Evening star., 1949-11-23
DC. Realty Delegates
Urge Agencies 10 Act
To'CIear SIums Here
: By Robert }. Lewis
). Reel Esiots Editor Of The Stor

CHICAGO. Nov. 23.-Washing-
ton delegates to the annual con-
vention Of the National Associa-
tion:of Real Estate Boards. which
closed here last night. believe the
National Capital Housing Author
ity, the District of Columbia Re-
development and Land Agency
and. Federal officials should get
together" for quick action to clear
Washington slums.
Before leaving for the Capital.
Oliver M. Walker, president OF
the Washington Real Estate
Board and leader of the Wash
ingtpn delegation. said:
IT is high time, after SO many
yeats of talk, that the agencies
involved get down to a practical
protram of clearing slums rather
thai of merely using scarce va
cant District land for public
housing projects.
"What the people of Washing
ton want is an end of the blighted
areas, which are really a dis
grace to the Nations Capital.
Gerliolz Elected.
IF public housing units are
TO be built, they should serve a
dual purpose. and the primary
objective Of clearing slums should
not be given merely lip service.
Many months have passed since
enactment Of the law permitting
the, Government to attack the
slum-clearance problem.
Nov that funds have actually
been appropriated. there should
be 40 longer any delay in prompt
execution of plans for eradication
of dum areas so that public hous-
ing units there can be erected.
Closing sessions of the National
realtor organization elected Rob-
ert p. Gerholz of Flint, Mich,
president for the next year, and
adopted policy statement, y
which approved a plan for organ
ized action in cooperation with
other groups in an as-yet-unde-
fined movement" to elect mem
bers of Congress favoring Dement'S
to small business, firms.
Mr.. Gerholz. chairman OF the
realtors Washington committee, is
q former president of the National
Association of Home Builders.
Rent Decontrol Asked.
In other policy declarations, the
association called for constitu-
tional amendment to bar the Fed
eral Government from engaging
in any business "customarily con-
Quoted by private enterprise;
reiterated opposition to public
housing; recommended decontrol
of rents at the expiration Of the
present act next June 80, and op-
posed direct lending in any form
by the Federal Government"
The association also favored
early disposal Of war housing "in
the open market" WITH prefer
ence to vetAx6fa6: urgtaat a
privately firn ceA mort
gage bank Be created TO replace
the Federal National Mortgage
Association as source of second
ary md Sancin1 1sM went
on recofd Asking daon OF
the Federal Housing AeManistra-
ton by a board rather than by
an appointed administrator.
At a session of the United States
Saving and Loan League. which
also closed its annual convention
here yesterday, Senator Bricker,
Republican, of Ohio, assailed this
years public housing bill as "a
component part of big government
and power politics at the taxpay-
ers' expense"
Bubb Named President.
Speaking on the same program
with William K. Divers. chairman
of the Home Loan Bank board,
the Ohio Senator called for ade-
quate safeguards to prevent pow
er granted under the act from be-
ing used ito house those who vote
the right ticket"
MIR. Divers told savings and loan
delegates that home finance inSti-
tutions should not be satisfied
with growth of about 81 400, ,000,-
900 in resources in the last year,
but should continue. and even
step up, their campaigns to pro-
mote more savings by the Ameri-
can people"
The Savings and Loan League
elected Henry A. Bubb. Topeka.
Kans., president at yesterdays
election.
Edward L. McAleer, past presi-
dent of the District Savings and
Loan League, was chosen a ma
tional director. Mr.. McAleer sue
ceeds Rudolph w. Santelmann OF
Washington.
E;nhf an Public Housino