Evening star., 1947-10-21
Housing Poses Major Problem
As 81. S. Bureaus Return Here

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dian Office had not unloaded all of
its IS freight cars at this writing
and the bureau certainly wasn't
functioning normally last Friday,
the day scheduled for completion of
the move"
The National Park Service is now
in the midst Of its move Nobody
expects it to be completed by next
Thursday as scheduled. Finally the
Fish and Wildlife Service started
shipping its effects Friday, with
about 131 clerks beginning to filter
into Washington this week.
Employees Have No Luck.
The 126 or more Park Service
employees aren't having any better
luck than the hapless Indians in
finding permanent homes.
"The parade of the apartment
hunters is the way sympathetic
friends refer to the human stream
that flows in and out of Room 5041.
office Of the Housing Committee.
When the housing staff hears a
knock, all hands reach for tele-
phones and mimeographed lists OF
rooming houses, apartments and
real estate dealers.
Chicago was nothing like this"
sighed George Hadden, who served
on the housing committee there.
Five years ago when We moved
there, apartments and rental houses
were plentiful and reasonable. Here,
some of us are still hunting after
two weeks"
N 140 Remain in Chicago. E..
That is why more than 140 Of the
employees in the three services chose
to remain in Chicago upon hearing
now hard it is to obtain permanent
housing in Washington. "A majority
of the returning employees with fam
iliees are leaving wives or children
in Chicago until they get settled In
permanent living quarters.
No sales pressure is being brought
to bear on any employe, Charles S.
Cook of the Housing Committee en-
phasized.
mo one is permitting himself to
be dragged into buying or renting
something he doesn't want" he ex-
planned. They may be worried about
getting the kind Of house or apart
ment suitable for their needs but
they're not taking anything they
don't want"
Thinks 1t Better to Wait
Mrs. Fred Massey, a Cherokee
mother of two sons, typifled the pre-
vailing spirit.
"Well, we'll find something sooner
or later" she said. TITS better to
wait and get what you want.
At last report Mr.. and Mrs. Mas
sey were directing the hunt from a
single room in a boarding house.
Some of the IS or more single
women from Chicago were lucky
enought to obtain temporary rooms
at Arlington Farms, the Govern
ment dormitories. So pleased are
most of them that they're trying to
become permanent residents.
GSI to Give Help.
Government Services, Inc, has
entered the picture. It has super
vision over some of the housing at
old Fort Washington, about 20 miles
down the Potomac River. When
apartments become available - If
and when-the Interior employees
will be given preference in renting
them.
At Fort Hunt, Va, soon to be re-
turned to the National Park Service,
four or five one family units are
being fitted up for occupancy.
Again, in the opinion of Mr.. He'd
den. Chicago was getting to be
pretty expensive place. AS the high
cost Of living kept getting higher.
Food Found Better Here.
There is more food In Washing
ton of better quality and less cost, -
he declared.
To a few the experience of moving
is entirely new. For instance, 1t was
a real eye-opener to Mrs. Rose Marie
Boone. an attractive Sioux Indian
from South Dakota. She met her
husband, a Choctaw from Okla
homa, in Chicago. Mrs. Boone had
never been in Washington before.
No, at last report, the Boones
hadn't gotten an apartment either