Evening Star Newspaper, February 1, 1942, Page 5

Housing Shorfages In Other Cities Face Shifted Workers Officials Find Conditions Duplicating Capital’s In Industrial Centers By OLIVER McKEE. ‘With the shift of the country to a total war economy and the expansion in industrial activity to an all-time high, Government decentralization faces a new problem, that of finding cities with adequate housing facilities for transferred Federal workers. As a result of the growth of war industries, and the influx of defense workers, most large industrial cities are confronted with housing condi- tions that closely parallel those in ‘Washington, according to reports reaching here. Delays and changes in the decentralization program an- nounced by Budget Director Harold D. Smith late in December have been due, in large part, to the hous- ing situation in other cities, particu- larly the availability of homes within the rent levels that the average Government worker can afford. The Patent Office began its move to Richmond yesterday. According to data given to the decentralization office of the Public Buildings Ad- ministration, based en returns to a questionnaire, 630 employes of the Patent Office indicated that they needed housing in Richmond. Some, of course, made their own arrange- ments. Little Opportunity for Choice. ‘Though the housing listed as available in Richmond apparently will be sufficient to take care of the needs of the Patent Office workers, it will be a tight squeeze, officials admitted yesterday. There will be little opportunity for choice of accommodations. In one classification, that of houses renting between $60 and $79 a month, the number of homes listed as available was considerably below the number of applications. When the Patent Office move is completed, Richmond, in the light of these figures, will hardly be able to absorb another large Federal unit. ‘The Wage and Hour Division will move to New York City on February 14, it was announced yesterday. | Under the original order, this agency was to have been moved to Pitts- burgh, now one of the major cen- ters of war production. Shortnge‘ of suitable housing, it is reported, | was one of the reasons why Labor Department officials asked that the unit be moved to another city. Approximately 200 of the 500 em- ployes of the division are expected to move to New York. The Rural Electrification Admin- istration and the Farm Security Ad- | ministration both are scheduled for | transfer to St. Louis, an important defense production city. The R. E. A. has a Washington staff of about 1,100 and F. S. A. about 1,000. 8t. Louis Situation. Though St. Louis officials have | indicated there is ample housing available, Government workers who have looked into conditions there report a “tight” housing situation. They point out further that St. Louis homes, in many instances, do Tot provide refrigerators and ranges. As a result, they explain, Gov- ernment workers transferred to that city may find it necessary to buy THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C, FEBRUARY 1, 1842 GRADUATION DAY AT QUANTICO—Col. Lemuel C. Shepherd, jr., U. 8. M. C,, is shown yesterday swearing in 225 second lieu- board are expected to move to Chi- cago. The Employes Compensation Board, with 500 workers, also was originally listed for transfer to Chi- cago. The Chicago switch was aban- doned later, and Cleveland was con- sidered for a time. Due to reports of a housing shortage in Cleveland, an important defense production area, New York was finally selected. Space has been obtained in an office building on Madison avenue, and the transfer will be made about the middle of February. Approxi- mately two thirds of the employes of the board are expected to move to New York. Three Interior Agencies to Move. The Budget Bureau ordered three Department of Interior agencies to Chicago. These were the Fish and Wwildlife Service, the National Park Service and the Office of Indian Affairs. No date has been fixed for the transfers to Chicago, which now seems uncertain. The three agencies have a total of about 900 employes in Washington. New York and Chicago seem to have more housing accommodations available than other cities on the decentralization list. According to data submitted to the Decentraliza- tion Service by municipal officials, there are 5,700 vacant apartments in New York between 57th and | 110th streets. The 12 Federal agencies affected by the December decentralization | order occupy approximately 1,700,- | 000 square feet of office space. In the case of the larger units, there seems to have been some difficulty in finding in other cities sufficient space to house, under one roof, the | transferred unit. With the exception of New York, living costs in other cities seem to be lower than in the District, according to figures of the Blireau of Labor Statistics. Basis of Estimates. The bureau prepares estimates of the intercity differences in living | costs every three months. These | estimates are made through revis- ing the standard budget prepared by the W. P. A. in 1835, covering the needs of a hypothetical family of four, consisting of a moderately