Evening star., 1946-04-24
Bi|bo Pledges Senate
Action on Bill for G|
Temporary Housing

Chairman Bilbo of the Senate
District Committee promised today
to seek Senate action before the end
Of this week on the measure to en-
ploy $250, 900 Of the city's funds to
speed provision Of temporary vet
erans' housing here.
Approved yesterday with two
amendments, the bill was to be re-
ported to the Senate today and
Chairman Bilbo said it might be
called up for passage tomorrow.
District funds are to be employed
only to provide necessary sewer
and water connections and streets or
sidewalks. The temporary housing
units are to be allocated to the
District by the Federal Public Hous-
ing Administration.
Calls Opposition "Senseless."
Commenting on opposition from
spokesmen for two citizens asso-
Citations, based on fears the tempo
rary units would mar park sites and
damage nearby residences, Chair
man Bilbo declared their position
seemed "senseless and unreason-
able"
IF necessary to provide housing
for veterans" said Senator Bilbo,
"I'd be willing to let them build q
temporary unit on the lawn of my
Dream House at Poplarville, Miss
This bill deals with an emergency
matter and should be passed"
Eight sites are proposed in Wash
ington, flve Of which have final ap-
proval, according to Col Joseph D.
Arthur, jr., assistant Engineer Com
missioner.
The eight are deemed sufIicient
to provide housing for s76 families.
However, Col. Arthur added, this is
based on the assumption the Dis
trict will be allocated twosxtofy
eight-family buildings. More sites
Will be necessary If he.District gets
e-family units instead Of the
larger demountables.
Amendment Adopted.
1t was for this reason, and the
prospect that permission may be
needed to place some of the units
at Suitland, Md, or elsewhere in
nearby Maryland or Virginia, that
Corporation Counsel Vernon E.
West urged an amendment to make
this possible, This amendment was
adopted by the House along with
another, to restrict the authority for
such use of District funds to two
years after the war emergency Is
declared ended, plus an additional
year II Federal ofncials find the vet
erans' housing program has not then
caught up with the need.
Col. Arthur reported yesterday
Government agencies now have ap-
proved five sites which would pro-
vide for 712 families, on the basis
Of using eight-family demountables.
They are:
Along Shepherd Parkway, near
South Capitol and Portland streets
Sc, 64-family units; the park lands
between Fort Dupont and Anacostia
Park, at Minnesota avenue and F
streets Sc, 96 units; the area along
Forty-second street between Ben
ming road and Grant street NE,
east Of Fort Mahan Park, to be
used for colored veterans, 16O units:
a strip Of Barnard Hill Park, along
Eastern avenue, near Randolph
street and Michigan avenue NE,
1872 units, and Camp Simms, Ala
bama avenue and Stanton road
Sc, for 200 colored families.
Col. Arthur said approval also
was expected for the site of 80
white units in the Kenilworth lily
ponds area near Quarles street and
Anacostia avenue NE.
Two other projected sites for white
veterans are the Blue Plains reser-
vation, near Fourth street and Lab
oratory road SW., for 120 units, and
a portion of the War Department
reservation south of st. Elizabeth's
Hospital, near Fourth street and
Mississippi avenue Sc, for 81 units.