Evening star., 1946-05-19
PromptApprova|
Of Housing Bill
Asked by Wyatt
Action Called Key
To Better Homes
In Next 2 Years
By Robert J. Lewis

Dy NODeIr }. Lewis
Housing Administrator Wilson w.
Wyatt yesterday declared before the
Town Meeting on Housing, spon-
sored by SO local veterans organiza-
tions at the Mayfower Hotel, that
prompt congressional approval of
the Wagner -Ellender-Taft general
housing bill would mean better
houses and apartments for less
money during the next two years"
Referring to the controversial
measure which was passed by the
Senate and now awaits House
action, Mr.. Wyatt said in an ad-
dress broadcast nationally: "All of
its provisions are aimed toward in
creasing the volume of housing and
lowering the COST
Passage of the Patman bill last
week in which Congress authorized
S4O0, 10000 in subsidy payments to
encourage production of building
materials, Mr.. Wyatt termed the
best news since the programs in
ceptlon early in February"
Construction Begins.
Another good sign," he added,
was the beginning Of construction,
during the first four months of this
year, on 315,000 dwellings, including
temporary units, trailers and con-
versions. He explained this was "a
little more than one-fourth of our
1916 goal"
Yesterdays session was called by
the Combined Veterans Committee
on Housing to obtain an up-to-date
report from Government, building
industry and labor representatives
on the prospects for homes.
Mr.. Wyatt's address was the high
light OF a luncheon starting at noon.
Preceding him on the program we're
Watson B. Miller, Federal Security
Administrator; Brig. Gen. Gordon
R. Young, engineer commissioner for
the District; Leo Mcguire, represent
ing veterans: Boris Shishkin, Amer
lean Federation of Labor economist:
Maj. Gen. U. S. Grant III, chairman
of the National Park and Planning
Commission, and Miss Anna Beren-
son, CIO national housing represen-
tative. John Carson presided.
Two Discussions Held.
After the luncheon, two panel dis
cussions were held on Building and
Purchasing of Homes" and Low
Cost Rentals and Temporary Hous-
ing"
Engineer Commissioner Young,
summarizing accomplishments of the
District Veterans Emergency Hous-
ing Committee, said a tentative two
year goal of As 900 dwelling units for
the District had been set, but that
this figure might be scaled down.
He traced the committees efforts
to encourage home sharing and t Z
release of Federal apartment spa Je,
and said the District was hoping to
get a $250,000 appropriation soon
with which to pay its share of the
cost of $50 temporary dwelling units
provided by the Federal Public
Housing Authority.
Referring to the drive to obtain
release of Federal space, he said:
I'VE will continue our efforts along
this line, but it is slow work.
Problems Cited.
One of the most serious problems
in connection with veterans housing
at the moment, he said, is to find a
means of continuing the District
Housing Center at 1400 Pennsyl-
vania avenue. This center serves
as clearing house for vacant rental
space in the District area. The Fed
eral Government has indicated it
would withdraw financial support
June 80.
Miss Berenson said she consid-
cred the Wyatt proposals "only a
minimum program" and that there
is great pressure for stronger mea-
sures, such as requisitioning of un-
used homes.
Earlier, Mr.. Miller declared "the
gadgets and streamlining of the
dream house can wait" and pointed
out that the health stake in the
housing problem is paramount" He
said veterans are .reaping the
fruits not only of wartime Short
ages of homes, but of failure to build
an adequate number of homes be-
fore the war;
Mr.. Shishkin, pointing out that
measures taken in Washington alone
would not solve the housing prob
lem, explained: This is a problem
that must be solved in terms of
Americans everywhere
Emergency Stressed.
Asserting that the Districts hous-
ing problem is "the most serious
emergency that we are facing at
this time" Gen. Grant said that
one contributing factor was the
number of evictions due to sale of
homes and failure of owners to
meet sanitary requirements.
Panel discussions mainly dealt
with the familiar problem of ma
terials bottlenecks Labor and in
dustry were alternately blamed by
speakers for low production, and
the OPA came in for a share of the
criticism owing to what building
industry representatives called it's
"unrealistic" pricing policies.
Helen Duey Hoffman of the Wash
ington Housing Association, a panel
speaker, caused a stir when she crit
icized the policy of some landlords
in refusing to rent to families with
children.
I'VE need more rental housing
and less birth-control," she said.
Speakers Listed.
Panel moderators were John Ed
wards and Gordon Shaw. Speakers
were Col. Lawrence Westbrook,
veteran: Vincent Holmes, District
OPA director; Charles T. Penn.
president of the Washington Build
ing Congress; John C. Houston of
the Civilian Production Admins
tration; Maurice Davis, area hous-
ing expediter for the National
Housing Agency; Glen F. Preller,
president of the Washington Build