active man who wears overalls at work, his wife, a boy age 13, and a girl age 8. W. P. A. computed the cost of this budget for 59 cities, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics Keeps the figures reasonably up to date on the basis of reported changes in retail prices in various f second - hand refrigerators and ranges, since new equipment, under | the priorities, may be hard to obtain. | Living costs, on the whoie, are re- | ported to be about the same as in | ‘Washingtofi. | The R. E. A. has found quarters | in the Boatman Bank Building An- | nex in St. Louis and the move is| expected to begin in a few weeks. Many employes have applied for transfer to other agencies. The date of the move of the Farm Becurity Administration has not been fixed and it is by no means certain it will go to St. Louis. About 40 peE cent of F. S. A. workers have expressed willingness to move out of Washington, another 40 per cent indicated that they will seek trans- fers to agencies remaining here and the others said they were un- decided. Pl#2adelphia has been selected as the new home of the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Im- migration and Naturalization Ser- vice of the Justice Department. Of the 1,250 employes of S. E. C. in ‘Washington about 800 are expected to go to Philadelphia, it was said yesterday. Though no date has been set, the move probably will be made within a month or so. The Immigration and Naturaliza- tlon Service will move to Philadel- phia about March 1. It has about 1,500 employes in Washington. Reports from Philadelphia. Government workers who have made reconnaissance trips to Phila- delphia report a fairly “tight” hous- ing situation in that city. According to information submitted by local officials to the decentralization of- fice, only 4,800 family units are now vacant in Philadelphia. The Bureau of Old-Age and Sur- vivors Insurance of the Social Se- curity Board is another agency scheduled for transfer to Philadel- phia. The bureau has about 1,700 workers in Washington. No date for cities. With Washington as 100, the| bureau computes the indexes of the cost of living in the larger cities | every quarter. The latest estimate | covers costs on September 15. Here are the indexes for the cities that figure in decentralization discus- sions: Baltimore, 90.9; Chicago, 99 Cleveland, 955; New York, 100. Philadelphia, 90.4; Pittsburgh, 93 Richmond, 90.4, and St. Louis, 945. Since September, living costs | throughout the country have con- tinued their upward movement, with | rises particularly sharp in many defense areas. The bureau will issue in about two weeks a new estimate of intercity differences in living costs, based on changes in retail prices reported through December. In relation to the Washington base, no great relative changes are ex- pected. Pred E. Taylor, a real estate man from Portland, Oreg., who served as consultant for the United States Housing Corp. during the First World War, heads the office of de- centralization of the Public Build- ings Administration. Mr. Taylor was president of the National As- sociation of Real Estate Boards in 1920, and in 1939 represented the association at the International Conference on Housing and Town- planning at Stockholm, Sweden. Three Principal Units. ‘The office has three principal units. The frst makes arrangements for office space for Federal agencies transferred to other cities. This is headed by Kenneth Keyes of Miami, vice president of* the south- eastern region of the National As- soclation of Real Estate Boards. The second unit deals with the housing problems faced by trans- ferred Government personnel. With the co-operation of local real estate the move has yet been announced, and it is reported that the agency may be transferred to Baltimore, or some other city, instead of Phila- delphia. Both Philadelphia and Baltimore today are large centers of war production. ‘The Railroad Retirement Board will go to Chicago as originally scheduled, it was indicated yester- day. Negotiations for office space are nearing completion. Represen- tatives of the board have recently visited Chicago, to look into the housing situation. They report a “tight” but not an acute shortage of housing there. Approximately half of the 1600 employes of the Combating the Pain of Argiiiis y ! £, it dr siine, indersed 37 man Physicians Eofi-'n Valley Mineral Water et 1083 904 1th 8L n{. { boards and civic organizations, it. lists properties avallable in the va- rious cities and assembles informa- tion on the number of housing units available at different rent levels. Ordinarily, no attempt is made to inspect the homes and apartments reported for rent. This unit is in charge of Amos G. Hewitt, a real estate man of New Haven, Conn, and a former vice president of the New England region of the National Association of Real Estate Boards. The third unit handles the mov- ing of household furniture of Gov- ernment workers to be transferred from Washington. This unit is un- der the supervision of W. C. Clark, who has long been on the staff of W. E. Reynolds, commissioner of public buildings. The decentralization office now