The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1939-08-17
OUR CONGRESSMAN
Letter Written for The Ely Miner by
WILLIAM A PITTENGER
Member Congress, Eighth Minnesota District

Remaining in washington, after adj
Ijournment of Congress, on August 5th
to confer with government officials III
connection with the Report of the Ma
tional Resources Committee, Congress
man William A. Pittenger said that
many legislative proposals were either
little understood or else were mis-
represented to the public. He pointed
to the Federal Housing legislation as
an AZ. creating the United States
Housing Authority. This is commonly
known as the Slum clearance program
for large cities. Under this law, it was
stated that the eventual cost to the
government over 4 90 year period
would be 81, $50, 100000. The 1889 legis-
lation would increase the total obliga-
ton under the program to $4,380, 900 600
But, as Congressman Gore pointed out
that figure was misleading and wholly
incorrect.
The measure was further described
as a "self-liquidating' one. in other
words, it would cost the government
no money. Congressman Gore again
riddled this statement, and showed that
the government would pay out money
and never get it back. In the cloak
room, it was stated that log rolling
and pork barrel methods were used.
For example, claim was made that one
large city would get a loan CD of
$50, 0000 900, if the new bill passed. No
wonder the Congressman from this city
wanted the bill passed.
Then said another prominent member
of Congress, eff you are in favor of
having the government give way mil
lions of dollars to the cities of Chicago,
and New York, then this is the bill to
support. Uncle Sam will never get back
cent of the money"
The angle of government competition
with private industry in the building CT
houses was not controlling, so far as
the debate discloSes, but the question
of the government going into the hollS-
ing business undoubtedly did influence
some votes. One member stated that
he thought the legislation was COM
muniStic and would lead eventually to
the government taking over the homes
of the people. But his remark did not
appear in the Record.
Perhaps, the controlling argument
against the legislation was the fact that
it was in no sense low cost housing
project, and would bankrupt the gov
eminent without accomplishing its
worthy purpose of clearing the cities
of the Slums. Said Congressman Gore,
in pointing out that the U. S. Housing
Authority was misleading the public:
THE program is advertised as low cost
housing. It is not low cost housing.
1t will cost for every family unit an
average of over $4,000. Not one iota
of evidence has been presented that as
much as one family from the abolished
slum area has been rehoused."
It was also pointed out that the
United States Housing Authority has
ample funds to carry out it's present
program, and that the expanded pro-
gram and increased appropriations were
not needed for any existing projects
There is a growing sentiment both
in the House and the Senate that a
public debt which is now $4,000, 600, 600
should not be increased unless it be for
relief work and unemployment pro-
grams. The defeat of the measure also
reveals a distrust of New Deal ex-
periments, which hsve failed so far to
solve the depression.