Evening star., 1945-10-19
|EarlyAction
To Sought
|0n SIunl Bill
Senate Passage
Sends 20-MiIIion
Program to House
BY DON S. WARREN.


House District Committee today
voiced hope for early action by
his group on the liberalized COM
promise District slum clearance
and redevelopment bill which
went sailing unopposed through
the Senate yesterday.
The measure, which was passed
as the climax to more than two years
Of tours, studies, hearings and
negotiations, authorizes a SIC, ,000, ,00(
program, with an accounting to be
given after 10 years. Sponsors
called it "a real start" on redevelop-
ment of the National Capitals
bhghted areas, though warning that
more funds likely will be needed
later to do complete job"
1t opens the door to low-rent
housing by public and private
agencies, with at least some. Gov.
|ernment aid.
Mr.. Randolph said he would bring
the Senate measure before the full
House District Committee at its mex
meeting to chart a course of action
1--WE hope for early action in view
Of Senate passage Of this BILL" hi
said.
Battle a Possibility.
There may be a battle in tn,
Hosue Committee. Earlier bills sup
ported by private enterprise" or BY
the public housers" have been bot.
tied up for many months in tn,
District Judiciary Subcommittee
headed by Representative McGehee
Democrat, Of Mississippi.
Mr.. McGehee has declared severa
times he would oppose any bill which
promoted the program Of the public
housers." He has been fighting tn,
policies Of the National Housing
Agency and its subsidiaries.
Since the latest hearings were hele
some months ago before the Nc.
Gehee subcommittee, the situation
has undergone a radical change
Sponsors Of the competing bills b,
Senators McCarran, Democrat, o.
Nevada, and Capper. Republican, o.
Kansas, reconciled their difference,
and the Senate District Committee
brought out compromise bill. Thi.
was sponsored by Senators McCar.
ran, Capper and Burton, Republican
of Ohio, since elevated to a place or
the Supreme Court.
During Senate discussion yester-
day, Senator Taft. Republican, oi
Ohio, called the bill progressive
and hopeful measure" which was
attuned to the policies which q
Senate housing group had adopted
as to the pending national measure
Senator Ellender also took the floor
to defend its provisions and Senator
Capper, protesting against the
simply deplorable" slum condition.
that prevail in the National Capital
characterized e- the revised com.
promise bin as ''the best EFFORT" We,
drafted. W. -
A half dozen gliberalizing amend.
ments were written into the bill or
the Senate floor yesterday at tn,
request of Senator McCarran, as &
result Of his conferences with Sen,
ators Wagner and Ellender. Major
among these was one providing {
new definition Of public low-renI
housing" stating it means housing
constructed by public agency fol
families whose net family incom,
does not exceed the income leve
las determined, or from time t,
time redetermined, after public
hearing, by the District Commits.
sioners) at which a family of com.
parable size may be reasonably abl,
to afford to pay the lowest rentals
at which private enterprise is pro-
viding an adequate supply of de.
cent, safe and sanitary housing"
This more liberal definition wa.
designed to eliminate the gap" be.
tween public and private housing
which was alleged to exist under
the earlier definitions in the com.
promise bill. Senator McCarran sale
it removed all controversy" as Il
whether public low-rent housins
would be confined to the submerged
fifth" Of the Districts population
according to family income.
Considers Displaced Tenants.
Other amendments adopted vert
designed to make sure that sub.
stantially equal" amount of housing
is provided, at once or later, fol
families displaced from blightec
areas which are to be redeveloped
and to direct the National Capita
Park and Planning Commission, Ii
recommending project plans, tt
designate how much of an ares
shall be used for low-rent housing
at what maximum rental price, siz.
and character. These would be sub.
ject to action by the District Com.
missioners, after public hearings.
Another amendment requires Sen.
ate confirmation of the appointment
by the Commissioners of three O
the five members of the Land Re
development Agency, which woult
purchase. or condemn sites of pro
posed blighted area redevelopment
Two other amendments wer
adopted at the instance Of Senate
Ellender. One is designed to assur
"other localities" equitable treat
ment with the District in any grant
to be extended States and munic
ipalities under the proposed nations
urban redevelopment bill. The othe
prohibits resale to public or privat
redevelopment corporation of projec
area land at less than one-third Q
the cost of the site 70 the Ian
agency, excluding costs Of old build
ings destroyed and the site clearanc.
Hits Letters From Labor.
Senate passage of the revise
compromise bill was not without IL
after effects Senator McCarra
said that within few minutes afte
the measure was passed he had re
ceiyed letters from spokesmen fo
the American Federation of Labo
urging amendments substantial
the same as those he had offere
and were adopted.
In reply, Senator McCarran re
leased letters addressed to Harr
c. Bates, chairman of the AT
Housing Committee, and to job
l - = ~.