Evening star., 1942-05-02
Mrs. Roosevelt
Aids Housing
Of Servicemen
Obtains Release of
Tents and Cots for
Next Week End

Cheered by the disclosure that
Mrs. Roosevelt had made available
260 cots and 49 tents for housing
servicemen on leave here, the Ser
vicemen's Housing Committee today
was assured approximately 1000 beds
for men beginning next week end.
The 831 beds counted for tonight
at agencies here and at the Virginia
leave area still were short of the
average weekend demand, commit
tee members admitted at a meeting
in the District Building yesterday
afternoon.
Last Saturday 846 requests were
received by groups supplying low
cost housing for enlisted men and
GAS were accommodated. Approx
mately 200 men went without beds,
1t was estimated.
With the addition of another 200
cots at the Virginia camp tonight,
the slack is expected to be taken
up to some extent, the committee
agreed.
All Equipment Released.
The committee was informed yes
terday that Mrs. Roosevelt h d
placed her support behind the drive
to find quarters for men here, re-
sulting in the releasing of the tents,
cots and shower units formerly used
in the All Club encampment near
Tidal Basin.
Members were hopeful the equip
rnent could be released this week
from the Agriculture Department
and placed in the Fort Dupont c.
c. c. camp in Southeast Washing
ton in time for use next Saturday.
The National Park Service, the COM
mittee said, had offered the facilities
of the c. c. c. camp, providing cots
could be found. 1t was said that 300
men could be billeted at Fort Du-
pont.
Because roadway improvements
are to be made in Potomac Park, the
existing All Club site cannot be
used, it was announced. The COM
mittee will investigate other places
to set up the 49 tents.
$1,000 Sought for Cots.
Comdr. w. P. Corley, U. S. N,
retired, acting chairman of the COM
mittee, stressed the need for more
cots and was authorized to apply to
Federal Security Agency for $4,000
for their purchase. 1t was indicated
that they could be quickly purchased
once the money was made available.
Cots also will be needed for the
Banneker Field House, expected to
be available for colored servicemen
within a month, as well as two ad-
ditional churches that have offered
halls for housing men, he said.
Thirty soldiers have been accom-
modated each week end at All Souls
Unitarian Church.
The churches offering other quar-
ters are dlebrook Methodist
Church, River road and Wisconsin
avenue NV, capacity about so men,
and Concordia Evangelican and Re-
formed Church, Twentieth and G
streets NV, so men. The commit
tee also reported the offer of ground
at Rhode Island avenue and Second
street NV. by the Rev M. P. Ger
man, pastor of Bethany Baptist
Church.
Station Studied Further
Meanwhile it was learned that un-
favorable reports from District and
Federal groups virtually had elm
mated conversion of the Union
Station gymnasium, where 500 men
might have been housed.
The third floor of the terminal,
which would afford space for 70
beds, now is being studied, 1t was
announced.
Utilization of the station, Banne-
ker, Fort Dupont, the two churches
and existing facilities will bring the
total number of beds available to
around 1,400, the committee said,
and pointed out this did not include
a possible increase in the number OF
places at the leave area.
Cots, not space, Is "our trouble
now" Comdr. Corley said. About
$50 cots could be bought for $4,000,
it was estimated.
Agencies here providing beds for
servicemen are Soldiers, Sailors and
Marines Club, the Central Y. M.
c. A., Service Mems Club No. and
the Twelfth Street Y M. C. A. The
leave area is located in Arlington
near the Memorial Bridge.