Evening star., 1942-01-28
HOUSING Relief


Charles F. Palmer, evidencing iusti-
fable concern over the increasing
gravity of the wartime housing crisis
in Washington, has lost little time in
taking advantage of the suggestion
in congressional quarters that special
legislation dealing with the problem
be prepared. He has submitted, with
Budget Bureau approval, a bill which
would allot $5O,OOO,00O of Lanham
Housing Act funds to relieve the
acute shortage. present and pro-
spective, in housing for lower sala-
ried war workers in the District. His
description of the situation which
will confront Washington when the
full impact of the accelerated influx
Of emergency employees is brought to
bear here is sufficiently alarming to
warrant immediate action by Con-
gress.
Mr.. Palmer, in a letter to Speaker
Rayburn, points out that all previous
estimates of the urgent local need
for low-rent housing have become
obsolete since the outbreak of the
war. Whereas, before Pearl Harbor,
his Office recommended a program
providing for $500 publicly financed
homes in Washington-over and
above maximum private production
1T is now estimated that at least
10000 dwelling units will be needed.
Whereas the original program was
based on the belief that $4,000 new
employees, many with their families,
would come here during the eighteen
months ending next July, the Budget
Bureau now envisions population
increase during 1912 of close to ESQ.,
600 persons. 1t is obvious that this
great increase will aggravate the
shortage of all types of housing. If
private builders are freed from
priority and other restrictions now
hampering construction, they should
be able to meet considerable part
of the demand for medium and
higher priced homes and apart
ments, but only the Federal Govern
ment is in a position to provide
shelter for employees of lesser in
come.
Special legislation is needed be-
cauSe Wa shin ofop hoe haap avcluJod
so far from participation in the Fed.
eral housing program under the
Lanham Act. That law limits its
scope to relief of housing conditions
resulting from activities at military
and naval stations. Employees in the
Federal departments and agencies
thus are not provided for. Chairman
Lanham, recognizing the need for
Federal aid in this housing field, has
promised to Introduce special legis-
latiOn to take care of the local prob
lem. There has been too much delay
already in considering Washington's
plight as center of the national de-
fense effort. Only yesterday did the
White House clear the way for a be-
lated $2,135,250 ALLEGATION to Wash
ington Of leftover" defense public
works funds.
The prevailing attitude in some
quarters in the past has been that
Washington was just another city
and, as such, should take care of its
own problems-forgetting or delib-
erately ignoring the fact that this is
the Nations Capital, that the situa-
ton that has arisen is not of Wash
ington's making and that the city
cannot raise or spend a penny for
remedies without authority of Con-
gress and the National Government.
Housing Co. -ordinator Palmer is one
OF the few Federal officials who has
shown proper appreciation of the
dilemma in which Washington finds
itself in this developing war emer-
gency and who seems conscious of
the absolute necessity for prompt
action.