Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-10
APARTMENT PLAN
| TOF|LL REAL NEED,
HOOVER DECLARES
Answers Real Estate Critics
With Spirited Defense
of Proposal.
WTHH0LDS MANS NAME.
DENYING HE is BUILDER
Construction Leaders. Meeting
Today to Discuss Affair, Much
Alarmed for Own Interests.

real estate men that apartments can
not be constructed in Washington to
rent to Government employees on
basis of $3.50 room. as proposed to
the Government few days ago, Sec
retary of Commerce Hoover. in his
first public statement since the origi-
nal announcement last Friday. said
today that in the light of the furry
the proposal has caused among real
estate men of the Capital he IS 'be
ginning to think there is real need
for 1t.
Mr.. Hoover plainly indicated that
the mysterious and unnamed sponsor
for the philanthropic proposition made
to the Commerce Department is sin
cere and intends to go through with
his proposal if the necessary backing
is given it by the Government EN-
ployes.
Answering those who have criticized
him for so-called 'flagrant violations
of the law" in soliciting information
concerning rentals paid by Govern
ment employees, Mr. Hoover said:
ANY one who can find a violation of
the law or intention of wickedness in
an endeavor to aid Government en-
plOyes is welcome"
He added that 'the doors of the
courts are still OPEN
Mr.. HOover's statement today was
expected to add fuel To the flames and
stir up added objection from real
estate interests here. The executive
committee of the Operative Builders
Association of the District, together
with prominent apartment house
builders. planned to hold meeting
this afternoon to discuss the proposed
erection. They are alarmed over the
proposal not only from a point of view
of the building industry. but also, they
say, because "the millions of dollars
in securities held by people all over the
United States on hundreds of apart
ment house properties in the District
would be seriously affected" They
say that Washington has long been
considered in financial circles one of
the most stable centers for real estate
investments and that any such tire
mendOus undertaking would seriously
affect Washington's status in this re.
gard.
Coolidge to Get Plan.
While the present proposal has not
been specifically brought to the atten
ton of President Coolidge. Mr.. Hoover
said it would unquestionably have
presidential Endorsement, since the
PRESIDENT fully approves any effor,
10 relleve Government employees of
their hnancial burdens. Mr.. Hoover
VIII leave Washington Thursday for
snort stay at White Pine Camp. and
VIII probably lay the proposal before
tne PRESIDENT. He will he away from
aShlngton about three weeks
MT. Hoover spiked reports that
ne Is the philanthropist behind the
proposal. declaring huInorouslv that
ne couldn't build two wings of an
apartment building lie fatlv re-
fused 10 discuss The identity of The
sponsor of the enterprise. The origi-
nal announcements of the proposaI
credited it with having been mad
by a man of standing in the COM
munity." Mr.. Hoover would not
elaborate on this statement or com
ment on the suggestion that
the Metropolitan Life Insurance
co. of New York. which has
undertaken to conStract such
apartments in New York Clty with
the backing of the municipality, is
behind the present proposal. At
the time of the original announce
ment. f.. w. Libbey. chief clerk of the
Commerce Department, said il was
his understanding that the proposal
had not been made by d corporation.
but by an individual.
IIoover's Act Attacked.
AT the same time Mr.. Hoover in
vited realtors oi Washington to
meet the proposal made To the Com
merce Department. declaring that
"if there is any one in the city
who can provide such proposition
at $3.50 room with bath thrown
in, l shall be glad to- discuss it with
him."
Edmund ]. Flynn. who said he had
had experience with cooperative
apartments. has written two letters
to Secretary Hoover, in which he
says he believes the use of Mr..
HOOver'S official position to obtain
Information on rentals paid by Gov
ernment employees is not warranted
by the Federal statutes. Mr.. Flynn
also demanded that he be furnished
with the same information as that
given the Commerce Department in
questionnaires which have been sub
mitted to the Government employees
here.
Mr.. Hoover made it plain that action
by Congress looking toward condemna-
tion proceedings to acquire the land
needed for the suggested apartment
buildings is not necessary and that
the entire proposition can be put
through without turning toward Con
gress for legislative support. The an.
nouncement said the apart:eents were
to be constructed lin a oesI able sec
tion of the city within 10 minutes of
the business center" The suggestion
has been made that possibly the land
to be used for them lies between
and Twenty-fourth streets
and between b street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue, some of which is now
unoccupied or occupied by small build
ings.
Follows Long Efforts.
The Commerce Department, Mr..
Hoover said, has interested itself for
more than five years in efforts TO
secure amelioratiOn Of the housing
conditions of Government employees.
Surveys have been made by the hous-
ing division of the department during
that time, but the present proposal
is the first concrete suggestion made
to bring about direct relief. DIR. John
NJ. Cries, chief of the housing divi-
sion, attended the conferences between
Mr.. Hoover and the unnamed philan-
thrOpist which resulted in the pro-
posai now under consideration. The
housing division has not undertaken
d survey of local housing conditions
for AnOre than three wears according