Evening star., 1934-08-26
LOW COST HOUSING
WILL Be EXPANDED
ICkeS Tells Radio Audience
He Is Not Satisfied
With Program.

Secretary Ickes told the American
people last night he is not satisfied
with the scope of the Public Works
Administrations low cost housing pro-
gram, that the $150,000, 900 thus far
made available is insufficient and that
he proposes to expand present plans so
as to make these United States a
better place to live in"
Addressing a radio audience, he
said:
ITO talk about low-cost housing
is one thing. To build low-cost hous-
nag and clear slums is quite a differ
ent proposition.
In this enterprise, I propose to
tolerate no false promises, to encour-
age no false hopes. I suggest to you
to follow the same course.
Makes No Prophecies.
"The housing division of the Pub
lie Works Administration has planned
projects far ahead of those which
have been officially announced, but
it Is under strict injunction to prom
Use nothing it cannot deliver; to avoid
making prophecies; to announce only
actual results. Those who wish to
aid this program in which we are
all interested should adopt the same
policy"
He said that accomplishments of
the housing division thus far con-
Stitute only a beginning but "a real
beginning" and added that ANY
statement that the program has been
abandoned is erroneous"
I'VE want, and we must have, at
tractive low-cost housing for those in
the lower income groups. For the
more gregarious proportions of our
population, or for those whose con-
ditions Of employment require that
they live In the more crowded areas,
we must provide decent and livable
apartments at rents within the reach
of all. For those who, more fortunately,
as it seems to me, can use and enjoy
a separate dwelling with a little plot
of ground, we must, where we can,
provide homes adapted to their de-
sires and to their ability to pay"
Secretary Ickes explained that the
housing agency has had to hack its
way through "a labyrinth of theory,
conflicting opinions, opposition, legis-
lation and legal entanglements."
Lays Progress to Roosevelt.
1--WE have made real progress lately
because we have in the White House
man of greater social vision than
any of his predecessors. And fortunate
ly he is not merely a man of vision,
content to dream dreams and inertly
to hope for the best. In characteristic
fashion he has courageously set about
to make his dreams come true"
The Secretary touched on over
crowding Of cheap tenements due to
unemployment, along the lines recent
ly reported here by Relief Research
Director Leroy A. Halbert, and he,
like Halbert, attacked landlords whom
he said were guilty of profiteering on
misfortune"
He said the real Justification Of the
housing program is "its social justifi-
cation" and expressed the hope "pri-
vate capital will be interested to con-
tinue the experiment after the way
has been pointed and made easier to
travel as the result of new housing
legislation"
ITO open up our crowded slum areas
in the cities to light and air, to insist
upon proper sanitation, to provide
Fairgrounds for the children, will
mean an investment that will more
than pay for itself in actual dollars
and cents.
THE result will be less disease
There will be a reduction in crime.
Vice and gambling and drunkenness
will not be resorted to to such great
extent as at present by those who
demand an escape from a drab and
sordid and deadly existence. Our
children will become healthier men
and women"