Evening star., 1937-09-24
PAR[EY ON SLUMS
FORECASTS FIGHT
lckes Slated as Target
Again as Municipal Lead
ers Convene Today.

The guiding spirits of municipal
slum-clearance programs, which are
dependent on Federal money for their
completion but whose sponsors for
the most part disagree with the Fed
eral housing policies developed by
Secretary Ickes, met today in the ball
room of the Hay-Adams House to
register their opinion of how the
S526, 100000 available for low-cost
dwellings ought to be spent.
Although the meeting is coated with
q veneer of amity signifying peace
with Ickes and his P. w. A. Housing
Division, this two-day conference of
the American Federation of Housing
Authorities may lead to contest de-
signed to strip Ickes and his associates
of anything but nominal control over
future assaults on Americas slum
areas. Up to now Ickes has dom
mated the subsidized housing scheme
of the New Deal, and the new United
States Housing Authority set-up to
continue the scheme is part of his
Interior Department baihwick.
NOtlCc OIL SndnSeS SOugnt.
The State and municipal housing
chiefs were resolved before the meet
ing opened to insist that the new
Federal authority give at least 10
days notice of any change in its regu-
lations. In the past Ickes has been
considered arbitrary in altering pro-
cedure without notifying local hous-
ing workers, whose efforts in some
instances have been stymied because
of unforeseen and unadvertised
changes in Federal methods.
The delegates to the conference
plan to recommend also amendments
to the Wagner-Steagan housing act,
which would repeal the limitation of
Federal loans and grants TO single
State to 10 per cent of available Fed
eral funds, and add a provision to
the law to permit participation in the
new housing program of cities in
States which have not yet created
housing authorities. Thirty States
have such authorities.
Victory for Ickes.
The 10 per cent limit in the law
was aimed at New York State and
constituted a victory for the Ickes
forces. who won again when they
overcame opposition to inclusion of
the United States Housing Authority
in the Interior Department. Langdon
Post of New York City, president of
the American Federation of Housing
Authorities; Mayor La Guardia of
New York and Senator Wagner of
New York, co-author Of the housing
act, all are ranged against Ickes
IN the housing administration battle.
The first business at today's meet
ing was the rendition of reports by
Post and by Miles R. Frisbie, execu-
tive secretary of the federation. Miss
Catherine Bauer. executive secretary
of the Labor Housing Conference,
was to talk on Housing Program
and the Public" and Maj. John
c. Walker of the Farm Security
Administration planned an address on
disposition of Resettlement Housing
Projects"
Fahey Speaks Today.
The speakers this afternoon are
Chairman John H. Fa,hey Of the Fed
eral Home Loan Bank Board, "Rela-
ton of the Federal Home Loan Bank
Board to the National Housing Pro-
gram; Mayor Cornelius D. Scully Of
Pittsburgh, What Can Cities Con-
tribute" and Charles Abrams, legal
adviser to the New York City Housing
Authority, Some Legal Aspects Of
the United States Housing Law"
The meeting will close tomorrow
afternoon after Post has commented
on What Authorities Can Do Now in
Anticipation of Presenting Projects"
Nobody from the P. w. A. Housing
Division is on the schedule of speak
ers, although the Federal Housing
Administration, as we'll as the Farm
Security Administration and the Fed
eral Home Loan Bank Board, will be
represented. Ickes held P. w. A.
housing conference Monday to obtain
ideas from around the country on the
workings of the new law.