Evening star., 1946-12-16
New Housing Program
Pushed as Long Quits
with Critical Blast
BY the As.eeiotsd Press ;

to boost nonreSlQentlal cOliSIluCIAoli
by perhaps 40 per cent, put floor
space limit on new homes and give
private enterprise a much bigger
say-so in combating the housing
shortage.
With these as policy guides laid
down by President Truman, officials
set out to run a housing program
without priorities and price cell
ings-a program which was CATCH
ing brickbats from Wilson Wyatt's
admirers and bouquets from the
building industry.
One of Mr.. Wyatt's chief aides,
Norton Long, prepared to take the
cue of his former chief and resign
as deputy housing expediter. He
denounced Mr.. Truman's new nous
ing policy as mot program at
all" but a bid for a boom and
bust" in real estate.
The White House withheld direct
comment today on Mr.. Longs crit
icism of the new housing plan,
Events in the development OF
that program will speak for
themselves Presidential Secretary
Charles G. Ross said.
$4,000 Ceiling Lifted.
Climaxing series CT White
House huddles, Mr.. Truman on
Saturday night wiped out the $10,-
900 ceiling on the selling price OF
new houses and announced that
any citizen could build home for
himself-a right that for II months
only veterans have enjoyed.
Nevertheless, the President said
the new program would be a "vig-
orous one" with the Government
stressing rental housing. The whole
new program, with emphasis shift
ing from Federal control to busi-
ness initiative, will produce re-
suits" he promised.
Henceforth, Mr.. Truman ruled
only "a few raw materials will be
allocated-that Is, channeled into
housing-and any one who wants to
build home for his own occupancy
may do so by getting simple Gov
ernment permit. This will limit the
floor area, but will set no ceiling
price and require no inspection OF
building standards.
The floor space limit will run
about $500 square feet, in the prl-
vate judgment of two top-ranking
housing officials. Under the former
$4,000 ceiling, the average house
contained only 800 to 1000 square
feet.
Sees Higher Production.
Frank w. Cortright, executive
vice president of the National Asso-
ciation of Home Builders, said hi
believes very nice house" of l,50(
square feet could be built for arounc
SIS 900 in high building cost areas.
Mr.. Cortright added that now I'VE
ought to produce more houses thar
we ever could under the Fedora
controls we've been shaving under.
He predicted that many moderated.
priced houses would be erected along
with the higher cost ones, because
low priced homes are bread ans
butter" to many builders.
Store, factory and other construc'
tion which competes with housing
| for materials soon will be increased
housing officials said. Some Of then
forecast that the present limit o
S35, 900 600 a week over the countr.
would be showed up to perhaps $50,
O00, 900 as of January l, a jump o
more than 40 per cent.
Long Expresses Doubt.
| Mr.. Trumans statement gave n
figures, but said "We can safely per
nit some increase" because OF large
supplies Of materials.
Mr.. Long. who was Mr.. Wyatt
program chief, said he was offering
| his resignation because he could Sc,
little help for home-seeking veteran
in the new policy.
There isn't program any more,
Mr.. Long told reporters. "Of MI
Truman's IL points, 10 of them wer'
taking things off and nothing ha
been added. / doubt if the program
will get housing"
The resigning deputy forecast
however, that the groundwork lait
by Mr. Wyatt this year would "mak'
the new boys look good"
The new boys" are Frank r
Creedon and Raymond M. Foley
appointed last week to replace MI
wyatt as housing expediter ant
national housing administrator, re
spectively. Mr.. Wyatt quit both job
because the President disagreed will
his philosophy of strong Fedora
control and widespread Fedora
financing.
Remaining Controls Attacked.
| Real estate men and builders gen
orally cheered the presidential move
But some, like Melkin H. Baker
president OF the National Gypsum
Co., makers of building materials
said all Government controls shoult
be eliminated.
In addition, George Englar, presi
dent of the National Apartment
Owners Association, declared tina
rent control should be wiped out
too, 'to bring private enterpris
into the rental housing field"
On the issue of Federal help TO
manufacturers who want big loan
TO get into the business of making
metal houses, Mr.. Truman said tn
Reconstruction Finance Corp. woult
grant such loans when it is war
ranted.. But he left the clear i'm
preston that RFC and not tn
housing agencies will judge whel
loans are warranted
Mr.. Wyatt had asked for abou
$65, 600, 900 in Federal loans, but RF(
thus far has granted only 100000
worth.
The present with luture! Civ
United States Savings Bonds a