Evening star., 1939-01-24
Farley Weighs
Capital Homes
OF Low Cost
Housing Sought for
ST, to-$2,000
Income Class

COllSLllullllk
a mo mans land" group which one
speaker said included IS 900 Federal
employees in the District was dis
cussed from many angles last night.
For the sake of clarity, John
Ihlder. executive officer of the Alley
Dwelling Authority, defined the
figures used, $1,l00 representing the
top income of families who may.
occupy public housing, $4,000 repre-
senting the lowest income for which
private enterprise may be expected
to build good housing in adequate
number. A panel of speakers in a
forum conducted at the fifth annual
meeting of the Washington Housing
Association agreed unanimously
that private builders cannot be de-
pended upon to take care of the
families in this group. What should
be done about the problem was left
pretty much up in the air.
Cooperation Urged.
Canon Anson Phelps Stokes,
president of the association summed
up by making an earnest plea that
public and private housing groups
get together and work this
problem out"
Leon Keyerling, deputy adminis-
traitor and general counsel for the
United States Housing Administra-
ton, which is financing public
housing in Washington and through
out the country for families of un-
der $1.100 income, made straight
from-the-sh shoulder presentation Of
the Government case. With the
U. S. H. A. funds sufficient provide
the low-rent needs of only one-half
of l per cent of the millions now
living in slum conditions, he de-
clared the first problem of govern
ment is the help those who need it
most"
"The thing that needs to be done
most is to rehouse those living in
the slums,' he said, "and give the
private builder a chance to prove
his ability in housing the medium
income group" Without a subsidy
to keep rents down, Mr.. Keyserling
said there was no evidence to indi-
cate that the Government can build
cheaper more rapidly or better than
private builders.
Cafritz Speaks With Candor.
Insofar as Government is taxing
the people to pay the cost of pub
lie housing program, it ought to be
addressed to those with the great
est social need he emphasized.
From the viewpoint of the private
builder. Morris Cafritz, president Of
building company that has oper-
ated in Washington for years, spoke
with utmost candor.
Il don't know how private enter
prise in Washington can build for
the $1,100 to $4,000 income group"
he asserted. Il think we will have
to fall upon the broad shoulders of
Uncle Sam to take care of these peo-
pie. Materials and labor are high.
It is almost impossible to build
houses to rent from s22 to $40 a
month. Private builders simply
cannot get the financing"
Daniel o. Collins, vice president Of
the Bricklayers. Masons and Plas-
terers' International Union, one Of
two labor spokesmen, warned the
forum audience that if they were
looking for some magic" to perform
for the families within the income
group they were ION a wild goose
chase" The immediate need, he
suggested, is to expand the U. S. H.
A. program.
Sound Housing Urged.
He made a plea for sound hous-
ing" agreeing thoroughly with Mr..
Ihlder's ideas on housing, and sug-
gested long-term financing, to ease
the cost of construction. He also
vigorously assailed methods en-
ployed by the Housing Authority of
Fort Wayne, Ind, in using private
money in cooperation with the Fed
eral Housing Administration Such
a plan, Mr.. Collins declared, Invites
fragrant. land speculation and relief
labor"
Jacob Baker, president, United
Federal Workers of America, took up
the cause of the Government work.
ers in the District. There are $4,000
here within the mo mans land" in
come group, he declared, and asked
that the Government give their
needs serious consideration. THE
United States can obtain money at
much lower interest rate than the
private builder" he pointed out.
consequently, it can build and rent
at lower price without sacrificing
quality and durability. For this
reason it is the Governments prob
lem"
He also asserted that the per-
manency of jobs for this class Of
Federal workers is only little less
stable than in industry.
Mrs. Street Gives Views.
Mrs. Elwood Street presented the
problem from the viewpoint of in
terested and sympathetic mothers.
The stake of the young people in
this problem is very great" she said.
I'VE don't care who provides for the
mo mans land" group-public or
private enterprise-as long as they
are taken care Of"
Others engaging in the panel dis
cussion included Coleman Wood
bury, Chicago. representing the Ma
tional Association of Housing Off,
cials; Sydney Katz, secretary of the
Maryland and District Industrial
Unions Council and DR.. Robert c.
Weaver, special assistant to the U.
S. H. A. administrator. Mrs.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, who usually
attends the meetings of the WASH
ington Housing Association, was
absent She Is the honorary presi-
dent. The session, attended by
about 500 WAS held in the limited