Evening star., 1949-05-13
il House Democrats See
Victory on Housing;
6. 0. P. Pledges Fight
kx shs'Aa.aslessd Press

By hs'Assesiessd Press
Administration leaders today
predicted that President Truman
viii win an impressive victory m
the House with legislation setting
out far flung. long-ranse hous-
ing program.
But Republicans promised al
fight. The decisive vote is set for
next week.
Representative Wolcott OF Mich
igan. senior Banking Committee
Republican, told newsmen he be-
lieves the legislation Is - step
toward socialization Of housing"
and that there certainly viii be
O battle In the House" MIR. VOL
colt led the forces that defeated
similar legislation In the s0th
Congress last year..
But Banking Chairman Spence
predicted that beyond any doubt"
the housing bill will pass the
House. The Senate on April IL
approved O similar measure. 57I
to 10. The House Banking Com
mittee gave the House legislation
o l4-to-7 approval yesterday.
SuIit ON Party Lines.
Committee voting. in closed ses-
sion, was reported to have found
all voting Democrats supporting
the administration bill and all
Republicans opposing. Six mem
bers were absent. The Repub-
lican members Immediately be-
gan o series of huddles to deter
mine q line Of action on the House
floor.
The House bill authorizes q vast
slum-clearance program and con-
struction of sl.050.000 low-rent
public housing units during theI
next seven years. just as Mr..
Truman requested. The Senate
trimmed the number of these
units to $4,000 In six years.
Amendments In the measure |
would allow the District to partici-
pate fully in the far-reaching
slum clearance and redevelopment
phases of the program.
Loans Would Be Available Here.
One of the amendments would
restore power Of the National
Capital Housing Authority to ac-
quire property for low-rent public
housing. Another authorizes the
District Redevelopment Land
Agency to turn over to the Ma
tional Capital Park and Blaming
Commission funds needed to work
out ths master plan of District
slum clearance and redevelop-
ment. The agency also could as
sign part of the redevelopment to
private enterprise and to the
NCHA.
Loans and grants under the Ma
tional bill would be available to
the District agencies under the
same provisions as States. Further
more, the land agency would not
be prohibited from asking Con-
gress for a $4,000, 900 revolving
fund-authorized in 1946-to car
ry out the program. r
The measure also provides q
$3.50, 900, ,000-plus farm housing
program and for. o research pro-
gram designed. to spur home. con-
struction by cutting building costs.
10 Billion Cost Predicted.
Representative Cole. Republican.
Of Kansas, O banking member,
told newsmen the administration
bill would cost about SIS. 1000, ,000.-
900 over 40 years.
The bill sets up a five-year
slum clearance program. with
one-third of the cost to be met
by the Federal Government and
the balance by communities. The
bill authorizes 1000, ,000, 900 in
Federal loans and $500 200, 900 in
grants for this purpose.
The House bill provides that
the Government would contribute
as much as $4o0, ,000,0 900 annually
for UP to 40 years to help finance
1.050.000 low-rent units, to be
built In the next seven years.