Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-06-17
VFW MaySeek
Congress Probe
Of Vets' Housing
Legislative Group
PoIIed as Posts Are
Asked for Survey

The Veterans of Foreign Wars
may ask for a Congressional in
vestigation into the breakdown"
of the veterans housing program
and the diversion of critical ma
terials to less essential building,
it was learned today.
Omar B. Ketchum, director OF the
VFW's legislative service, said mem
bers of the Legislative Committee
were being polled on the advisable
ity of asking for the investigation.
At the same time Justice Depart
ment officials refused to elaborate
on a statement that an investiga-
ton into the housing problem was
going ahead. The department
pointed out that Attorney General
Clark, in testimony before a sub
committee of the Senate Appro-
priations Committee May 81, said
housing was included in 1877 in
vestigations then under way.
Local Surveys Requested.
In separate VFW action, George
E. Ijams, director of the organiza-
| VlOl1 1NdtlOlldl oC2 v"
ice, said he had written all depart
ment commanders directing that
they forward to more than 1000
posts instructions for surveying the
housing situation locally.
1--WE are getting complaints from
veterans all over the country who
are returning home unable to rent
or buy home at any price," Mr..
Ijams said. "At the same time, we
read where millions of feet of lum-
Der are being used to build an arena
for a prize fight. Obviously some
thing is wrong"
Mr.. Ijams admitted the process Of
collecting local data on housing
would be slow, but thought it was
step in the right direction in call
ing attention to "our failure to full
fill pledges to our servicemen." He
said results of the survey would be
placed before National Comdr. Jo-
seph M. Stack for any use he saw fit.
"Comdr. Stack has sent out a
number of letters to Government
officials asking for an explanation
of the breakdown in veterans hous-
ing" Mr.. Ijams said. "He received
no answers"
Wyatt Sees Progress.
| Meanwhile, Housing Administra-
tor Wilson w. Wyatt said today
after White House call that small
home construction is under way "at
a really terrific rate"
Mr.. Wyatt told reporters the ex-
tent of the progress would be re-
| f1ected in report he hopes to have
ready soon, by the end of the month
at the latest.
While asserting the shortage Is
so great that the public finds it
hard to realize the accomplish
ments, he said the figures will show
widespread building.
His big worry, he said, is the price
of the homes that are going up.
The months ahead, he said, will
continue to be critical While lum-
Der production is up. Mr.. Wyatt
continued. no building material is
plentiful.
He estimated lumber production
now at the rate of about "a billion
board feet annually.
Plywood Diversion Charged.
Fraser Gardner, expedlter for the
Combined Veterans Committee for
Housing, said he understood the
Justice Department was investi-
eating diversion of critical materials
from Government housing projects.
Thank the Lord something is
being done about it," he said. I'VE
welcome anything that will lend
stability and force to solving the
problem"
Mr.. Gardner charged that much
material, such as plywood, is being
diverted into channels other than
veterans housing. Much plywood
needed in the low-cost housing pro-
gram is being sold to the pleasure
boat building industry, which re-
quires wood more deliberately proc
essed than that used in homes.
This processing brings the lum-
Der yard bigger price and places
plywood out of reach of home build
ers," he added.