has branch offices in New York, Richmond and Philadelphia, and a fourth will be opened shortly in St. Lous. Circular Issued. For the benefit of Federal em- ployes, the decentralization service has just issued a circular entitled “Questions and Answers on Your Transfer from Washington.” For employes having dependents, according to the circular, the weight limits for the transportation of household goods at Government expense are as follows: By ship, 10.000 pounds; by rail, 6,250 pounds; by motor freight, 5000. For em- | ployes without dependents, the cor- responding figures are 5000, 3,125 and 2500 pounds. The time limit for moving house- hold goods is six months, and the Government will not pay warehouse charges either in Washington or an- other city. Nor, under the regula- tions, will the Government pay transportation costs on property not™ classified as household goods under executive order, such as auto- mobiles, groceries and household L] pets. Iner-American Bar Maps Plans for Brazil Meeting Determined to adhere to their plans in the interest of Western Hemisphere solidarity despite the war, the Executive Committee of the Inter-American Bar Association met here yesterday to discuss arrange- ments for its 1942 convention at Buenos Aires, September 20-27. The occasion was a luncheon at the Army and Navy Club, presided over by Willlam Roy Vallance, chair- man of the Visa Review Board, State Department, and secretary general of the Inter-American Bar. Honor guests were D. L. McCarthy of Toronto, president of the Cana- dian Bar Association, and Leighton McCarthy, Canadian Minister to the United States, who are cousins. Members of the Executive Com- | mittee present were Dr. Raul Her- rara-Arango, secretary of the Cuban Embassy, representing Dr. M. F. Supervielle, president of the Havana Bar Association; Fernando Sabola Mederos, second secretary of the Brazilian Embassy, representing Dr. Miranda Jordao, president of the Brazilian Bar Association; James Oliver Murdock, Washington inter- national lawyer, representing the American Bar Association, and Col. William Cattron Rigby, Judge Ad- vocate General's Department, au- thority on military law. Father Vaschalde Dies; 29 Yearson C. U. Faculty The Rev. Adolphe R. Vaschalde, 70, who retired as professor of Semitic languages and literature at Catholic University in 1939 after 29 years of service, died in Toronto, Canada, yesterday, the Associated Press reported. Regarded as one of the outstand- ing Oriental scholars in North America, he held classes at the university in Arabic, Syriac, Coptic, Assyrian and Hebrew. He also had taught at St. Michael's College in ‘Toronto. Wins D. A. R. Essay Prize LEONARDTOWN, Md., Jan. 31 (Special) —Miss Ruth Jones has been awarded the good citizenship prize for the essay entered in the Daughters of the American Revolu- tion contest. AT REDUCED PRICES A Sale of Discontinved Modelz | Maytag....$55 Apex......$47 Crosley... $45 Thor.....$45 Price Includes Filler Hose Pump Very Easy Terms Old Washers in Trade tenants who received their commissions at graduation exercises of the Marine Corps School, Quantico, Va. [ Three Cadets F Unthinking optimism in war leads to disaster, Lieut. Gen. Thomas Hol- comb, commandant of the Marine Corps, told members of a class of graduates who were commissioned second lieutenants at Quantico, Va., yesterday. Optimism “blinds us to reality and robs us of determination,” he sald. He added that the Marines must be prepared to fight against odds, and to win. Commissions were issued to three | —A, P, Photo. rom Capital Get Commissions at Quantico cadets from the District of Colum- bia. They were Ralph Eugene Britt, Nimitz Seen as Envoy’s Choice For Entire Pacific Command New Zealander Urges Allied Leader for Wider Area Efficient condust of the United Nations’ war against Japan in the Pacific requires a supreme com- mander for the whole area who can assume responsibility for decisions, ‘Walter Nash, New Zealand Minister to the United States, sald yesterday at a press conference. Mr. Nash added that the com- mander should be an American, and probably a naval officer. He mentioned no names, but it was speculated that he had in mind Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, supreme American , commander at Hawail and commander in chief of the American Pacific Fleet. Mr. Nash sald the Pacific. commander should have powers equivalent to those held by Marshal Foch over, Allied operations on the ‘Westertd Front during the last World War. “We need concentrated mnaval command to smash Japan,” Mr. Nash said. He spoke at length and with extraordinary frankness to the press in his temporary headquar- ters at the Roosevelt Hotel. His declarations were made with au- thority, because he comes here as New Zealand's first Minister from the post of Deputy Prime Minister of his country. He arrived here Friday, saw newspapermen yester- day and hopes to present his cre- dentials to the President tomorrow. Pacific War Council Proposed. 