Evening star., 1945-09-27
SponsorsUphoId
S|um Bill in Face
OF AFL Attacks
McCorron, Burton
And Copper Deny
Any 'Hosty Action
BY DON S. WARREN.

Carran Burton Capper $4,000 ,O0i
District slum clearance-redevelop-
ment bill today stood their grouno
in the face of sharp attacks leveleo
at it late yesterday by Washington
and national officers of the Amer
lean Federation of Labor.
The bills sponsors defended its
terms as both adequate and fair
denied the measure had been sub
jected to "haSty action" pointed tC
two years of effort which resulted ir
the joint plan and voiced hope fol
Senate action this week. If further
hearings are demanded, one of them
suggested, this no doubt will be
granted when the bill reaches the
House.
The new bill opens the door tc
both private industry and any agency
of the Government to engage in low
cost or low-rene housing, sponsors
said. and has as its prime purpose
provision of housing for the lowest
income groups.
Lead Attack on Bill.
Blasts against the bill came from
John Locher, president of the Wash
ington Central Labor Union, ano
Harry c. Bates, chairman of the
AFL Housing Committee. Both de-
manded that the Senate refuse to
consider the measure until Congress
has passed the national general
housing and redevelopment bill
sponsored by Senators Wagner
Democrat, of New York and Ellen
der, Democrat, of Louisiana.
The compromise District plan is
largely combination of the COM
peting and long pending bills by
Senators McCarran, Democrat, of
Nevada and Capper, Republican, of
Kansas, with the addition of some
new language and formulae con-
sidered necessary to carry out the
compromise plan. 1t was approved
Monday by subcommittee of the
Senate District Committee and was
unanimously reported to the Sen
ate Tuesday from the full District
Committee.
This action climaxed two years of
committee consideration of the
problem, which included hearings
running nearly six months, con-
Quoted by Senator Burton, Ohio Re
publican.
Move Dampens Hopes.
Only yesterday predictions were
made for Senate passage this week,
before Senator Burton leaves his
congressional post to take Office as
an associate justice of the Supreme
Court. The labor spokesman attack,
however, dampens these hopes and
throws the compromise measure,
like earlier bills, into a national
. controversy. 1t definitely links
plans for redevelopment of the Ma
tional Capitals blighted areas with
the national question of housing
and slum rebuilding.
Mr.. Locher. denounced. the latest
of the District clum bills as ill
conceived, ill-considered and ILL
contrived." He charged that the
primary concern of the bill "is to
stake out a reservation for pre-
ferred private profit in the public
domain, at public expense and
without regard to the public in
terest.D
He also protested it was not a
compromise bill but was brand new
legislation totally different from
any previous proposal, and added
that it had been hustled" through
the District Committee without any
opportunity" being afforded any one
to be heard.
Calls 1t "Monstrosity.'
Mr. Bates characterized the meas
ure as a Legislative monstrosity'
that provides for an upside-down
housing program. He charged that
the bill was designed to stimulate
construction of high-cost and high
rent housing and prohibit the de-
velopment of a sound housing pro-
gram for families with truly low
incomes"
Further, Mr.. Bates said, it flies
In the face" of the major objectives
of the postwar housing program
laid down by President Truman
in his recent message to Congress
which he said we're embodied in
the Wagner-Ellender bill.
Prompt reaction came from all
three authors of the compromise
bill.
Shocked at the charges against
the bill, Senator McCarran said he
considered it the only chance for
legislation specifically dealing with
the Districts slums and warned op-
ponents they would have to carry
the responsibility if it were de-
feated.
Sees Lack of knowledge"
The statement by Mr.. Locher, he
declared, shows an utter lack of
knowledge on his part of what is in
the bill, an utter lack of compre-
hension of what is right in a matter
OF this kind, and an utter lack of
understanding of the principles
which must be resorted to in order
to eftectuate slum clearance and give
shelter to the underprivileged of the
District.
The Central Labor Union and the
building trades, as well as all other
factions and components of organ
lied labor, were given ample oppor-
tunity to present fully their views
on this bill, and the testimony they
gave is part of the printed record
which was most carefully considered
in arriving at the compromise which
this bill embodies.
"It is my best judgment that this
bill represents the sole chance for
legislation specifically attacking the
problem of Slums in the District.
1t may be possible that this problem
can be adequately solved under other
legislation, national in scope.
However, if this bill is defeated
and the problem is not solved. the
responsibility will rest squarely upon
the shoulders of those responsible
for defeating this bill.
When this bill has been voted
up or down, I shall consider my own
efforts to provide for elimination of
Washington's slums are at an end y
Capper Comments.
Senator Capper commented he
was interested in housing for the
fnv -,