Evening star., 1945-09-30
U.S.. Housing Program
May Force Shelving
Of D. T.. 5Ium Bill
By DON s. WARREN.

by DUN .. WAhhEN.
A fight is expected to develop in
the Senate Tuesday over the ques-
ton of whether program for clear
ing and redeveloping Washington's
blighted areas should be delayed
until Congress adopts a proposed
national housing policy.
The District problem, which only
recently melted into a compromise
plan after two years of open fight
ing. yesterday definitely was linked
with a national issue over Govern
ment housing
Senator Ellender, Democrat, of
Louisiana. co-author with Senator
Wagner, Democrat, of New York, of
a national program for housing and
rebuilding of blighted areas. yester-
day served notice he would oppose
adoption of the District measure.
He took the position the national
policy should be adopted first.
Wagner Expected to Agree.
There were indications the same
position would be held by Senator
Wagner, on the ground that adop-
ton by Congress of a bill for the
National Capital might in some way,
affect the national policy which
Congress may enunciate later.
Sponsors Of the District measure,
however, were hopeful of the Senate
passage of the compromise bill,
agreed to recently by Senators
McCarran, Democrat. Of Nevada:
Capper, Republican, of Kansas, and
Burton, Republican, of Ohio who
tomorrow will become an associate
justice of the Supreme Court. .
Without committing himself as
to details of the District measure.
Senate Majority Leader Barkley has
scheduled the McCarran-Burto
Capper bill for consideration when
the Senate meets again, on Tuesday.
Senator Ellender Yesterday told
reporters he feared there would be
conflicts between the District meas
ure and the proposed national pol
icy. but supporters of the local bill
said they could not see any conflict
and believed if both measures were
adopted the two programs could be
fitted together.
Already Delayed 2 Years.
There was comment also on the
fact that decision on the District
slum clearance program already
had been deferred for two years
due to controversy between public
and private housing interests.
Senator Fllender said. that if the
McCarran- -Burton-Capper bill were
enacted prior to action on the Wag-
ner- -Ellender national bill, he would
move to strike out the District as
eligible under the national bill.
Il can see no reason he said,
why the District should have legis-
lation on the subject in advance of
any of the States. I think national
policy should be adopted first, and
let the District, like other commu-
mites, take its place in the national
picture.
THE District government could
easily put itself in position to OBJ
tain help under the national bill.
In fact, I think it would be more
advantageous to the District to do
So"
However. he said, the proposed
Federal advance of $40 900, 900 as a
revolving fund to finance District
slum clearance and rehousing work
as provided in the McCarran-
Burton-Capper bill, would result
finally in very large" outright
grant to the District. Agreeing that
Federal assistance in the low-rent
field is both necessary and desirable
he insisted this should come under
a national policy rather than under
bill dealing only with one COM
munity. the District.
Points to Limitations.
Senator Ellender called attention
to clause in the national bill which
prohibits any Government assistance
to urban low-rent housing unless ii
is demonstrated" that a gap of al
least 20 per cent has been left be-
tween the upper rental limits fol
admission to proposed low-ren1
housing and the lowest rentals
which private enterprise can rea
sonably be expected to provide"
This confused supporters of tht
District bill, in view Of charges by op-
ponents of the local measure that II
left a. gap in housing in the lower
income groups. Supporters of the
District bill have contended the loca
bill would cover all needs here in the
low-cost field, subject only to pro.