Evening star., 1926-08-16
Doubts Feasibility of
COst.HOusing Project
To the Editor of The Star:

Without wishing to pose as proph.
ct or a pessimist, wish TO raise my
voice in warning against the proposed
housing scheme for 60 900 Government
clerks and their families. There are
several reasons why it is doomed to
failure.
In the first place. Washington is
being overbult right now Where are
the people coming from to fill the
acres and acres of new houses under
construction or planned, TO say moth
ing of the thousands of houses and
apartments for rent? In a recent
issue Of The Sunday Star more than
900 apartments and houses were ad-
vertised for rent, many of them at
$3.50 per room per month or less
In addition there were four columns
of suburban property advertised. TO
say nothing of city houses for sale
or rent | want to see washington
with a million inhabitants as soon as
safely possible. but the issue cannot
be forced and if overbuildlng CON
tinues there will be slump in rents
that will take care of the situation.
While the governmental salaries VIII
remain the same. there will be lower
ing of rentals.
Another important fact which must
not be overlooked is that the average
Government clerk does not want to be
helped in that way. Clerical Nash-
ington is perhaps the most complex
and independent social element in TINS
country. They want to do things their
own way. and are not objects of char
.ity or even philanthropy such as
prompted the erection or the MlilS
Hotels in New York and similar bene-
factions. Their tastes differ so much
that no general housing scheme would
please many of them, and we would
have the spectacle of empty or poorly
patronized apartment houses. If the
present building rate continues the
situation will easily take care of Itself.
Government clarkS are not good SUB
jectS for cooperative enterprises
That has been proven.
Eleven years ago Franklin X. Lane
greatest of all Secretaries of the In
terror, founded the Home Club. and
under the stimulus of that brilliant
intellect and fame and influence 100
members were enrolled among the en-
ployes of the department, with
monthly fee of so cents each, forming
an. organization for cooperative pur-
chase of the necessaries Of life and for
mutual improvement and social bene-
fits. Glasses in dancing and various
educational branches were formed,
and purchases of table supplies we're
made at far below the usual retail
prices. Eggs at 25 cents per dozen,
and butter at the same price per
pound, purchased In large quantities
in North Carolina, we're delivered TO
the clerks, and the saving on these
and other items amounted to from ~
to 80 per cent. Men like Z. J. Ayers.
chief clerk of the Interior Depart
ment twho now holds the same posi-
ton in the State Department.. Con
troller ". A. Ryan of the Reclama-
ton Service. the head of the GeoloGl-
cal Survey and men of like pronni-
nence gave their spare time to help
ing along the work, and things went
very well-for awhile. AS an en-
ploye of the Pension ONCE | was
made chairman of the food supply
committee Of the Home Club. and
selected members Of my committee
from each of the nine bureaus of the
department. We called upon the
orange growers Of Florida. the sweet
corn raiserS of the Carolinas. the
dried fruit and canned goods mon of
the Pacific Coast and dairymen of
Wisconsin, for supplies, and the eX-
press companies gave us special rates.
other committees were to look after
shoes. clothing. building material, etc.
We were promised fresh Columbia
River salmon on iCc at q low cost
whole beeves were cut up and sold
at wholesale rates, so that tenderloln
could be furnished at % cents per
pound, and cheaper cuts In proportion:
brick cheeses were sent from Wis
consin and delivered at l6 cents per
Mound Good shoes Were 10 be fur
nished at $3.50 per pair. Tho main
object was to effect direct delivery
from the producer to the consumer,
and do away with overhead and mid
dlelnan eXpenSeS as much as possible.
Secretary Lane was so elated at the
initial success of the undertaking that
he pIanned a consolidated Home club
from all departments in Washington.
with many thouSa ndS of members,
purchasing their supplies by the tram
load and cutting their living expenses
in half. and establishing great recrc'
alton center. a big farm for Summer
work and pleasure. etc, near Wash
ington. A meeting was held in the
office of the chief clerk. Mr.. Ayers.
to which the chief clerks of all the
executive departments in the city
we're invited, to consider the big
scheme. spirit of apathy prevailed.
perhaps born of the inherent impossi
bility Of catering to such a diversified
class of Government clerks of Wash
ington, and the thing fell through.
The Home Club itself dwindled. and If
it is still alive it must he very modest.
There is too much general prosperity
in the country for cooperation to
succeed here as it does in Europe.
John Clark and his wife Jane want
to do their own shopping and their
own housing in their own way. The
proposed big beehive for them will
do nothing but sting the promoters.
J.. s. PERKINS.