Evening star., 1944-04-07
Builders Post $4,000
Check in Showdown
On CoIored Homes
lhlder Refuses Request
For NCHA Priorities,
But Promises AID

Private builders today asked
the National Capital Housing
Authority to turn oTer to them
the priorities it holds for con-
struction of TAO coltred housing
units here, and prosaSsed that if
this were done theg would con-
struct the dwellings a;nmediately
to help relieve the critical short
age of housing for Golored fami-
lies in the District.
The request was maze by James C.
Wilkes, attorney for tie Washing
ton Home Builders Association, in
testimony before the Stnate District
Subcommittee studying Dousing con-
ditions here. Mr.. WILKES said private
builders would take ut: sa0 priorities
this afternoon" and etfered a $780,
600 check signed by Preston Wire, q
member of the association, as &
guarantee that construction would
begin at once.
John Ihlder, executive officer OF
the Housing Authority, refused tc
release the priorities. i iIut said he
would aid the private builders to
obtain an additional Ta0 priorities
for colored housing hers. His refusal
to release those held bg the NCHA
was based on grounds sflat such &C
ton would not add to lie total sup
ply of colored housing and that the
NCHA has made too naany commit
ments" to cancel its. construction
plans at this time. q
Chairman Burton OF The subcom-
mittee urged that the GGivate build
ers accept Mr.. Ihlderk offer of aid
to obtain authorizatiou Tor the ad-
ditional units because 1T the great
seriousness of the cs,.pfed housing
shortage. Mr.. Wilkes aid the pri-
vate builders already have unsuc-
cessfully sought additiesaal authori-
cations. He said tirsy would be
eager to build both she TAO units
for which the NCHA holds priorities
and as many additions units as will
be approved by the Var Produc-
ton Board.
Mr.. Wilkes conterx;ed that Mr.
Ihlder's refusal to release the NCHA
priorities to private enterprise is
inconsistent with his frequently re-
peated statement that public hous-
ing seeks only to do that which pri-
vate enterprise will not or can
not do"
The NCHA has had its TAO priori-
ties since last September or October
but construction has not started
Mr. Wilkes pointed out. Mr.. Ihlder
said the agency expects to begir
construction of the units in JUNE
and to complete them in 100 days
Mr.. Wire would be ready to star
construction within one week after
Federal Housing Administration
processing" could be completed anc
would finish them within three
months, Mr.. Wilkes told the sub
committee.
Motives ASsailed.
Earlier in today's hearings. Mr.
1hlder charged that private builders
have attempted to discredit the Ma
tional Capital Housing Authority in
order to cover up weaknesses in
their own characterization pro-
poSal
MI. Ihlder said the builders slum-
reclamation plan could not stand
for minute on the basis of merit
The attack on the housing author
ity has been designed to distract at
tention from the private builders
proposals lin order that they could
be slipped in unobtrusively, he said
Mr.. Ihlder maintained that in
their characterization plan the
builders are asking District taxpay-
ers to give them two subsidies in
place of the one subsidy-tax ex-
emption-given the NCHA.
Sees 3-point Campaign.
Mr.. Ihlder charged that members
OF the National Association of Home
Builders are attempting to sell then
blrthrlght for mess of pottage" by
changing the building industry into
"Government-supported operation
dependent on subsidies"
The builders campaign has beer
divided into three parts, he said: Ar
attempt to discredit NCHA account.
ing, an attempt to discredit the
agency's construction and submis.
sion of their own slum-reclamatior
plan.
A l2-page statement in defense Of
NCHA financing and accountins
practices was read to the subcommit,
tee by A. j. Haskell, chief of tn.
agency's finance and accounts of.
lflce.