Evening star., 1941-03-04
Community Facilities
Lack Seen Impending
Defense Program
House Committee Told
OF Pressing Need
For $50 Buildings
BY JAMES FREE.

BY JAMES FREE. -.
Essential national defense activ-
tiles are being impeded by an acute
shortage of community facilities
near Army contonments and new
industrial areas, Charles P. Taft,
assistant co-ordinator of health and
welfare and related activities. told
the House Committee on Public
Buildings and Grounds today. o..
Mr.. Taft, testifying at the COM
mittee's hearing on an administra-
tion-sponsored bill that would pro-
vide $150,000,000 for such facilities,
said there is pressing need" for con-
structon of $50 community buildings.
John W. Studebaker, commissioner
of education, said studies of the
Office of Education showed the
Washington situation requires con-
siderable attention. but he did not
submit estimates for needs in this
area to the House committee.
Surveys are being made to deter
mine the exact needs of Washington
and other defense centers. it was
revealed, after which recommends
tions will be made by the Office of
Education. Final authority, how
ever. in the distribution of the funds
is vested solely in the President un-
der the terms of the bill.
Welfare Groups Cooperate.
Mr.. Taft said that six national
welfare groups have formed corpo-
ration, United States Organizations
for National Defense, through which
their personnel and other facilities
have been offered to the Govern
ment. A tentative agreement has
been made for the corporation to
operate the new community build
ings that the Government plans to
build if the appropriation is ap-
proved, he added.
The six organizations are the Y.
M. G. A., Y. w. C. A, the Salvation
Army, the Jewish Welfare Board,
the Travellers Aid Society and the
National Catholic Community Serv-
ice.
The needed buildings, estimated to
cost about S15,0O0000, are only part
OF the general facilities that many of
the localities involved are not able
to provide without Federal aid, Mr..
Taft added. Other requirements in
clude sewage-disposal plants, paved
streets and community centers.
Shortages of community facilities
now exist in some go to IS important
defense areas, Frank Bane, director
of the Division of State and Local
Cooperation of the National De-
fense Advisory Commission, informed
the committee. And the number of
such areas will increase steadily as
long as the emergency continues, he
added.
Beyond Communities Capacities"
"The rate at which these concen-
trations are taking place." Mr.. Bane
said, "is so great that it is. far be-
yond the normal capacity of local
communities to increase their facil-
tiles sufficiently. The consequences
are already in vidence-unsanitary
conditions. lowered morale and un-
due friction in the production phases
of the defense program itself.
THE re-armament effort in many
areas is already handicapped and
promises to be critically impeded II
such shortages of essential COM
munity facilities are not provided
and provided quickly"
Mr.. Bane explained that his di-
vision of the National Defense
Advisory Commission has dispatched
13 city managers to various sections
of the country to study specific COM
munity facility needs in defense
areas. Reports from these experts
are expected to be completed this
month. Information sought, accord
ing to Mr.. Bane, concerns what is
needed an how much its lack will
impede the defense program, how
much can be done by the State or
locality involved and, finally, what
Federal funds are needed to supple
ment local activities.
Provision Questioned.
Representative McGfegor, Repup-
lican, of Ohio objected to one clause
of the bill which specified that ac-
tivities authorized could be con-
Quoted without regard to the pro-
visions of any other law, but in ac-
cordance with such directions and
regulations and on such terms and
conditions as may be prescribed or
approved by the President . " y"
Does that provision mean that
your new agencies are going to make
law from day to day?" MIR. McGregor
asked.
mo, I don't think So" said Mr..
Bane.
He explained that he understood
this provision has been put into
several emergency measures in order
to avoid possible complications aris-
ing out of conflict with existing
statutes.
isn't there sufficient authority for
this program under the Lanham
housing bill which Congress has
already passed." Representative
Holmes, Republican, of Massa-
chusetts inquired.
Mr.. Bane explained that while the
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