Evening star., 1953-04-19
Opposition Growing
To Proposed Cuts in
Housing Program
By Robert K. Walsh

Storm warnings were hoiSted
yesterday as Congress heard cries
from some cities and a blast by
a leading Democratic Senator
against a House Appropriations
Committee economy drive to end
Government public housing &C
tivitieS.
The proposed ban on spending
for new projects after June 80
comes up for House debate Tues
cay on a $451 million supply bill
for % independent agencies. Be-
sides cutting $721 million, or 62
Per cent, from original budget
requests of former President
Truman for those agencies, the
House committee claimed further
savings Of $2.1 billion will result
from the halt on housing and
from other moves.
Maybank DenOunceS Bill.
Senator Maybank, South Car
olina Democrat who headed the
Senate Banking Committee that
fostered the housing program
legislation, yesterday called the
House committees action shock
ing" He denounced it as back
handed slap at the President"
who asked for money for $4,000
units during the fiscal year be-
ginning July l.
Senator Maybank announced
that if the House passes the ap-
preparations bill with such a ban
he would fight to have the Senate
restore funds for such new hous-
ing. The program, he said. is
essential for Slum clearance and
for down -trodden people who
are right in our back yard"
This and other provisions in
the 'bill-the first appropriations
measure reported out in the 83rd
CongresS-were due for a going
over tomorrow at House Rules
Committee meeting,
Although the bill is believed
certain to be cleared for floor
debate Tuesday, it is likely to be
attacked both in the Rules Com
mittee and on the floor because
it would go farther than merely
appropriate money.
Includes Policy Changes.
Republicans on the appropria-
tions committee conceded that
it contains several sections, such
as the housingr program ban,
which to all intentS and purposes
would be legislative enactments
and major policy changes.
House Democrats, including
several on the Appropriations
Committee. also plan to attack
the bill on other grounds. They
complain that many of the cuts
or claimed further economies"
fall into the category either Of
trick bookkeeping or Of post
poned payments which will have
to be appropriated later. 80 u
Still another line of attack
will be based on messages a few
members of Congress reported re-
ceiving yesterday from munich
pal officials or citizens of houS-
ing shortage communities.
Not all of the communications
are critical but most Of them
express apprehension or wish
for clarification of the House bill
provision. members said.
Republican leaders are conf
dent the appropriations bill-will
20 through the House without
substantial change. But yester-
day they revised earlier predic-
tions that it would be passed
within two or three days. The
debate may run into next week.
This would delay a timetable for
bringing up the Interior Depart
ment appropriations bill.
Defend Budget Cuts.
Republicans on the Appropria-
tions committee defended the
budget cuts not only as the
biggest percentage reduction
ever made in a bill of this kind
but as being reasonable and Civ
ing emphatic evidence of econ
-mindedness in Congress.
Committee members noted
that the bill, as reported out, did
more than cut $721 million from
the Sill billion sought in the
Truman budget of last January
for the % agencies. They pointed
out that it would appropriate
$542 million less than the total
appropriated for those agencies
during the present fiscal year.