Evening star., 1946-06-03
SIum Bill Hits
Debate Snag in
House Heariinq
Committee to Meet
Thursday to Vote
On Amendments
By Don S. Worren

By Don S. Worren
Washington's $2O,OOO,0 900 slum re
development bill struck another sna
today as opponents and proponent
of public housing" traded verbs
punches for two hours at a sessio
of the House District Committee.
Because of the time consume
with debate over old issues, and tn
absence of some committeeme1
Chairman Mcmillan announced h
was calling another session-a
executive meeting-for II an
THURSDAY. Il can say the hearing
are ended" he said. I'VE are a
through now except for the voting
Most of the debate revolve,
around the definition of public low
rent housing, which will set tn
scope of the housing construction
to be done by the National Capita
Housing Authority.
There were ardent pleas from
spokesman for some groups for pas
sage of the Senate bill withou
change, and demands from other
for a definition which would limi
public housing" to that for th'
submerged fifth" of the popula
ton, according to net family in
comeS 1t is basically the sam,
argument that has been delaying
House committee action for months
Other Amendments Minor.
A number of other amendment.
have been proposed but these art
considered relatively minor and will
not delay action.
Rufus S. Lusk. president of the
Washington Taxpayers Association
and Ernest F. Henry, an attorney
who said he represented groups
identified as favoring private en-
terprise,' took several sharp slaps
at the record of the NCHA.
Mr.. Lusk said that, while the Dis
trict's original alley dwelling pro-
gram had been intended to clear
the slums and provide rehousing for
the poor, the record shows this
simply has not been done"
He said he made a survey last
year and found that only one of 366
NCHA housing tenants had for
merly lived in alley dwellings.
Mr.. Lusk predicted that unless a
tighter definition of public low-rent
housing were adopted that "bums
dead-beats, no-goods and drunks'
would be allowed to live in hous-
ing erected by NCHA instead OF
poor people" Also quarreling with
what the public housers" define as
substandard dwellings, Mr.. Lusk de-
clared he was born in one, and
still lived in one, according to such
q definition.
Randolph Defends Ihlder.
Mr.. Henry contended that the
Submerged fifth" definition advo-
waited by the McGehee subcommit-
tee of tine District group, and by
private building interests is work
able, and is not restrictive. Con-
trary ark kuments, he said, represent
"delibery.e misinformation" and a
studied attempt to provide means
for evasion of the intent of Con-
gress."
When he charged that John
Ihlder, executive director of NCHA
had failed miserably" to carry out
purpose of the earlier law, a chal-
lenge came from Representative
Randolph, Democrat, of West Vir-
ginia, former chairman of the Dis
trict Committee. Mr.. Randolph
brought out that war conditions had
interfered with the housing pro-
grams of both public and private
builders, and suggested Mr.. Henry
might wish to modify" his state
ment. Til Is Mr.. Henry refused to do
Maj. Gfh. U. S. Grant III, chair
man of the National Capital Park
and Planning Commission, and Mr.
Ihlder both pleaded for quick action
by the District committee in send
ing the bill to the House without
any amendments to the Senate ver-
sion. Otherwise, they said, delays
would be encountered which might
result in no legislation being passed
before Congress adjourns.
"Wishful Thinking" Charged.
In reply to Mr.. Lusk, Mr.. Ihlder
said he was indulging in "wishful
thinking" He added that it was
the lack of cooperation from "such
people as Mr.. Lusk'' that had handi-
capped low-cost housing work here.
Gen. Grant and Mr.. Ihlder con-
tended that changes proposed by
private building interests would be
Gripping amendments, and
would have the effect of blocking
necessary low-rent construction
Gen. Grant declared that an income
of $4,000 a year would be required
for a person to rent the $500
houses now being built by private
industry, whereas more than half
of the Government employees here
do not get that much salary. A third
of the veterans, he said, cannot pay
more than $40 month rent.
Census Bureau Letter Cited.
Mr.. Ihlder submitted letter from
the Census Bureau stating that
some expense and difficulties would
be entailed in determination of what
constitutes the submerged fifth" by
net family income. This brought a
retort from Mr.. Henry that the re-
port was "weasel-worded."
Strong support for the position
taken by Gen. Grant and Mr.. Ihlder
was voiced by Mrs. William H,
Wells, executive vice president of
the Citizens Council for Community
Planning; Mrs. Robert G. Wilson
speaking for the Voteless D. C.
League of Women Voters, and c. F.
Preller, president of the Washington
Central Labor Union. They urged
passage of the bill as it came from
the Senate without change.
During the debate, Mr.. Ihlder said
1t was the policy of NCHA to grad
uate" tenants of NCHA housing tt
privately built housing when they
are able to pay private rental. In
numerous cases this has not been
possible, he argued, because private
low-rent housing was not available
Mrs. Truman May Visit
Colorado Opera Festival