Evening star., 1942-03-18
Homes Assured
Eyiction-Peri|ed
SouthWestGroup
House Members Tell
Spokesman Provision
Will Be Made

A plea was made to the House
Public Buildings and Grounds Com
mittee today by John T. Rhines,
Washington colored undertaken. not
to evacuate the colored people OF
Southwest Washington to provide
homes for Government war workers
without arranging housing facilities
for them elsewhere.
Committee members listened at
tentively to the appeal and assured
him that under no circumstances
would such a thing be done
Mr. Rhines made his request when
the committee resumed hearings on
the Senate-revised Lanham bill au-
thorizing an appropriation of $70,-
100000 for homes and related COM
munity facilities for Government
employees in Washington and its
Metropolitan Area. Five million
dollars of the proposed fund is ear
marked for rehabilitation of a nine
block area in the Southwest quarter
occupied almost entirely by colored
residents
Are Willing to Vacate.
Il plead with you gentlemen not
to put the Negroes out without
giving them homes in which to
live" said Mr.. Rhines. I'VE are
willing to get out for the war work.
ers. but we want homes somewhere
else"
In allocating IS 900 900 of $40, OO0,-
600 for reconstruction of the nine
block area, the Senate recommended
that some of the money be used
to erect temporary homes for resi-
dents forced to move out during the
reconstruction period
Mr.. Rhines described conditions
under which residents in the area
are forced to live. He said some
OF the houses have no heating or
lighting facilities and as a whole
are miserable
The witness who said he was a
representative of the Southwest
Civic Association. said Health De-
partment authorities are aware of
the conditions and agree that some
thing should be done to remedy
them, but, he added:
There's always a run-around."
Neglect Charged to Owners.
Mr.. Rhines charged that some Of
the owners of the homes in the sec
ton invested in them because they
furnish a good return without much
expense in repairs.
They'll fix a roof or a floor" he
said, but they won't make other
improvements
These people are the biggest
racketeers in the world. They will
get condemned house. put in cheap
furniture and rent it at from $3.50
to $3.50 a week per room"
Mr.. Rhines also stressed that
many Of the colored residents of the
Southwest section are servants to
war workers, and added: 1T seems
to me they should be classed as war
workers, too"
When Mr.. Rhines completed his
testimony, Representative Boykin,
Democrat, OF Alabama, told him to
advise the colored residents of
Southwest Washington they would
have no trouble with the COM
mittee.
Wender Suggests Parkway.
Harry S. Wender, vice president
Of the Federation of Citizens AsSo-
Citations, told the committee tenn
porary housing for residents forced
to leave the Southwest area during
the proposed rehabilitation program
could be located on the James Creek
Parkway, not far distant.
He also emphasized it would be
"criminal" to force the present resi-
dents out of the area without provid-
ing other housing facilities for them.
John Ihlder. executive officer OF
the District Alley Dwelling Author
ity, testified his agency is doing
everything possible in providing re-
housing for colored persons.
1.196 Dwellings Built.
The authority he said. has erected
1,196 dwellings, and 1893 additional
units are now under construction for
them. So far, he explained. the au-
thority has provided only 6l3 homes
for white persons.
Mr.. Ihlder pointed out that when
homes are demolished a preferential
status Is given their residents in new
A. D. A. units.
Chairman Lanham asked Mr..
Wender what residents of Southwest
Washington had done themselves to
"clean up" conditions.
I'VE have appealed to both Con-
gress and the Commissioners to in
sist on proper sanitation laws" he
replied. I'VE have done everything
we could possibly do"
Then it's up to the House Dis
trict Committee" remarked Repre-
sentative Lanham, Ito get some leg
islation that will force the renova-
ton Of these properties"
Mall Project Endorsed.
Arthur E. Binns of Philadelphia,
chairman of the Housing Commit
tee of the National Association Of
Real Estate Boards, Endorsed Presi-
dent Roosevelt's suggestion for con-
structing low-cost dormitories in the
Mall for Government war workers.
TT Is felt that the expenditure
for housing in the District under the
proposed appropriation will set a
pattern for the entire country" he
said. fundamentally, there is no
difference between the problem OF
housing Of Government employees in
Washington and defense workers
throughout the country. They both
must have housing as close as pos
sible to their place OF employment,
and at the termination of the emer-
gency the buildings will be demol-
ished at about the same rate"