Evening star., 1949-03-21

1ent S Addres
the real estate lobby. which has
managed to delay 1t year after
year. Every year Of delay has in
creased the need for the program
and the size Of the job we must
do.
I believe that the end of this
long and unnecessary struggle is
in sight. and that this year will see
the enactment of satisfactory
housing legislation.
In fact. believe that this year
will see the enactment OF a great
deal of legislation for the good OF
the people.
Working With Congress.
incidentally. I have been much
interested in the attempts Of the
usual troublemakers to make it
appear that there is bad feeling
between the 8lst Congress and the
President. It seems that when
ever I make q recommendation to
the Congress. many newspapers
and columnists set up howl about
the President trying ITO dictate to
the Congress. And then If the
Congress makes any decision that
varies at all from my recommen-
dations, these same troublemakers
start 4 gleeful chorus about how
the Congress has thrown the whole
Democratic program overheard.
OF course. differ with the &C
tions OF the Congress on some
points, and where these differ
ences are important I shall con-
tinue ta urge the course think
Is right. But basically the Congress
and the President are working to-
gether and will continue to work
together for the good Of the coun-
try. We are going to agree on q
lot more things than we disagree
on. And when the final score for
this Congress is added up. some OF
the selfish pressure groups are
going to be pretty badly disap-
pointed.
Expects Good Housing Bill.
As I have already indicated. one
Of the things we can expect this
Congress to do is to pass q good
housing bill.
am told that one Of the treas
ured possessions of your organiza-
ton is a pen with which President
Roosevelt signed the United States
Housing Act Of 1897. Right now I
will make you q little promise. I
promise to give you the pen with
which I sign the Housing Act Of
1949. when it is passed. In this way
we can mark another milestone in
the program Of cooperation be-
tween the cities and the Federal
Government which was begun un-
der President Roosevelt.
You all realize. Of course. that
the passage Of suchlegislation will
give to your cities the tremendous
task Of planning and carrying out
slum clearance and public housing
projects. The Federal Government
will be limited to providing ilnan-
cial aid and technical assistance.
I am confident that the city gov
ernments will meet their respon-
sibilities under this law and make
the program q success.
But I hope you will 60 even
further. For the cities can do
much to encourage private build
ing, at lower cost.
Asks Code Modernization.
For example, cities should con-
tinue their efforts to modernize
their building codes. In too many
cases existing building codes are
an obstacle to the use Of new
methods and materials and to the
spread Of prefabricated housing.
Prefabricated housing Is still an
industry in its infancy. It can
grow much faster, and produce
more and better housing at lower
cost, If codes are modernized and
the conflicts and differences BE-
tween them are ironed out.
We cannot discuss the housing
shortage without mentioning rent
control. I know that you will
agree with me on the necessity Of
maintaining rent control In those
areas where there are still serious
shortages and few vacancies.
The lobbyists who have been
fighting low-rent housing and
slum clearance have also been try
ing to destroy rent control. They
don't want US to build new low
rent houses, and they don't want
us to hold down the rents Of the
houses that are available. II we
had let them have their way, they
would not only have pushed the
whole cost Of living up another
10 to 20 per cent, but they would
have broken up the homes Of thou
sands Of low-income families. It
is 4 terrible and shocking thing
that the real estate lobby-which
pretends to speak for those whose
business is providing houses-has
become the real enemy Of the
home.
Sees Effort to Destroy Controls.
During recent weeks the real
estate lobby has made q con-
certed effort to have rent control
turned over to the cities and local
tiles. I have no doubt that the
officials Of city and local
governments in most large city
areas are as strongly in favor Of
effective rent control as I am.
They know that their problems of
overcrowdeing, relief to the needy.
crime and juvenile delinquency
BrickIoyer
Continued From First Page)
been arrested for running Pyra-