The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1948-05-13
Housing Bill Has
Fighting Chance,
Supporters Say

Washington (LPA) - There Is
still a fighting chance that the
Taft Ellender-Wagner housing bill
will be passed in this session OF
Congress. Despite a snarl of Con-
gressional procedures, supporters
Of the bill seem in a position to
force the House Banking Commit
tee to report the measure to the
full House for debate and vote.
The House committee, chaired by
Rep. Jesse Wolcott (R., Mich.) is
finally conducting leisurely hear
ings on the TEW measure, which
will continue at least thru this
week.
They may be speeded, though, by
two developments. First, the Am
erican Legion executive committee
last week endorsed the TEW bill,
making a solid front Of every ma
jor veterans organization and
every labor group in favor Of the
housing bill.
Second, the Senate slapped down
an attempt to pass the parts Of
the TEW bill that the private build
ers want, an attempt made by
Sen. Harry Cain (R., Wash. },
stooge Of the real estate lobby on
the floor of the Senate.
Cain tried to amend simple bill
extending certain loan provisions
of the Natl Housing Act by add
ing most of the TEW bill except
the section on public housing. The
majority of the Senator'S favored
passing a simple extension Of the
loan provisions for so days, pend
ing House action on the TEW bill,
which the Senate has already pass
ed, including the loan authorize
tion.
Obviously afraid that the squeeze
play would force even the real es-
tate and homebuilders' supporters
to allow the TEW bill to reach the
House floor, Cain tried desperately
for several days to get his bill
passed.
So shocking was his performance
that Senators Barkley ID, Ky.),
Taft (R., Ohio, Tobey (R., N. H. +,
Ellender 3D., La.), Flanders (R.,
Vt.) and Myers d., Pa.) Joined
in the attack on his maneuver.
Tobey read from the Natl Asso-
citation of Real Estate Boards bull
letin outlining the strategy of the
real estate lobby backing up VOL
colt and Cain. He then listed on
the side of the TEW bill President
William Green of the AFL, urging
rapid approval" of the bill de-
spite "a brazen maneuver to scut-
tie" the TEW measure. He added
the report of the American Legion
approval on the previous day. Then
he told of the statement made from
his hospital bed by United Auto
Workers President Walter Reuth
er, who heads the CLOS Housing
Committee. Reuther called the Cain
maneuver "a surprise attempt to
scuttle the TEW housing bill"
Sen. Myers, himself a leading
Democrat, told Cain bluntly that
his action in trying to pass the
substitute bill while sponsor Taft
was in Ohio for the primary fight
"was an attempt to stab him in
the back"
81 do not say the knife was in
the hand of the junior Senator from
Washington CAIN" Myers smil-
ingly replied when Cain protested,
"but many people thought the eff
feet of the amendment was to scut-
tie public housing"
Meanwhile, a renewed drive for
the bill was pledged by the 200
delegates to the Natl Public Hous-
ing Conference, meeting in New
York. Said NPHC Chairman Theo-
lore j. McGee: "Thru indifference
and neglect, malignant slums have
been allowed seriously to infest
every American city, and today
possibly 100000 families and
more live in houses denounced as
unfit for human habitation. These
houses were built by American
and constitute a part
If the American way of life. In this
product of free enterprise we can
AXE no pride.
"If, however, private enterprise
,an offer a better means of pro-
lucing low-cost housing, we shall
,e fully willing to cooperate"
The spokesmen of local housing
and local public hous-
ng authorities heard AFL econo-
mist Boris Shiskin and CIO rep
Leo Goodman urge ac- 4
ion along the lines of the TEW
ill.