Evening star., 1937-01-23
.2(b|LL|ON DOLLAR
HOUSING SUBSIDY
IS URGED BY EDITOR
That Sum Needed, He Says,
to Aid All Mentioned
by President.
WIPE OUT SPECULATIVE
REALTY MEN, is PLEA
Chicagoan Says No Family Should
Pay More Than Quarter of
Income for Shelter.

A $4,000. 900, 600 subsidy would be
needed to rehouse all the American
families estimated by President Roose-
velt to be now living in subnormal
dwellings, Irving Brant, editor Of the
st. Louis Star-Times, told the Ma
tional Housing Conference today.
Such rehouSing, however, is a duty
Of the Government. Brant said at a
meeting in the Willard Hotel. After
reminder that the Presidents esti-
mate in his inaugural address COM
pretended one-third of Americas
families, Brant said:
THE old view that housing is
purely private undertaking not only
delays action. but resists action"
Rental subsidies to bring the cost
Of leased dwellings within the range
Of low-income groups, as well as con-
struction subsidies, were urged by
Brant. who declared the fight for low
cost housing should concentrate on
eliminating the speculative real estate
operators.
Program Officially Indorsed.
Already President Roosevelt. Mrs.
Roosevelt and Senator Wagner, Demo-
crat, Of New York, have indorsed the
program of the conference-that the
Federal Government subsidize local
governmental rehousing programs.
A f1rst-hand view Of how Washing
ton has attacked the problem Of below
standard dwellings was TO be afforded
the delegates this afternoon during
tour of the Capitals Standardization
projects. The inspection trip was ar
ranged by Mrs. Florence B. Stewart,
secretary of the Washington Confer.
ence on Housing.
I'VE have come to realize that a
nation cannot function as a healthy
democracy with part of its citizens liv-
ing under good conditions and part
forced TO live under circumstances
inimical to the geneal welfare" Presi-
dent Roosevelt wrote in a message to
the conference read at dinner in the
willard last night.
Supported by Mrs. Roosevelt.
Mrs. Roosevelt earlier appeared be-
fore the group TO announce her full
sympathy with the purpose of the
conference.
Next week I plan to introduce
into the Senate a loW-rent public
housing bill embodying the principles
for which we have fought together
during the past two years" Senator
Wagner wrote Mrs. Mary K. Simkho.
vich, president of the conference.
Housing for persons of low income
is clearly a function of Government"
Langdon Post, chairman Of the New
York City Housing Authority. who
forecast housing riots" If the living
quarters of slum dwellers are not i'm
proved said at the dinner. He was
echoed by DR.. Verne A. thinner, Labor
Department expert, who declared:
1T is utterly hopeless under existing
conditions to supply great mass of
our wage earnerS with decent living
quarters without resort to subsidies"
"A Per Cent Paid for Shelter.
DR.. Zimmer cited statistics on hous-
ing gathered among 10000 families
in Chicago, which he accepted as
sample for the country, showing that
one-quarter of these families nave in
comes of less than $1,000 a year and
pay out A per cent for shelter.
mo family should spend more than
a quarter or a fifth Of its income on
housing" he said. He added a Bu-
reau OF Labor Statistics study Illus
trated that rent Is the most signiri-
can't family expenditure item In de-
termining the general pattern OF liv-
ing in community"
Through national governmental
subsidy, Great Britain during the past
IA years has been able to erect l,000,-
900 dwelling units for families Of low
income and to inspire private enter.
prise to erect another 100000, Capt
Richard Reiss told the dinner guests.
Reiss, a member Of the London
County Council Housing Committee OF
London emphasized that only subsidy
could accomplish the improvement. .
The problem in England is attacked
from the standpoint Of health, hei
said, with the whole governmental
housing program under the direction
Of the Ministry of Health. &.