The Michigan chronicle. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1936-current, 1945-03-17
Housing


| ing in the council for one week, at
which time Councilman George
Edwards, now a second lieutenant
in the army, will be in Detroit on
fur!ough.
Amid all OF the mob pressure
o, a 18th Century Witch Trial,
the Common Council last week
had listened TO arguments for and
against a Negro Public Housing
project in southwest Detroit and
in customary fashion, took no ac-
ton. They are expected 10 make
an answer this week.
THE HEARING on the site which
had been recommended by the De-
troit Housing Commission as the
most logical one for an unrestricted
war housing project, was attended
by an overflow crowd Of white res
idents who milled in the halls and
outside the City Hall from about
o'clock Friday morning until
noon.
An unidentified second leuten-
ant III tIlt y. -. amy, illiuliCu
OF this reporter as to what all
the excitement was about. When
told that the people. men, women
and children, whom he saw loiter-
ing on the City Hall steps, were
those in opposition 10 war hous-
ing project which would be unre-
S,ricted, he said, do | understand
that this project is 10 be a war
housing project" When told that
il was, he said. you know that
have a pretty low opinion OF
anyone who would so obviously
block the war effort
Inside the Council chamber,
which was jammed to the rafters,
the Councilmen sat silently and
listened to arguments pro and con
which they knew already by rote.
CHARLES EDGECOMBE. secre-
tary. director OF the Detroit Hous-
! ing Commission, retold for about
! the fourth time the reason for
selecting the Southwest Detroit
/ site. He redsclosed that approx
mately 1900 vacant lots were avail
able in the area
MRS. CHRISTINE DE WEIRD,
/ of the Detroit League OF Women
Voters, urged the council TO ale
viate the overcroWded conditions
under which Negroes are living in
Detroit. Mrs. DeWeerd declared
that il was her opinion that hous
ing was causing the tragic unrest
in Detroit.
JAMES ii. WATKINS. chairman
Of the Mayors lnterracial Com
mission, urged the council accept
ance OF the lakewood site.
Edward o. Corners. chairman of
the Citizens Housing and Planning
Council. speaking for Is organiza-
tons. urged the acceptance Of the
/ site as a boon 10 the we'll being
OF all citizens of Detroit and as a
step in The postwar Improvement
OF the city Connors declared that
latest studies of the facts show
that Negroes keep up their prop
erty. pay for their property, and
in general maintain as good living
standards as other citizens when
they are given the opportunity.
REV. J. b. BUSH. pastor OF West
Minister Presbyterian churc h,
urged the council to support the
Co m m S s on's recommendation,
along with the Rev. Tracy Pull
man, minister of the Church Of
Our Father.
Louis j. Barlo, spoke at length
for the citizens OF lakewood In
! his talk he accused Housing Com
missioner Charles Edgecomb OF
double dealing in that he Edge
combeJ had made a promise TO
keep the Southwest area white. He
claimed further that the private
homes which Negroes had acquired
in the area had been secured
through legal technicaiities and
! trickery.
The housing need became more
pressing this week when F. Gard
ner Lagg, chief sanitary engineer
/ OF the Department OF Health, re-
! ported that 95 percent Of the
! houses in Detroit need repairs.
Legg cited in particular the blight
/ ed area bounded by the Detroit
river. Warren avenue, 18th street
and ST. Aubin street. Legg said
further that the housing shortage
was so critical that it was impos-
sible TO comply with health ord
nances which had been passed TO
cut down the high death rate
caused by tuberculosis. pneumonia,
and infant diseases.