Evening star., 1953-10-04
By Robert J. Lewis

BY Robert J. Lewis
conviction that some public
housing Is necessary.
If as somewhat staid, and
certainly Republican q group
as this would support continu-
ance Of public housing, there
would be few members Of the
G. o. p. In Congress who could
be counted on not to go along.
This Is not to suggest that
Housing Administrator Cole
has made any overt moves in
the direction Of support for
public housing. But only 10
days ago he had the courage
to lecture the American Bank
erS' Associations move which
made him Just about unique in
the Eisenhower administration
and there are some who be-
lieve that his closer contact
with housing problems as ad-
miniStrator may have changed
his views on the public housing
issue.
Surprising Speech
Mr.. Coles speech before the
bankers in convention here
was O surprise and somewhat
Of o shock to more than one
mortgage man. He told them,
with disarming frankness and
candor, the administration did
not intend to let housing pro-
duction wither and die, and
that they had better work out
some plan to assure q reason
able supply of mortgage credit
or face the possibility of an
expansion of direct Govern
ment lending.
In spite Of this eye-opener
for bankers, who are sensitive
on the point Of direct Federal
lending, Mr.. Coles reputation
in Washington as a diplomatist
able so far to get along with
all sides on the housing ques-
ton Is unShaken.
The Cole Formula
His formula for keeping
everybody convinced that he is
being fair and impartial on
housing questions has been
fairly Simple-though as time
nears for the new session Of
Congress his problem will be-
come more complex. Mr.. Cole
started out by largely accept
ing the status quo ante and
launching his own investiga-
ton Of all viewpoints in the
housing field. One of his first
steps was to refuse to oppose
a stopgap continuance of pub
lie housing construction.
Most important of all, Mr..
Cole has impressed those whom
he has met at these confer
ences-and especially those
who have looked unfavorSbly
upon his housing record while
he served on the House Bank
ing Committee-with his SEEM
ing sincerity and willingness
to reach new conclusions on
the basis of new evidence.
Meanwhile, as he has been
setting a fast pace in the in
vestigative field, he has studi-
ously refused to prejudice is
sues publicly.
Back in May he told the Ma
. tional Housing Conference, q
public housing group:
II want to say to you very
frankly that I am not going
to recommend, or indorse, or
acQuiesce In, any major
changes in policies or pro-
grams until, to the best of my
ability, I have done what I
have promised to do-complete
a fair, thorough, and careful
study of those programs and
problems"
Mr.. Coles plan to take a
searching look at the entire
housing program is in line
with an order he received from
President Eisenhower at the
time of his appointment. The
Republican Party platform was
silent on the issue Of public
housing and, indeed, promised
nothing definite as to other
Federal housing aids.
The President himself, dur
ing the campaign, did not
commit himself one way or
another on the issue of public
housing. His closest reference
to the question came in a cam
paign speech when he called