Evening star., 1941-11-16
Congressional Fight
Seen on Unification
0fDefense Housinu
Downs Feels Committee
Would Oppose Delegation
Of Powers to U. 5. H. A.
BY JAMES FREE.

President Roosevelts indication
that the United States Housing Au-
thority may have charge of all per-
manent defense housing construc-
ton in a revised Government plan
will meet with opposition in Con-
gress, it was learned last night.
Representative Downs, Democrat,
OF Connecticut, member of the
House Public Buildings and Grounds
Committee, which has handled vir-
tually all the appropriations for
defense housing. predicted that a
majority Of the committee would
vote against delegation of such
powers TO the U. S. H. A.
Does that mean that the $780,
000 900 defense housing bill now be-
fore your committee would not be
reported out If the President in
sists that all permanent projects
should be unoer the U. S. H. A.?"
he was asked.
I know that a majority of the
members Of the committee are not
prepared to recommend delegation
OF such power to the U. S. H. A.
Mr.. Downs replied.
Have Had Experience.
Mr.. Downs pointed out that the
Public Buildings Administration and
other divisions Of the Federal Works
Agency have had experience in ST.
pervising permanent construction
and said he saw no reason why
they should not continue super
vision
He and other committee members
had been subject to great pres
sure in favor of Nathan Straus'
U. S. H. A.. he declared. Why the
other day l received long distance
telephone call from Hawaii. and
some fellow told me that the U. S.
H. A. was good agency"
One housing official recalled that
Mr.. Straus had had difficulties with
Congress before. one notable recent
example being a long wrangle over
whether deficiency appropriation
bill of approximately 100000 for
continuance Of vital U. S. H. A.
functions would be approved.
At his press conference Friday
President Roosevelt indicated that
a more unified program would be
worked out for the several defense
housing agencies handling projects
OF a temporary or demountable
nature and that the U. S. H. A.
probably would take care of all
permanent defense housing con-
struction.
Charge Work Is Bungled.
Mr.. Straus has charged before
House subcommittees that admin
istration Of defense housing has been
bungled, and he has suggested that
l3 housing agencies be combined
under U. S. H. A. in order to reduce
present housing agency personnel
by IS per cent.
He cited figures to the effect that
almost one-half of publicly con-
sti uII0u uclcIlSc IlOuSlIlR UNITS now
actually occupied were built under
the U. S. H. A. program, although
the agency is only one out of eight
engaged in such activities.
Sources here yesterday said the
Presidents suggestions about re-
vision of the defense housing set
up were made on the basis of ad-
vice from Judge Samuel 1. Rosen-
man, personal friend and adviser of
the Chief Executive, and on whose
recommendation the Supply Prior
tiles and ALLEGATIONS Board was
established. Judge Rosenman's re-
port has not been made public.
In fact, it is possible that it has
not yet been delivered formally to
the White House. 1t is believed
that most of the major points of
his proposed revised organization
have been worked out and trans
mitted to the President.