The Omaha guide., 1946-01-12
r b League Hits at
FILA Racial Policies

Inc NdLlOndl League MT
again this week at FILA racial DO
licies in testimony before the Sem
ate Banking and Currency Com
mittee in support of the Wagner
Ellender-Taft General Housing
Bill. Reginald Johnson, the Lea
CUES Field Services Director, who
gave the testimony quoted Gun
mar Myrdal, author of An Amer
lean Dilemma, contributing the
failure of the FILA to help Ne
groes directly traceable to the po-
Icy of segregation used by pri-
vate institutions, using the pass
age: This is a serious one for the
Negro and is particularly harmful
since the FILA has become the
outstanding factor or leader in the
planning of new housing. 1t seems
probable that the FILA has even
brought about a greatly increased
Use of all sorts of restrictive COW
enants and deed restrictions that
ire the most reliable legal means
If keeping Negroes confined to
heir ghettos.
~
The members of the Committee
showed tremendous interest in the
criticisms that were laid before
them concerning the FILA, and
Johnson was questioned at length
concerning the FILA policy, one
Senator even showing consider
able surprise to find that the bias
existed.
Anti-Bia a Clause Suggested
The League representative also
recommended that the Committee
amend the Housing Bill by insert
ing a clause requiring the provi-
sion of this bill shall be made
available solely on the basis of
need and economic qualification
without regard to race, religion.
color, or national origin; and that
the National Housing Administr-
ator; in discharging his RESPONSE
bility of the several consti-
tuent agencies, shall acquire com
pliance from each agency with
this provision.
This clause was suggested. he
told the Committee, on the basis
of observation and study of past
experience. We are impelled to
the conviction, said Johnson, that
all the benefits of this bill will
not be readily extended to racial
minority groups according to the
needs and economic qualifications
of that group unless there is a
legislative mandate to that effect.
Urged Speedy Enactment
The League urged the speedy
enactment of the legislation, how
ever, describing it as the first ray
of hope for some SUBSTANTIAL allie
Walton of our intolerable housing
conditions the enactment of the
United States Housing Act of 1887
praising it specifically for a COM
prehensive housing program for
every income group, with due re
gard for the needs of veterans and
with recognition of the roots OF
the housing problem.
Pointing to Title VI of the Bill,
which provides for acquisition OF
land, johnson declared that, from
the viewpoint of Negroes and
other minority groups, this pro-
vision met one of the two chief
criteria for testing the efficiency
of any housing legislation.
Larger Funds for Public HOUSING
Johnson urged a larger authori-
cation of funds available for nrlh
lie housing, to insure decent living
conditions for more than half the
total population with income lev
els below the $1,000 per year.
The League expressed concern
for the millions of families caught
in between the bottom rents of
private housing and the top rents
of public housing.
1t appears, the testimony ran
that this gap requirement would
legiSlate a no-man's land of fam
lies to whom this Congress would
be saying a decent home in a
suitable environment for every
American family except you
whose incomes fall just above the
group eligible for public housing
and just below those for whom
decent housing is provided by pri-
vate enterprise.
In order to provide for this one
group, Johnson suggested an ad.
ministrative determination of top
rents to prevent public-private
housing competition.
The League especially common
ded the Committee for lower in
come benefits including: liberia
liZatiOn of the conditions IimitinO