Evening star., 1942-05-22
Order
Jeopardizes
Demountab|es
Freezing Of Stocks
Also Threatens
Dormitory DeIoy
BY JAMES Y. NEWTON.

Washington's demountable house
program and the plans to erect dor
mitories and family units for war
workers here under the Lanham bill
were threatened with further delay
today as a result of the War Pro-
duction Boards order freezing"
for go days stocks of construction
lumber at mills.
Nearly all Government and private
war housing were affected by the
order. Excepted from the freeze"
were the Army, Navy and Maritime
Commission. Many badly needed
housing projects in a score of vital
defense areas over the country, as
well as in Washington, were re-
ported at standstill.
There were indications that ac-
ton would be taken to remedy the
situation. National Housing Az
ministrator John B. Blandford, jr.,
said he had discussed the problem
with w. P. B. officials and was con-
fldent some plan of relief could be
worked out. w. p B. Offices were
flooded with calls from all sections.
One source said the board received
5000 kilograms protesting the order.
Ihlder Fears Serious Effect.
Executive Oficer John Ihlder Of
the Alley Dwelling Authority,
charged with erecting 4,500 de-
mountable houses to relieve conges-
ton in Metropolitan Washington,
said that while he could not de-
termine the precise effect of the
lumber shortage on the program, it
is "apt to be very serious"
The demountable program is now
in the contract-letting stage. Ten
tative agreements already have been
made with number of contractors.
Mr. Ihlder pointed out that hun
dreds of the houses will be fabri-
Gated in factories outside of Wash
ington. Just how seriously the
freeze" will affect the program. he
said, is impossible to estimate until
lumber stocks of those prefabri-
Gators are checked. Usually a con-
tractor does not assemble job ma
terials until the contract is signed.
A contractor selected to build
several hundred of the demount-
ables told The Star it would be i'm
possible to go ahead now with the
program. While he had some lum-
ber on hand, it is not in sufficient
quantity to enable him to start
building, he said. He added he knew
Of other contractors who did not
have "a stick of lumber"
r. May Delay Dormitories.
"The order simply has stopped this
demountable program-and every
other housing program" the con-
tractor remarked
While the Senate and House have
yet to agree, after four months of
debate, on the size of the appropri-
alton for war worker dormitories
and more family dwelling units in
the Lanham bill, final action prob
ably will be taken Immediately. Un-
less the lumber order is amended
this important program will be held
up until expiration OF the two
month period
The order ''froze" stocks in the
larger mills. but not in the yards of
lumber dealers. Upon issuing the
order last week the w. P. B. gave
assurance there was sufficient stocks
in yards to take care Of war housing
and similar construction for go days.
AS previously reported in The Star,
nearly all lumber in Washington
yards already has been consigned.
Apparently the same condition ex-
lists is the other war areas. A build
er charged today that the w. P. B.
did not take inventory of lumber
yards until after the freeze" order
had been issued.
Financial Burden.
Private builders engaged in war
housing are unusually hard hit by
the order since, unlike the Govern
ment, they are financially unable to
withstand long delays and hold to-
gether building organizations.
Institutions which finance private
building operations are indicating
reluctance to make loans under the
current uncertain conditions. A rep
resentative of large mortgage loan
house which operates throughout
the Nation stated:
I'VE will not make any additional
loan commitments for new con-
struction unless all of the materials
needed are on the job"