Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-06-06
VA Official Comedies
Error in Approval
OF Dwellings Here
Photographs Of Floors
Of Vast RiverduIe
Development Shown

A Veterans Administration Of
fetal today conceded that houses
in a Prince Georges County devel-
'opment should not have been ap-
proved by the VA if the floors
were in the shape photographs in
Idicated.
A select House committee under
Representative league, Democrat,
of Texas. is investigating the vet
Grams housing program in the
Washington area. The inquiry
Icenters around policies followed by
the VA in guaranteeing home
loans for veterans.
Under fire at today's session was
the suburban development known
as Templeton Knobs, in East
Riverdale. Md.
Photos Show Cracks.
Committee Counsel Oliver
Meadows produced photographs of
the floors in one home at the de-
velopment. He declared:
There are cracks, knots. knots
missing, pieces not matched. Does
that look like a good grade of
flooring?"
mot from the pictures, con-
ceded Stephen Barker, former
chief appraiser at the VA regional
office.
How could your inspector pos
sibly pass such floors?" Mr..
Meadows asked.
Morgan B. Callahan, VA re-
gional loan guarantee officer, an
swered. IF the floors were as
shown in the pictures, he had no
business passing them"
Appraisers Questioned.
Mr.. Meadows questioned Mr..
Callahan, Mr.. Barker and Lacy
Smith, the present chief appraiser,
on VA practices in allowing sub
situations Of different and some
times inferior materials in the
houses. The floors in question
were installed after the VA al
lowed the builder to substitute
beech or low-grade oak for the
clear oak called for in the speci-
|fications.
Mr.. league said the veteran
purchaser Of the homes knew
nothing about these changes
and commented:
Under this whole procedure the
veteran buys a pig in a poke"
ITO a certain extent" Mr..
Barker said.
During one exchange with Mr.
Callahan. Mr.. league declared:
win you go out and look at
this house and tell me if it is a
good floor? And then 60 across
the street and look at a base
ment full Of water with the drain
too high to carry the water away?"
Eyes. I'll co." Mr.. Callahan
said.
Callahan Defends Work.
Mr.. Callahan defended the work
of his office. saying they were do
ing all that was humanity possible
with the personnel they have. He
added that he did not have enough
men to police all the construction
jobs in the area adequately.
Mr.. league commented that in
other areas Of the country VA
Offices had been able to take care
of complaints of veteran home
buyers. He stated There's moth
ing like this Templeton Knobs.
We do question lot Of the things
you did. Whether you were right
or wrong is a matter Of opinion.
Mr.. league said his committee
was going through the Washing
ton area to show what complaints
they had found against the VA
and builders. He said the COM
mittee then was going to get the
builders to adjust the complaints.
Mr.. Smith told the committee
the Spiller Construction Co.,
builders Of Templeton Knobs. has
been given until July IA to take
care of all of the complaints in
the developments.
The committee will resume its
hearings next Monday. Marcel
Weiss. an ofiicial Of the Spiller
Construction Co., will be called for
questioning at that time.