Evening star., 1942-04-18
Only 625 Beds
Available Here
For 5ervicenlen
Committee Finds
Facilities Short
Of Expectations


threatened to bog down the city's
servicemen housing problem rs
recreation heads, striving to solve
the problem, counted but 62S beds
available at all sources this week
end--or approximately 800 fewer
than was believed on hand.
Most serious deficiency. disclosed
yesterday at the Defense Councils
servicemen Lodging Committee,
was at the washington Recreation
Area In Arlington. where ofncials
counted on 500 beds for soldiers.
kaSlors and marines on leave here.
Col. Walter Long. commandant
of the leave area. admitted, however,
that construction delays In building
Fort Myer barracks for regular
troops had limited facilities for men
on leave to less than 400 beds. He
said II had been planned to trans
fer the troops several weeks ago,
thus affordine another 800 cots. but
that II probably would be another
two weeks before the transfer Is
made.
Estimate 400- Man Surplus.
Meanwhile. on the basis OF q third
survey conducted by the lodging
committee last week end. about 400
servicemen may be unable to get
beds tonight. Last weeks check
showed that 40l men we're unable
to find lodgings while the leave area
was filled to capacity with l83 men.
Available In the city last week end
were 3o5 beds. The four agencies
Soldiers, Sailors and Marines Club,
Servicemcn's Club No. /, the G street
Y. M. c. A. and the Twelfth street
Y.-countcd sl6 requests for lodg-
ings. but were forced to turn away
40i men. Another 100 servicemen
were accommodated on chairs and
floor pallets, according to the report.
delay In arriving at an accurate
estimate OF the cost to renovate and
build additional facilities required
W District regulations In the Union
Station gymnasium also threatened
an overall solution Of the problem,
II developed at the meeting.
slS,eoe Cost Estimated.
An ofiicial of the terminal has
estimated 1t would cost $4,000 to
provide adequate toilet facilities
and approximately $4,000 for reno
vation.
Until the lodging committee has
. complete estimate OF the job 1t
viii not be able to apply TO Federal
Security Agency for funds, and even
then, committee members agreed,
another six months might elapse
before the money Is available and
work started, About 500 men could
be accommodated when the gym
has been converted, 1t was esti-
mated.
The sole note of cheer sounded
yesterday was announcement that
4 request had been made Of Gov
crnment agencies to utilize tents
set up in Potomac Park and for
merly used as the All Club en-
campment. The 4-H Clubs will not
meet here this year. thus opening
the way for another $50 cots. There
was no indication as to how soon the
place could be opened
Available Cots Vary.
From 1t. Comdr. william A. Cor
ley, who presided in the absence Of
Chairman Hugo Wolter, came a
warning that I'VE are likely to snow
the leave area under with men un-
able to find beds here"
II was pointed out that the num-
Der of available cots at the area
frequently varies as troops in tran
sit are billeted there from time to
time.
Col. Long. however. said that when
the regulars quartered there are
shifted to Fort Myer. facilities for
TOO men will be available. He ad-
rnitted would be at least June l
before that number could be taken
care Of.
Grover Hartman, Defense Com
mission director of the Washington
Federation of Churches. reported
that 800 places would be available
again this week at All Souls
Church. No more churches have
Joined in the program. He said
several groups were under consid-
Grafton.