Evening star., 1945-09-06
II. Housing

Such program would provide ar
opportunity for private capital to
invest from six to seven billion dol
lars annually. Private enterprise In
this field could provide employment
for several million workers each
year. A housing program of this
realistic size would, in turn, stimu-
late a vast amount of business and
employment in industries which
make house furnishings and equip
ment of every kind. and in the in.
dustries which supply the materials
for them. 1t would provide an i'm
petus for new products, and would
develop new markets for a variety
OF manufactured articles to be made
by private enterprise.
Housing is high on the list OF
matters calling for decisive congress
sional action. This is reflected in
recommendations contained in re-
ports recently issued by the Post
war Committees of the Senate and
of the House Of Representatives
While differing opinions may be
held as to detail, these proposals for
action already developed in the Con-
gress appear to me sound and es-
Sential.
I urgently recommend that the
Congress. at an early date, enact
broad and comprehensive housing
legislation.
The cardinal principle underlying
such legislation should be that house
construction and financing for the
overwhelming majority of our citi-
zens should be done by private en-
terprise.
We should retain and improve
upon the present excellent Govern
ment facilities which permit the
savings of the people to be chan
neled voluntarily into private house
construction on financing terms that
will serve the needs Of home owners
Of moderate income.
The present principles of insur-
ance OF housing investment-now
tested by years OF experience
should be retained and extended, SO
as to encourage direct investment In
housing by private financing institu-
tions.
Would Assist Communities.
The Government, in addition to
providing these facilities to help
private enterprise and private capt.
tai build homes. should take effective
measures to stimulate research In
methods and materials of housing
construction. In this way, better
and cheaper methods may be de-
veloped to build homes.
In addition to this type of re-
search, the Government might well
undertake to assist communities in
making recurrent community studies
in matters relating to housing and
real estate generally. Such a pro-
gram would contribute In great de-
gree to the progress Of private in
itiative and private capital invest
ment in housing.
We must 60 on. We must widen
our horizon even further. We must
consider the redevelopment of large
areas Of the blighted and slum sec
tions Of our cities so that in the
truly American way they may be re-
made to accommodate families not
only OF low-income groups as here
tofore, but Of every income group.
We must make it possible for private
enterprise to do the major part of
this job. In most cases, it is now
impossible for private enterprise to
contemplate rebuilding slum areas
without public assistance. The land
cost generally is too high.
The time has come for the Govern
ment to begin to undertake a pro-
gram Of Federal aid to stimulate
and promote the redevelopment of
these deteriorating areas. Such Fed
eral aid should be extended only to
those communities which are willing
to bear a fair part of the cost of
clearing their blighted city areas
and preparing them for redevelop-
ment and rebuilding.
The rebuilding Of these areas
should conform to broad city plans,
provide adequately for displaced
families and make maximum use
OF private capital. Here lies another
road toward establishing a better
standard Of city living, toward in
creasing business activity and pro-
viding jobs.
Plan Along City Lines.
This Nation has recognized the
need of using public funds to clear
slums and to provide homes for
those families who could not other
wise enjoy adequate housing because
OF the difference between their pres
ent earning power and the cost of
rental OF a decent home. We can
not, and we will not, recede from
these purposes.
For those low-income groups, rep
resenting but q small portion of
the total housing need, our prewar
program of Federal aid to COM
munities for low-rent housing
should be resumed. Only in that
way can we make progress toward
our ultimate goal laid down in the
economic bill Of rights of a decent
nome for every American family.
I recommend also that we quicken
our rate of progress in rural hous-
Ing. AS a general rule housing con-
dltions on farms and in rural areas
are relatively worse than in our
cities. In housing, as well as in
other benefits of the American sys.
tenn, farm families should enjoy
equality with city dwellers.
A decent standard of housing for
all is one Of the irreducible obliga-
tions Of modern civilization. The
housing challenge is now squarely
before us. The people OF the United
States, so far ahead in wealth and
productive capacity, deserve to be
the best housed people in the world.
We must begin to meet that chal-
lenge at once.
II. Research
Progress in scientific research and
development is an indispensable
condition to the future welfare and
security Of the Nation. The events
OF the past few years are both proof
and prophecy of what science
can do.
Science In this war has vorked