The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1935-07-02
AGR|CULTURE'S
HOME PLAN
DOOMED
BY ]. EARLE MOSER

The planned home community
sponsored by Agriculture en-
ployes, with approval of their
personnel office, is developing
daily.
Announcements released today
by Frank Lombard, chairman of
the Agriculture Housing Commit
tee. reveal a number of tracts Of
available land for the purpose,
ranging from 20 acres to more
than 100, at varying prices.
Two tracts are in the District,
three in Maryland and five in
Virginia, with a number of smaller
spots also available in the latter
State. According to question
naire submitted recently to in
terested workers, a vote will be
taken on eventual choice Of loca-
ton.
In the question of financing, it
was announced that one private
financial concern is ready to loan
up to one million dollars for the
project, several life insurance loan
authorities are interested, and that
Government credit agencies have
been contacted for possible float
ing of long-term loans at low in
terest rates.
Expecting to effect a 20 per cent
saving by collective buying OF
homes, the committee has de-
veloped three methods of effecting
the project. One is by a privately
organized limited dividend cor
poration under supervision OF
FILA, another is by a community
planning body-wherein the work
ers themselves would be entirely
responsible for financing and
other details-and the third is
development by a private firm.
Under the first plan, Mr.. Lom-
bard said, a five-room home in the
community would cost $4,000, the
down payment would be $3.50, and
$50 monthly would pay all charges,
taxes, utilities, ETC., for a 20-year
period of amortization. Other
plans would reduce the total cost
but require a down payment OF
1920 with monthly rates of $50.
If the project is successful, it is
predicted that other departments
will follow suit, on an equal or
smaller basis.
It was announced today ct the
Civil Service Commission that Ed
ward L. Bennett will replace DR..
Thomas A. Griffin, chief of the
editing and recruiting section, who
retired June 30. Mr.. Bennett has
been with the commission for II
years, and is a Massachusetts,
product.
Mr.. B., of Indian Head, Md,
writes this column as follows:
"COuld you please tell me
when or about when the exam
inatiOn for G. P. o. apprentices
will be held? The closing date
was June s."
Lawson A. Meyer, chief ex-
aminer, said today that more than
100000 applications for the G. P.
o. school were received and work
of recording them is expected to
prove tremendous task. No
date, even approximate, can be
estimated, he said.
The interlodge committee Of the
AFGE that is seeking to have the
Government establish a transfer
agency for emergency workers will
meet tonight in the board room
of the American Federation CT
Labor Building, Ninth and Massa.
chusetts Ave. N. w. With the re-
cent approval of Robert w. Ram
speck, House Civil Service Com
mittee chairman, granted in addi-
ton to numerous other official
pats on the back, the committee
will plan for a mass meeting OF
all AFGE lodges July 8 at the
Washington Hotel. to map real
action.
One Year Ago Today in Fed
eraldom-The National Civil SerV'
ice Reform League deplored a
growing tendency to increase pc,
litical jobs in the Federal service
at the expense of those filled from
Civil Service lists, showing that
between 1914 and 1882 excepted
posts had increased by 5000. In
a letter over the signatures of
George McAneny, president and
H. Elliot Kaplan, secretary, the
league also congratulated Secre-
tary Morgenthau for prohibiting
political activity among Treasury
workers, and suggested putting IN
ternal Revenue collectors and
deputies under civil service.
According to George Simmons,
leader of the Bureau of Engrav,
ing and Printing lodge of the
AFGE, there are several additional
candidates for presidency of tine
organization in addition to E.
Claude Babcock, incumbent, John
Donovan of NRA, DR.. Paul David
RESORTS