Evening star., 1935-10-06
MERCHANTS BACK
HOUSING PROGRAM.
Association Will Emphasize
Work of +. H. A. and
Other Agencies.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

NEW YORK, October 5.-The hous-
ing movement gained new support to-
day when the National Retail Dry
Goods Association. representing more
! than $500 Of the country,s leading de-
partment, dry goods and speciality
stores, issued a statement of policy de-
claring the interests of merchants in
Nation wide housing and home mod
ernization program, and announcing
its decision to emphasize among re-
tailers many of the activities of the
Federal Housing Administration and
similar governmental agencies.
Among other things the statement
expressed the thought that merchants
were concerned with the "rehousing"
of America, to the extent that it is
done through private initiative and
| sound financing. This interest was
particularly directed at the erection Of
small homes under some standard
lied system Of construction, with free
dom of architectural design" The
association also saw vast possibilities
for home appliances and furnishings
market in connection with such a pro-
gram.
The policy was approved by the
N. r. D. G. A. board Of directors upon
the recommendations of its Housing
Committee headed by Saul Cohn, vice
president of the City Stores Company.
In brief. this policy was set forth as
follows:
l. The National Retail Dry Goods
Association shall, through its Housing
Committee, emphasize the provisions
of the Title I of the Federal Housing
Act, indicating definitely and con-
cretely the items which can be sold
by retailers as eligible and insured
items under the F. H. A. plan.
2. The committee shall also outline
the ways and means of accomplishing
the creation of a corporation, sub
sidiary to a retail department store, SO
that the financing Of goods under the
F. H. A. plan can be done by the store
itself
3. 1t is the feeling of the N. r. D.
G. A. that the present list of items
which are eligible to be sold under
Title I should not be further expanded
to include other items Of merchandise.
4. The Housing Committee Of the
association is empowered to use its
efforts, where deemed wise, to pro-
cure from emergency relief funds
adequate amounts for the making of
surveys locally as to housing condi-
tions in the larger urban centers.
S. Merchants have an interest in the
rehousing of America, in the opinion
of this association, in that 1t may be
done by private initiative and result
in the erection of small homes under
some standardized system of construc-
ton. with freedom of architectural de-
sign. 1t is further the opinion of the
association that these homes should
be sold to persons soundly able to buy
on such terms of mortgage financing
as will prevent the loss Of the home
because of inability to refinance at
maturity, and with a financing cost
that will be within the financial reach
of this type of buyer
6. The N. r. D. G. A. Is of the opin-
ion that the proposed rediscount of
paper under the Electric Farm and
Home Authority is an unsound proce-
dure since the Government enters into
the banking field instead Of the under
writing field, as Is the case under the
F. II. A. plan.
7. Since the present E. H. r. A. plan
of handling the distribution OF COM
modities to be sold to consumers may
have the effect Of limiting the posi-
ton Of the retailer, the association
will take steps II necessary to remedy
! khe sitlaAtion.