Evening star., 1944-02-08
bilbo Indorses
McCarran Bill 10
Clear DC. S|ums
PIon Would Allow
$40, 900, 900 Annually
For Program Here
BY DON s. WARREN.

A new program for elimination
of Washington's slums and for a
continuing rehousing plan for those
now living In substandard dwell
lngs was being considered on Capitol
Hill today on the basis of a proposal
oy Senator McCarran, Democrat, OF
Nevada for $40 ,0O0, 900 Federal loan
Tor the purpose.
The McCarran bill, dropped into
the Senate legislative hopper late
Yesterday, provides that up to $10,-
10000 may be used annually in
The slum clearance-rehousing pro-
gram and that receipts from sale
Or rental Of properties acquired in
the program may be used for
furtherance of the program.
NCHA Future at Stake.
This proposed enabling act comes
from the former chairman of the
Senate District Committee, now
mead of the powerful Senate Judici-
ary Committee, at time when the
future of the National Capital
Housing Authority is at stake. as
developed at extensive hearings be-
fore Senate District Subcommittee
headed by Senator Burton, Repub-
lican, Of Ohio.
While the plans Of the NCHA have
been under attack to some degree
by spokesmen for private realty in
terests, strong support has come
from many sources, including SEN
ator McCarren, Senator Bilbo, DEM
ocrat, of Mississippi, the new chair
man Of the Senate District Commits
tee, and Representative Smith,
Democrat, Of Virginia, all of whom
have pointed to high costs in the
way OF disease. crime and other So
cial reflexes with slum conditions.
Senator Bilbo said today the Nc
Carran housing bill looks good" and
that he would support it. He said
the proposed s20,000,000 fund was
mot too much" and emphasized the
NCHA would need a sizable revolv-
ing fund since substandard housing
cannot be razed until new housing
is provided for their occupants.
Doubts Land Available Here.
Senator Bilbo expressed doubt
that there is adequate available land
in the District and suggested it may
be desirable to erect some of the new
housing in suburban Maryland or
Virginia. He declared his opposi-
tion to building any kind of struc-
lures on alley lots, saying such land
should be used for Victory gardens.
Under the McCarran BILL which
would be an enabling act, if passed,
1t would be the declared policy Of
Congress that conditions existing
within the District with respect to
substandard housing, including use
OF buildings in alleys as dwellings
for human habitation. ARE injurious
to public health. safety, morals and
public welfare" 1t would be the
declared policy Of the United States
to protect and promote" the well
fare of inhabitants of the National
Capital by eliminating injurious con-
ditions by employing "all means nec-
cessary and appropriate. since con-
troll by regulatory processes have
proved inadequate and insufficient
to remedy the evils"
The term ''substandard housing
conditions" is defined in the McCar-
ran bill to mean conditions that
arise where there exists any dwell
ing and dwellings or housing accom-
modations which because of lack of
sanitary facilities, ventilation or
light, or because of dilapidation.
overcrowding, faulty interior ar
rangement or any combination Of
these factors, is detrimental to the
safety, health, morals and welfare
OF the inhabitants of the District"
Would Create Commission.
The bill would create a commits.
sion on improvement areas, to be
appointed by the District Commits
sloners, to consist of representatives
OF the Engineer, Health, Fire and
Police Departments, the National
Capital Park and Planning Com
mission, the District Board of Zon-
ing Adjustment, the National
Capital Housing Authority, the
Board Of Public Welfare and three
other members who would be
residents of the District for at least
three years, one of whom must be
homeowner.
The administrative body would
meet not less than once a monti%
and after it had made preliminary
findings as to the areas to be i'm
proved, public hearings would have
to be ordered.
The proposed $4,000 900 in loans
from the United States Treasury
would be subject to the interest
rate provided in the 1887 Hous-
ing Act and would be secured
by bonds or debentures of the
NCHA. If the NCHA did not use
as much as s10000,OO0 in any one
fiscal year, the remainder would re-
main available for use the next
fiscal year.
Builders Indorse Some Features.
Commenting on the McCarran
proposal the Washington Home
Builders Association, which is
spearheading the attack on the
NCHA at hearings before Senator
Burtons subcommittee, indorsed
some principles of the bill, but asked
that private builders rather than the
NCHA be given the job of building
the slum areas.
I'VE are heartily in favor of the
elimination of slums,' the associa-
tion's statement said Although we
have not yet had an opportunity to
read Senator McCarrans bill, we
subscribe to the naming of a special
commission consisting of District
oficials with an appropriate repre-
sentation thereon of competent Dis
trict of Columbia citizens.
I'VE believe, however, that the
slums can be eliminated more readily
and at smaller cost to the taxpayer
if all rebuilding is left to private
enterprise"