Evening star., 1948-02-12
Mccarthy Sees Action
This Year on Bill for
Long-Range Housing
Ay the Asseciofed Press

Ry the Asseciofsd Press
Senator Mccarthy, Republican,
of Wisconsin predicted today
that Congress will pass a long
range housing bill this year.
The Wisconsin lawmaker, vice
chairman of the special House.
Senate Housing Committee, made
this forecast after talking with COP
leaders In Congress.
!, AT the same time Senator Nc
Carthy recommended in q report to
I the joint committee that there be no
. provision in the program for Gov
ernment-operated or owned public
. housing projects.
He said any public housing legis-
. lation should be handled separately
in order to avoid the "emotianal
/ controversies which surround this
hot issue.
private enterprise must be our
chief reliance" Senator Mccarthy
declared.
Goal is Proposed.
He said the goal should be 1,500,-
900 new dwellings a year. But he
: added that about 100000 of these
: probably will continue to be priced
: out of the market" each year unless
+. (A) 1--WE are able to bring about a
substantial reduction in prices" or
(B) arrange for the Government to
stand part of the cost.
Senator McCarthy's report is
based on hearings he held last fall
in number of major cities. Ex-
cept for public housing, it largely
parallels many features Of the Taft
Ellender- Wagner bill approved by
the Senate Banking Committee last
April.
The Senate Republican leadership
has refrained from calling up that
measure for debate, however, ap-
parently because of doubt that it
could pass the House. The House
killed similar bill in 1916 after it
had cleared the Senate.
Senator Mccarthy told a news
conference he had discussed his
program with Senator Taft of Ohio,
ichairman Of the Senate Republican
POLICY Committee and a co-sponsor
of the housing bill, and with Chair
man Wolcott Of the House Banking
Committee.
Told to Go Ahead.
Senator Mccarthy added that
both leaders told him to go ahead
and draft legislation in line with
his program.
IT think there is no doubt that
Congress will pass housing legislation
during this session." the Wisconsin
Senator said.
When reporter asked whether he
got that impression from Mr.. VOL
colt, Senator Mccarthy replied:
IF his attitude we're any different.
wouldn't be predicting it will pass.
Franklin D. Roosevelt, jr., has
contended that Mr.. Wolcott is hold
ing up the -Ellender- Wagner
bill at the urging of "the real es-
tate lobby"
In response, Mr.. Wolcott said yes
terday that If Mr.. Roosevelt will
Just keep his shirt on, there will be
some housing legislation at this
session."
Report Due Soon.
The joint housing committee is
required to report to Congress by
March 81. Senator Mccarthy said
it will recommend legislation based
on separate studies by each member
of the committee.
His own program calls among
other things for:
/. Encouragement of rental hous- ;
ing construction through a Govern
ment insurance plan which. would ,
guarantee insurance companies and
other investors profit. 30
2. Restriction of existing public ,
housing units to low income fam
lilies. Senator Mccarthy said that
if there is separate public housing
bill, 1t should require local govern
ments to stand at least one-third
of the cost. Federal grants would
cover the rest.
Uniform Code Urged.
3. Development by the Federal
Government of uniform building
code, and an effort to achieve
widespread acceptance" of it.
4. A long-range slum clearance
program. The report said Federal
and local money should be appropri-
ated and earmarked and slum areas
condemned, but "the actual physi-
cal work should be deferred until
the country appears to be descend
ing from the present high plateau
Of prosperity"
5. Extension of the Governments
authority to guarantee housing
loans, particularly for rental dwell
tngs. Senator Mccarthy said the
proportion of loan guarantees cover
ing rental housing els running con-
siderably less than so per cent" and
should be brought up to that figure.
6. Special Federal aid on hous-