Evening star., 1945-02-20
Mass Meeting Hears
Plea 10 End Conflict
Over D. {. HOUSING

Jacob Crane, representative OF
the National Housing Agency, who
recently returned from a trip to
England, France and Italy, yester-
day called on, Washingtonians to
reconcile differences and submerge
prejudices" to meet the housing
problem here, especially for workers
with incomes Of $500 a year and
under.
Washington slums, he told a mass
meeting OF more than 800 persons
at the United States Chamber of
Commerce Building are dis
grace" and added
I'VE have the opportunity and the
obligation to create a great Ameri-
can city here"
While he did not touch specifi-
Ecally on the current District con-
troversy between those who want
some public housing by the govern
ment and those in private enter
prise who oppose such housing, Mr..
Crane stressed the part taken by
government in Great Britain. He
warned that A'the rest of the world
is watching our National Capital" !"
Here and throughout the United
States, he said. a solution to the
housing problem requires the total
resources Of industry and the full
cooperation of local. State and
Federal governments.
He praised the private home
building industry for meeting the
needs of "higher-income families" !"
and predicted that the industry
could meet needs in the future for
a LOT of new and improved homes. /"
Government to Have Part.
In Great Britain, he said, "hous-
ing for workers Is proposed to be
handled first by subsidized local
authority and thereafter by un-
subsidized private enterprise insofar
as possible"
Referring to the British system,
he said there is no knock down,
drag-out fight between local-au-
thority housing and private-enter-
prise housing"
The most acute" need in Wash
ington and throughout the world,
he said. was for satisfactory
homes" for workers with incomes
ranging downward from $1,000
year, who, he said can only pay
$25 a month or less for rent, or for
interest, amortization, maintenance,
insurance and taxes"
Asked by Senator Buck of Della
ware what private enterprise could
build for home owners here, Mr..
Crane estimated that private in
dustry probably could provide homes
only for those families with in
comes above $500 a year.
When asked what would be done
with Washington alley slums, Mr..
Crane said he was not a local au-
thority. From the rear of the hall
John Ihlder of the National Capital
Housing Authority rose to say that
one-third of the alley dwellings al
ready had disappeared.
Mr.. Crane outlined three angles
to Washington's postwar planning
and housing problem. He described
them as clearing the. slums; the
suburban push and the problem OF
workers housing In connection
with workers, housing. he called on
the city to face the pressing need
for more housing available to Ne
groes-a challenge which cannot be
ignored" =
Hits Haphaxard Growth.
Analyzing the suburban push" as
the outward development OF the
CITY,. he said: I'VE have used a
pretty expensive and unsatisfacSofy1
Of building suburbia. OF
course, most Of us will think OF good
individual developments which seem
to meet the requirements very well.
Here I am speaking more Of the
disorganized, haphazard, sprawling
which, in fact, made up a
large part of the suburban push
during the past Is years"
The meeting was sponsored by the
Citizens Committee of u. on Hous-
ing, headed by Mrs. Robert A. Taft,
wife Of the Ohio Republican Senator.
Presiding were Mrs. Taft and As
sociate Justice Roberts Of the Su-
preme Court.
Among c,Iests uere. pritiSh Min