Evening star., 1946-04-09
Citizens Refuse
To0pposePark
Housing Plan
Montgomery Hears
Veterans Plea for
Emergency Units

emergency UNITS
Heedlng the plea of two county
veterans, the Montgomery County
Civic Federation last night refused
to oppose emergency housing units
in the Sligo Park area.
1t rejected a resolution of one of
its affiliated associations and over
ruled the recommendation of its
Executive Advisory Committee.
Discussion started when Ralph
Boyd of the Allied Civic Group of
Silver Spring moved that the fed
Grafton recommend larger and
more appropriate tract" be found
for veterans housing than the Sligo
Park area set aside by the Board of
County Commissioners and for
which applications are being taken
In Silver Spring.
After studying the plan. the Ex-
ecutive Advisory Committee offered
a substitute measure stating it us
the sense of the federation that
veterans housing should be re-
Strlcted TO property other than
property for park purposes
Veterans Get Chance to Speak.
Mylon Merriam of the Civic
League of Brooknont. announced
representatives of veterans groups
were present and asked if they
could be. given the floor to present
their views. President William
Horne replied they could be heard
through member representatives to
the federation, but Henry H. Smelling
moved that each be granted time
TO speak.
Il am not opposed to veterans
housing but we all have seen what
temporary buildings have done to
the parks5 in Washington, James
A. Cosgrore, federation parliament
tartan, declared.
Charles B. Buscher of the Silver
Spring Post, Veterans of Foreign
Wars, Rgan: Some people think
the PARIS are not good enough
for veterans" Mr.. Horne in
terrupted and asked that he conflne
his remarks to the subject.
Makes Fresh Start.
In fresh start, Mr.. Buscher
said he recognized Sligo Park is
not sufficiently large nor the tempo
rary houses good enough for vet
Grams.
I'm my opinion" he declared, the
White House is not good enough
for some veterans For the past
eight months we have heard that
something must be done to house
the veterans but nothing has been
done about it. Montgomery County
probably is the first to start doing
something about it. 1 beg and plead
that this organization not let us
down and that it will back up the
county commissioners in what they
are trying to do
Explaining that he was not de-
pendent upon emergency housing
since he had his own home, he
expressed the view for his comrades
that it is unfair to require all of
them to live in one locality.
Why should a man who lives in
Spencerville be forced to live in
Silver Spring." he inquired
Park Area Called Suitable
William Adams, chairman of the
Housing Committee of the Mont
gomery County Post, American Vet
Grams of World War II, also stated
he was not dependent on the tempo
rary units, but is taxpaying home
owner.
You have questioned the legality
of what the commissioners are do
ing" he said. Il submit that no
consideration at this time can out
weigh the fact that veterans have
no place to live now"
He declared the Sligo Park area
was the most suitable because it
now is available and would furnish
housing within the shortest time.
Calls Resolution Insult"
When Mr.. Merriam offered a sub
stitute that the federation support
the commissioners efforts, Mr.. Co.'S
grove, as parliamentarian, expressed
the view he was out of order since
his resolution was contradictory to
the measure pending, and Mr..
Horne so ruled
Mr.. Smelling declared: "A resolu-
luton of this kind is almost an in
suit to the veterans. We certainly
should put ourselves to some incon-
venience to meet their most urgent
needs"
"I am not opposed to veterans
housing Mr.. Cosgrove asserted,
but don't throw the slur of an in
suit back at me I don't want to see
those men thrown down in a creek
bed that's not suitable for their
needs. One of those young men the
veterans, said he'd served three
years in the Navy. Well. I've served
10 times that much in the Navy, in
the Spanish-American War. I am
willing to pay higher taxes if neces-
sary to get them a suitable site"
After accepting an amendment by
Mrs. Mary B. Mohler of the Chevy
Chase Terrace Citizens Association,
that the veterans be placed further
out and not in one locality" the
federation later voted down the re-
viSed measure.
Virginia Farmer