Evening star., 1945-04-15
Report on Districts
.S|um Clearance Plan
Praised by Burton

DClldpDl oul Wi, iICpuDlltdilt Vi
Ohio yesterday praised as excel
lent, impartial and unbiased The
summary recently published by the
National Industrial Conference
Board of the 1400 pages of testi-
mony taken last year on the Dis
trict's past and proposed slum clear
ance programs.
Answering complaints voiced April
8 by Commissioner Philip M KlutZ-
nick of the Federal Public Housing
Authority, who had questioned the
SOundneSS' of much of the material
in the summary, the Ohio Senator
predicted it would be of substantial
value to Congress in its actions on
pending slum bills.
Mr. KlutZnick and others had pro-
tested to the Senate District Com
mittee that the NICB report, in
summarizing testimony before the
Burton subcommittee last year. had
pointed up" the fact that private
builders can achieve lower costs be
cause they pay lower wages and be-
cause public housing builds with a
social rather than a profit purpose
IN view"
Burton Writes McCarran.
Senator Burton, a member of the
District subcommittee now consider
ing the slum bills, yesterday wrote
to Senator McCarran, Democrat, of
Nevada, the subcommittee chairman
The National Industrial Confer
ence Board report is simply a sum-
m%ry and an analysis of the hear
ings held last year by the subcom-
mittee of which I served as chair
man. These hearings lasted six
months and full opportunity was
given to all parties to present their
views. AS a result. the testimony
taken offers the most comprehensive
review of the local public housing
conditions and the need for slum
clearance in Washington that is
available anywhere
The NICB report is based on
these hearings, plus additional ma
terial presented to the board, at its
request. by the National Capital
Housing Authority, private builders
and others.
investigators and research ex-
pertS Of the conference board con-
ferred here with all interested par
ties at length before undertaking
this summary. Therefore. if, as Mr.
Klutznick states, the report in
many instances relies on hypothesis
and estimates when actual facts
were available it is not because
ample opportunity was not given
to public housing representatives to
present all the facts, even in addi-
ton to those presented in the hear
ings."
Work Took Months.
Asserting that board, which was
requested by the District Commit
tee to make its summary, has long
record of successful and objective
research and enjoys a high reputa-
ton, Senator Burton added:
The board spent months in as
sembling its report on slum clear
ance in Washington and l regard
the report as an excellent, Impair
tial and unbiased summary of the
400 pages of testimony taken last
year as to the disgraceful slum and
alley conditions in our Capital, to-
gether with the proposals made to
improve those conditions. 1 believe
that the report will be of substan-
tial value to the Senate in giving
this problem the serious attention
it deserves"
Senator McCarran said he hopes
to call the subcommittee into ses-
sion soon to act on proposed legis-
lation. This will be done as soon
as other committee work permits
he said. Other members of the
subcommittee are Senators Tydings
of Maryland, Hoey of North Caro-
lima and Briggs of Missouri, Demo-
Gratis, and Capper, of Kansas and
Saltonstall of Massachusetts,, Re-
pllh1icaps