Evening star., 1942-04-11
Beds Available
For Serviicemen
Increase 10 995
Accommodation Goal
OF 1,500 in Sight
For Week Ends

For Week Ends
Still short of it's goal of 800 beds
for service men on leave here, the
new Servicemen Lodging Committee
of the District Defense Council to-
day planned to tap every existing
facility for housing men in prepara-
tion for a week end influx of soldiers,
sailors and Marines.
Accommodations for 995 service
men will be available tonight and
tomorrow night, Hugo w. Wolter,
chairmans of the group which is a
part of the civilian mobilization di-
vision of civilian defense, an
nounced.
This week ends figure, however,
represents a 530-bed increase over
facilities existing last month when
the lack of enlisted men accommo-
dations was first brought to the at
tention of authorities by The Star.
Since that time 500 beds have been
added to the total with the reopen
ing of the Washington Recreation
Area in Arlington, and, for the first
time this week end, 80 beds at All
Souls Unitarian Church.
Six Places in Capital.
Meeting yesterday in the District
Building for its first conference since
formation a week ago, the Lodging
Committee was able to count nearly
1000 beds available for colored and
white service men at six places
through the city and Arlington.
Should as large number of men
visit the city today and tomorrow
as last week end, however, facilities
will be inadequate. the committee
warned. Figures released yesterday
Of survey made by the committee
last week end disclosed that 1902
service men requested accommoda-
tions at four agencies here-exclu-
sive of the Arlington camp and All
Souls Church.
OF this number, 1872 were given
beds, 230 slept on floors of several
of the places and $50 were turned
away, the survey showed.
Agreeing that lack of transporta-
ton was hampering full utilization
Of the Arlington leave area, the
committee moved to arrange for
taxicabs to carry men turned away
to the camp, beginning at midnight
tonight.
With the proposed use of the old
National Hotel shelved because of
District plans to tear down the 116-
year-old structure, the committee
turned its efforts toward a proposal
to renovate the fourth floor gymna-
SUM of Union Station and convert
1t into permanent barracks.
Entire Floor Promised.
Mr.. Wolter announced yesterday
that officials of the terminal had
agreed to turn over the entire floor.
which will accommodate about SIS
men, to the lodging group.
Estimates on the amount of rem
ovation and additional toilet facili-
ties required for the gymnasium will
be ready the first part of next week,
Mr.. Wolter reported. Armed with
this data, the committee will meet
again Friday to discuss means of
raising funds for the conversion task,
he said
The Banneker Field House, en-
ployed last summer for colored
service men, will be reopened soon,
affording beds for about 100 men, it
was learned. Utilization of these
two places will bring the total ac-
commodations here to 1922 beds, it
was estimated The committee
broke down the figures as follows:
Washington Recreation Area, 500
beds; All Souls Church, 80; Serv-
icemens Club No. l, 174; Soldiers,
Sailors and Marines Club, 118; G
Street Y. M. c. A., so; Twelfth
Street Y. M. c. A., so; Banneker
Field House, 100, and Union Station
gym, 500.
In addition, it was pointed out
that George Washington Univer-
sity was considering again opening
its gym for sleeping enlisted men
over week ends.
Inspected for Sanitation.
Mr.. Wolter pointed out to the
committee that all existing agencies
supplying low-cost accommodations
the majority charge so cents a
been inspected by the
District Health Department, and
that every attempt would be made
to maintain standards required by
that department in establishing ad-
ditional facilities.
Following a suggestion that aban-
doned firehouses here be used for
soldier housing, the committee
moved to explore the possibility
through Fire Chief Stephen T.
Porter.
Grover Hartman, committee men,
ber and Defense Commission direc-
tor of the Washington Federation
of Churches, announced that three
additional churches in the Wash
ington area were being surveyed for
possible use, and that a check of
Negro churches would be made at
a meeting of the commission Mon
day night.
1t. Comdr. William A. Corley,
U. S. N, retired, commander of
George Washington Post No. Of
the American Legion, reported on
a survey he made at Union Station
late Saturday night. He said he
was convinced that the large num-
Der of servicemen seen there on
weekend nights was only passing
through the city and not there be-
cause of lack of beds in the city.
Others attending the conference
yesterday were Ray D. Brown, ad-
jutant of the Salvation Army; Col.
C. A. Prittchett of Washington Pro-
visional Brigade headquarters; Mrs.
Olive w. Swinney, administrative
assistant to Conrad Van Hyning,
District Welfare director, and D. E.
Malcolm of the sanitary inspection
service of the Health Department.
Use of School Buses