Evening star., 1944-04-05
Washington Bar Head
Urges Appropriation
OF More kCHA Funds
Senute Committee Hears
Five Witnesses Differ on
Slum Clearance Plans

Five witnesses appearing before
the Senate subcommittee studying
housing conditions here agreed to-
day that the Districts alley slums
are menace and should be elm
mated, but differed over the type of
reclamation program that should be
adopted.
James A. Cobb, president of the
Washington Bar Association, and
Miss Cecilia Dulin, president of the
Southeast Neighborhood Council,
praised the work of the National
Capital Housing Authority and
urged that the agency be given addi-
tional funds for slum reclamation
work.
On the other hand, o. B. French,
president of both the Northwest
Citizens Council and the Cathedral
Heights-Cleveland Park Citizens
Association, said the organizations
he represented favor abolition of the
NCHA, leaving all slum reclamation
to be handled by private enterprise
OtnerS Are Neutral.
Mrs. Mildred Kil1nski, director oil
the Family Service Association. anc
Jacob Kammen, director of the Jew.
ish Social Service Agency, stressed
the need for improving housing
conditions for low-income families
here. They said they did not care
whether the improvement is brought
about by private owners or by pub
lie housing agencies.
Mrs. Kilinski, Mr.. Kammen anc
Mr.. Cobb testified as to the serious.
ness of slum conditions here, de.
scribing them as a cause of ill.
health, juvenile delinquency anc
crime. Mr.. Cobb expressed the
opinion that slum conditions in the
inhabited alleys here are worse now
than 10 or IS years ago.
Results of survey made in De.
cember, 1912, by the Family Service
Association were read by Mrs. Kiln
ski. The survey showed that of 231
families on the associations welfare
roles "a lived in "deplorable" hous-
ing. which was either overcrowded
poorly heated, dirty or otherwise
unsuited for habitation.
Mr.. Kammen told the subcommit-
tee that more housing should be pro-
vided here at rentals that can be
met by families in low-income brack-
cts.
Lauds NCHA Work
While describing alley slums as
worse than ever" Mr.. Cobb said
the NCHA has done a very good
job" despite insufficient funds.
He said he is in favor of private
enterprise providing as much hous-
ing as it is willing to build, but
maintained that private enterprise
in the past has failed to make much
progress toward eliminating slums.
He expressed the opinion that the
proposal of the Washington Home
Builders Association, which calls
for the Government to condemn
slum properties and sell or lease
them to private owners for rede-
velopment, would not be constitu-
tional."
Mr. Cobb also told the subcom-
mittee that it would be ''cruel and
unjust" if all alley dwellers are
evlcted by July l, as proposed by
Chairman Bilbo of the Senate Dis
trict Committee.
Changes in the National Capital
Housing Authority so as to provide
colored representation at a policy
making level were recommended to
the subcommittee by Mr.. Cobb.
French Opposes NCHA.
Mr.. French testified that his or
ganizations support the Federation
of Citizens Associations stand
against additional public housing
because they are very much op-
posed to the removal of property
from the District tax roles"
Some means of reclaiming the
slums should be worked out, but
private builders should construct all
the necessary replacement housing,
Mr.. French said.
Private construction is better than
public, he said. because "as a rule
Federal workers do not put in the
time and labor that workers in
private industry do" Mr.. French
said he was in Government service
26 years as a field officer in the
Coast and Geodetic Survey.
John Ihlder, executive officer of
the NCHA, replied that as a Gov
ernment employe he was "envious"
of some private builders at the
hearing who have had time to go
to Florida this winter.
Mr.. French retorted: II haven't
been down there since the Govern