Evening star., 1939-01-10
Building Seen
Easing D. {.
Relief Rolls
Lewis Report Urges
Against Importation
Workers

The public construction program
to be undertaken here this year can
be expected to reduce the number
Of jobless and persons on relief, who
should get preference in employ
ment, another section of the report
by Relief Investigator Burdette G.
Lewis said today.
This portion of the report, pre-
pared by Alan B. Mills, consulting
architect and engineer of the Treas
ury Department procurement divi-
sion, emphasized also that "the re-
lief problem cannot be successfully
studied or solved without including
housing" and urged that relief or
CARNATIONS and the Alley Dwelling
Authority cooperate to this end.
The public construction in which
aid for the unemployed is seen in
cludes: Treasury Department, for
Federal-owned buildings; War De-
partment, Navy Department., Dis
trict of Columbia with the aid of the
Federal Emergency Administration
of Public Works. Alley Dwelling Au-
thority in cooperation with the
United States Housing Authority
and the Jefferson Memorial.
S8,925,00O Goes to Labor.
The report says that this program
will be over and above the normal
level OF work by private industry, the
w. P A. and other agencies and
figures that of the 25,000000 to be
spent, S8925, 900 will go to labor.
In this connection, the report
warns that 'it is of extreme impor-
tance to take necessary steps to
prevent as far as possible the i'm
portation of workers, either skilled,
Isemi-skilled or unskilled, to partic-
ipate in this program until the local
labor market has been exhausted
The report emphasizes no attempt
should be made to compete with or
duplicate the functions of the Alley
Dwelling Authority, but recommends
that in the reorganization of relief
units here, which already has been
proposed, that dwelling rental unit
be established to aid in the handling
of relations between persons obtain
ing housing as part of their relief
benefits and the property owners or
agents.
Should List Properties.
This unit would see that money
apportioned for rent actually went
to the landlord. It also would keep
lists Of low-rent properties for in
formation of those to occupy it, and
as further step it is proposed that
such an organization as the WASH
ington Housing Corp. determine the
fitness Of the dwelling units.
"As the present percentage of
vacancies in all classes of housing
In the District of Columbia is ap-
proximately per cent the report
continues, there are unquestionably
some vacant dwellings which,
though substandard, have sufficient
structural values to justify their
being reconditioned, and inhabited
for a limited number of years, or
until the new housing program has
advanced far enough to relieve the
present shortage of suitable housing
units"
IF the Alley Dwelling Authority
could secure these dwellings and
turn them over by sale or lease to
some charitable or non-profit or
ganization, they could provide en-
ployment for their clients, who were
qualified, in the reconditioning of
them, and in such instances as the
Self-Help Exchange might permit
their clients to occupy them after
reconditioning, and fix their rents as
part of their compensation for the
labor in reconditioning them"
q. 1t is suggested that the Alley
Dwelling Authority investigate the
feasibility of this plan.