Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-09-17
|HLDER CANDIDATE
FOR HOUSING POST
lckeS Is Expected to Bring
Problem to Head at
Forum Monday.

Wnlle PRESIDENT Roosevelt is weigh
ing the capabilities of several candi-
dates to fill the post of administrator
Of the newly-created United States
Housing Authority, Secretary Ickes
today was arranging to bring the
whole housing matter to head at an
open forum Monday at the Interior
Department.
He has included in the. guest list Of
conferees all concerned in the struggle
over the position of administrator, as
well as the leading housing experts
who will be influential in shaping and
initiating the s526,oO0,o0o program Of
the Wagner low-rent housing act
The list includes Mrs. Franklin D.
Roosevelt, who is reported to be inter-
ested in the selection of John Ihlder,
administrator of the Alley Dwelling
Authority of the District with whom
she has worked several years in be-
half of slum clearance. Ihlder was
counted among the latest dark
horses" in the field for the $4,000
post.
Green and Lewis on List.
William Green, president of the
American Federation of Labor, and
John L. Lewis, chairman of the Com
mittee for Industrial Organization,
also were on the list of conferees.
But Green replied with a 80 sorry"
note, pleading previous engage
ment He said he would send Harry
Bates, president of the Bricklsyers'
Union Lewis, however, Is expected
to attend.
Others invited to the conference
include Secretary Morgenthau, Sena-
tor Wagner of New York and Repre-
sentative Steagall of Alabama. CO.
author of the bill; Mayor La Guardia
of New York, Ihlder and Stewart Nc
Donald, Federal housing administra-
tor.
Ickes' announcement said "all
shades of opinion" are to be repre-
scented at this meeting. That means
that civic interests, State housing
officials, real estate interests, loan
company interests and others directly
concerned will be represented.
Meanwhile, the President is not ex-
pected to make the appointment until
next week He leaves tomorrow for
Hyde Park.
Howard A. Gray, administrator of
the P. W. A. Housing Division, is Sec
rotary Ickes' choice for the position.
It was learned that he urged Gray's
appointment during conference with
the President wednesday.
Are on Close Terms.
Since the United States Housing
Authority will be administered under
Ickes, the Secretary was said to have
taken the position that he wished
some one in the post of administrator
with whom he could team" 1t is
known that Gray and Ickes are on
very close and cooperative terms.
Ickes' opposition to the appointment
OF Nathan Straus, New York merchant
and noted housing authority, was to be
on the ground that there already are
too many New Workers in New Deal
positions. Straus, who looms as the
most formidable candidate, has Ma
tion-wide backing. Another dark
horse" is Mcdonald, the F. H. A. head
Naturally, talk of Ihlder being pos
sible appointee has stirred considerable
interest in Washington, where he has
made an impressive record, though on
q small scale, of cleaning up some of
the worst alleys in the city. He has
worked in close cooperation with the
Washington Committee on Housing,
which includes number of prominent
officials and citizens influential in
White House circles. Mrs. Roosevelt
has been honorary chairman of the
committee.