Evening star., 1942-02-20

ford said many Of them live in apart
ment houses.
Lusk Presents Figures.
Mr.. Lusk gave figures to show
that when the emergency began,
there were 253,000 housing units in
Washington. Since May, 1910, he
said, $4,000 units have been added,
or as many as were built in a seven
year period during and following
the last war. Under the pending
bill, he said, the number of new
units started since the emergency
will be increased to $4,000.
He emphasized that after this
war, as after the last war, many of
the new workers will have to 60
home because they will be unable
to find jobs here.
1T Is automatic" said Mr.. Lusk,
that you cannot consume more
houses than you have families"
For these reasons, he advocated
not only temporary housing con-
struction, but with a time limit on
its use after the war.
Testimony of a half a dozen Dis
trict and Federal officials was taken
at the initial hearing yesterday, but
the list of witnesses was not nearly
exhausted.
Chairman Thomas indicated at
the close of the first hearing the
committee may definitely allocate a
rortio,, ~ %La eEn mn onn g.. ,,,,lI;,
works. Earlier he intimated that
about $4,000, 900 may be added to
the bill to assure wartime Washing
ton of adequate community facilities
such as public schools, water and
sewer service and acutely needed
additional hospital beds.
50 Millions Inadequate.
Testimony before the committee
has shown that $50 900 900 would
be insufficient to provide 10000 ad-
ditional housing units as contem-
plated, and the necessary public
works to accompany them.
Original plans of Government off,
cials proposed the use of SAC. .00o, 900
for housing accommodations and
$40 900 900 for public works. However,
Commissioner Mason and James
Brunot of the defense, health and
welfare service of the Federal Sc
curity Agency testified that at least
S18 ,000, 900 would be needed to fin
ance the public works program and
provide funds for additions to the
already overcrowded hospitals.
Chairman Thomas and Senator
La Toilette stressed that adequate
appropriations should be made avail
able at this time to meet the Dis
trict's emergency situation.
1--WE want to do this job ade-
quately," declared Senator Thomas
"If it means another million dollars
of so, we had better get it now rather
than later"
Bill Now a Blank Check.
w. E. Reynolds, commissioner Of
public buildings, frankly admitted
s50, 100000 would be. inadequate to
provide all of the necessary housing
and public works needs of the Dis
trict and its metropolitan area.
Earmarking of the $4,000 900 for
specific purposes-the bill in its
present form is now blank check
had been recommended to the COM
mittee earlier in the day. But two
later witnesses-Baird Snyder, act
ing administrator of the Federal
Works Agency. and Mr.. Reynolds
opposed the plan.
Senator Taft remarked, however,
he favored ALLEGATION of $40, 600, 900
of the fund for community facilities.
Mr.. Snyder testified the $50, ,OO0,- :
900 would be adequate to meet the
immediate purpose of the bill, but
added he was mot ready to say" it
would solve the housing and public
works problem Of Washington and
its Metropolitan Area.
City in State Of Flux.
Washington is in state of fiux,"
he declared. 'The problem may have