the In
tcrstate Commerce Commission had re
leased G5,000 cars after a conferenc
between the commission and the com
l mittce. and had made stringent regula
tiOns to prevent recOnsignment of cars
e AS to taxation" he said. this ha
been represented to the committee q
: the basic difficulty in the constructio
industry, for the tendency of the time
seems to have been rather the tradin
in products of the old plant, rath6
than investment Of money in new an
{ NOR" efficient plant.
He recommended the home loan bi
as ono means Of stimulating the build
e ing Of houses. Investors in propertiI
d should not be harassed by bonus re
Qurcments which are being rcsorted
d by money lenders" he said, lin ordt
d to cvade the usury laws"