Evening star., 1934-02-04
HOUSING PROGRAM.
MAY Be. APPROVED.
Final Action on Plan for Col.
ored People Seen With
in 6 Weeks.

Washin gton's "demonstrationap
public work housing program for COL
ored people probably will be approved
officials of the Housing Division of
last night.
Meanwhile, however. the Govern.
ments $l00,O0O,00O housing program.
long held up by Controller General
McCarl's question of the legality Of
the Federal Emergency Housing Cor
poration, was back in motion. Or
Gers for the utmost expedition we're
issued by Public Works Administrator
Ickes after an understanding" be-
tween Ickes and the controller gen.
eral.
The Washington program is nearly
complete. Plans for the project are
reported in informed quarters as
practically finished and large por-
tions of the land required for the
projects for whites are now under
option to Government interests.
Not Formally Presented.
The Washington program, sponsored
by Frederic A. Delano, uncle of the
President, and by Mrs. Roosevelt, is
definitely slated for serious considera-
ton and practically certain of final
approval CT the Publ c WORKS Coard
and Administra or ICkes. TIE WASH
irgton program las not yet been
presented formally to the Public
Works Board. and the boards final
approval awaits acquisition of the
necessary land. Until this land is
acquired, the utmost secrecy Is being
maintained as to its location by the
housing division of the Public Works
Administration to discourage land
spectators.
Secretary Ickes threatened several
weeks ago to throw out the Washing
ton 'demonstra tional' housing pro-
gram because of over-valuations but
later developments are understood to
have changed his attitude Housing
division officials are practically GER
tain the Washington proeram will be
approved as it now stands.
The program calls for demonstra-
ton of what can be done in the way
of alley elimination here. a demon
stration of the best practices in low
cost housing for colored people and
conventional low cost housing project
for whites No estimate of the amount
of money that the Public Works Ad-
ministration contenlplates spending
on housing here has been available.
Public works housing officials indi-
Gated it was a considerable sum when
it appeared imminent Secretnrv 1ckes
m'cht throw out the Washington
project because Of speculation.
May Expand Program.
Secretary Ickes has said repeatedly
he regards improvement Of housing
and slum elimination as one of the
finest ways for expenditure of public
works money. 1t is regarded as GER
tain that the present sl00000,0O0
housing program, as represented by
the Federal Emergency Housing Cor
poration. which has an allotment OF
Sl00.000.000 from the Public Works
Administration. will be greatly eX-
panded if additional money is appro-
priated by the present session of Con-
gress for expansion of the entire pub
lie works program. Beyond the pres
ent "demonstrational' projects planned
for Washington under the original
public works appropriation of $780,
100000, no plans have been made for
further housing activities in Wash
ington The Capital, however. un-
doubtedly will get its share Of any ex-
pansion of the housing program, and
loans requested by any limited divi-
dend corporation that might be set
| up in Washington to carry on hous-
ing projects.
Secretary ICkes has been silent on
the administrators desire for public
works money thus far during the pres
ent session of Congress- In his budget
message the President listed S500000,-
900 for public works. Ickes says this
amount would permit no new projects
ana would Just about take care Of
large projects for which the Public
Works Administration has obligated
itself, but for which total allotments
are not outstanding. This is true for
instance of the S25, 100000 Caspar-Al-
cova project, which the Public Works
Administration has approved, but for
which it has advanced only portion
of the necessary funds with which the
work can be carried on for only 18
months or years.
Other projects in this category are
the All-American Canal, the Columbia
River development and long-range
program for the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, Rivers.