Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-06
By J. A. OLeoy

oAkAo oRRSoASo w AoFoi
tory for Republican leaders in
the Senate today in their effort
to put through an emergency
housing bill with emphasis on
encouraging private rather than
public construction of more
homes at lower cost.
The vote, scheduled to come soon
after o'clock. probably will be
close, however.
The issue is whether the Senate
should stand by its past approval OF
the public housing and Federally-
financed slum clearance programs
of the -Ellender- Wagner bill,
or take the substitute of Senator
Mccarthy, Republican, of Wiscon-
sin which follows the basic outline
of the TEW bill, except that it
leaves out Government-subsidized
housing.
The last time the Senate voted
on the issue in April, public sub
sidized housing won, 40 to IS, as a
part of the TEW bill. House lead
ers have refused to act on the TEW
bill since that time, however, and
today, Senator Taft, Republican, OF
Ohio will join in urging the Senate
to take the Mccarthy plan in pref
erence to his own bill rather than
risk no housing action this year.
Absences May Help COP.
Some other Republicans who, like
Senator Taft, still favor public
housing, probably will vote for the
limited Mccarthy bill to prevent a
deadlock. Absences caused by i'll
ness also may help the Republicans
pass their compromise measure.
Republican leaders still are hop
ign to end the special session to-
morrow. but may have to run into
next week to finish the limited pro-
gram they scheduled for action.
A more liberal displaced persons
bill, and the international wheat
agreement, still are lowering in the
background for possible action. But
once the housing and imitation is
sues are settled it will be hard to
stop the adjournment drive to take
anything else.
The Senate housing battle is pro.
viding the climax of the special ses-
sion. 1t marks the only question on
which the top-ranking Republicans
have had their plans upset-tem-
porarily at least.
/ Tobey. Flanders Back Bill.
The revolt occurred In the Senate
Banking Committee yesterday, when
two New England Republicans
Senators Tobey of New Hampshire
and Flanders of Vermont-joined
with five Democrats to revive the
Taft Ellender- Wagner housing bill.
which has been blocked by House
Republican leaders after passing the
Senate because of its public housing
provisions.
In taking this action. to S, the
committee turned down bill that
House and Senate Republican lead
ers had agreed on Wednesday night
the Mccarthy bill
| Chairman Tobey Of the Banking
Committee, and the Democrats are
appealing to the Senate to stand
by its earlier votes in favor Of
public housing. Their argument is
that one or two House leaders
should not be permitted to kill q
bill the Senate has passed.
Tobey Also Asks Showdown.
After taking the House leaders
to task for sidetracking the TEW
bill, Senator Tobey shouted in the
Senate yesterday:
Lets find out who is running
the country-a little oligarchy or
the people of the country"
Representative Gamble, Repub-
lican, of New York. who headed a
Senate House committee assigned to
study the housing question, said
fatty that Senate passage OF the
TEW bill would mean mo housing
legislation in this session"
The Mccarthy substitute would
broaden Government loan insurance
aids on the building Of $500 and
$1,000 houses. 1t would call for a
study to standardize building codes
and measurements and would
guarantee a return Of "a per cent
on equity investments in rental
properties.
1t also would increase by Is per
cent the secondary market for all
veterans guaranteed and FILA in
sured loans made after April 30, and
.