Evening star., 1944-05-23
Wont Pro,.
By Both Loc0l.
Public Enterprise

1<CNA6A AA6 taiC Akc0kSs StAAh4AsS~
sioners are in favor Of private enter
prise doing as much slum clearance
as possible, Commissioner j. Russell
Young today told the Judiciary SUBJ
committee Of the House District
Committee that the Commissioners
approved in principle the so-called
urban redevelopment bill providing
for slum clearance for both public
and private enterprise.
The long-standing controversy be-
tween public and private builders
fiared again during the committee
hearing, with the principal debate
taking place between Joseph d.
Deckman, chairman Of the Housing
and Rent Control Committee OF the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
and John Ihlder, executive officer
OF the National Capital Housing
Authority.
Details Of the Commissioners in-
depreciation OF all three housing
measures pending before the Com
mission we're laid before the hear
ing by Richmond B. Keech, corpo-
ration counsel.
Henry Also Gives Data.
Ernest r. Henry, also of the Fed.
Grafton of Citizens Associations,
followed Mr.. .Deckman with an an
alysis of the so-called private enter
prise bill introduced in the Senate
by Senator Tydings, Democrat, Of
Maryland and in the House by
Chairman Randolph of the House
District Committee.
Representative Dan r. McGehee,
Democrat, Of Mississippi, chairman
of the judiciary Subcommittee,
pressed all witnesses for an explana-
ton Of financial details Of pending
housing bills, declaring that In his
opinion any program for slum clear.
ance should be self -liquidating.
In addition to the urban Develop
ment bill, which would provide for
both private and public housing.
and the private enterprise bill, the
subcommittee had before it the
McCarran measure, introduced also
In the House by Mr.. Randolph, pro-
viding $40 0000, 600 revolving fund
for slrlm clearance by the National
Capital Housing Authority.
City Heads Want Action.
The District Commissioners are
very anxious" Commissioner Young
said, "for something to be enacted
into law to wipe out slums 40
quickly as possible"
At this point Representative He
bert, Democrat, of Louisiana said he
understood the real issue is wheth.
er private builders or public build.
ers should do the job"
Responding, Commissioner Young
declared, I'VE would like to see it
done by private builders, SO far az
lit is possible, and, If they can't do it.
then public agency should do It,"
Mr.. Keech explained that the
Commissioners favored the urban
redevelopment bill drawn up by the
National Capital Park and Planning
Commission in preference to the
McCarran-Randolph bill, which
would have enlarged the authority
of the NCHA to a city-wide scope.
Unification Agency Suggested.
The Park and Planning Commis.
sion should have authority as a uni
flying agency, he pointed out, to
prevent what might be overlap
ping" conflict in authority should
the McCarran-R Randolph bill be en-
acted.
If the McCarran-Randolph bill
were favored by Congress, Mr.. Keech
said it ought to be amended to con-
tinue the NCHA only in its present
Jurisdiction.
The Burton Subcommittee on
Housing Of the Senate District Com
mittee, which was to have resumed
hearings today, called of the session
this morning because Senator Bur-
ton had to appear before the SEN
ate Commerce Committee regarding
an Ohio matter pending In the Riv-
erS and Harbors bill.