6209 Thirtieth street N.W.; Willlam | Hayden Byrd, 5818 Nevada avenue N.W., and James Caraher Toomey, 1875 Taylor street N.W. In addition to the 306 who re- ceived commissions, 343 graduated from the Sixth Reserve Officers Class and 69 reserves and regulars completed the Base Defense Weap- ons Class. President’s Commen With mingled amusement and consternation, members of Wash- ington'se residential and “cafe” so- ciety were busy explaining to each other yesterday how many years they had dwelt here and what they were doing in the war effort. Newspaper reports of the Presi- dent’s suggestion that “parasites”— people in Washington for a good time—should léave to make room for defense workers apparently made “must” reading in social circles. Rushing to comfort any one who might come under the heading of parasite, Representative Peterson, Democrat, of Florida announced: “If there are some wealthy para- sites whom the President desires to drive out of Washington during the war emergency, they can find a pleasant haven in Florida, as they did in 1918." Says Rents Have Dropped. As an attraction he offered 20- room houses there “much under the price in the boom period,” and pointed out that recreation facilities ‘were greatly improved and that the time distance between Washington and Florida is considerably less than it was during the 1918 wartime ex- odus from the Capital. To some persons interviewed by The Star yesterday, the President’s question, “Are you a parasite?” was disturbing. One person predicted the remark would have “great repercussions,” | and added that her dinner partner told her it was a political speech designed to please incoming defense workers, but, she added, the man who made that remark was a Re- publican. Some gave serious consideration | to the President’s press conference comment, while others treated the’ matter lightly. Several Senators, who would not talk for publication, indicated pri- vately that the White House sug- gestion had not aroused their en- thusiasm and Senator Nye, Repub- lcan, of North Dakota, remarked, “It seems to me there are bigger things that ought to be occupying the minds of those who are direct- ing the Nation's war effort.” A resident of the Shoreham who has lived in Washington a quarter of a century declared she didn't think any taxpayer was a parasite. President’s Language Criticized. Mrs. John Allen Dougherty, civic and social leader, said she thought the President had chosen a “very inappropriate” word to describe cer- tain residents here and suggested that the President might have used the word “idler.” If there are any idlers here, she added, “it will not be long before everyone will be occupied with the war effort and then there won't be any idlers.” Mrs. Warren Barbour, former wife of the Senator from New Jer- sey, said the word parasite was difficult to define and added, think the President means the re- cent arrivals who came here from New York or-Philadelphia or Chi- cago because they were bored, the Advice to Parasites to Leave Keeps D. C. Tongues Wagging t Greeted With Both Amusement and Consternation joy riders, the ones who would be eating cake. “I think they should be home taking care of their own knitting. I hope this doesn't include me. I Mrs. Robert Low Bacon, socially prominent widow of the Represen- tative from New York, said she didn’t believe people should come to ‘Washington “artificially” but don't think people should be put out of house and home.” “I know a lot of people who could be called parasites,” she remamsked, “but they're all doing war work. Of course, I suppose they might do their war work some place else. On the other hand, if the only people allowed to be here were those working in government build- ings, there wouldn't be enough peo- ple here for the city's own civilian defense.” First-Aid Class Formed A first-aid class has been organ- ized by the Kensington (Md.) Vol- unteer Pire Department for aux- iliary firemen. Classes are being held at 7:30 pm. Tuesdays and Thursdays. F. E. Chase is instructor. came here befoye the show started.” | ‘The Minister's presence gives new 1utrengu\ to the plea of the Allied Pacific powers, Australia, the Neth- {erlnnds and China, who seek recog- | nition of their battle area as a | primary war region. He also rein- | forces their view that the United | States rather than Great Britain is the place for the Pacific nations to bring their problems. “Washington is the place where the Pacific conflict must be resolved,” the Minister said. He expressed a wish for the estab- lishment of a Pacific war council as a political body to have its head- quarters here and to deal with the non-strategy questions arising from the Pacific war. He would have New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, |China and Great Britain repre- | sented on the council. 1 Reports from Australia gave the | | impression here that progress | toward creation of a Pacific war | council already has been made, but | the manner in which Minister Nash talked about the question indicated | that it is a problem yet to be dealt with. “We think invasion might come,” the Minister said, “but we don't| worry about it.” Tough Year Ahead. Auckland, the capital of New Zealand, is 25 hours by plane from Japan, the Minister reported, and he thought this was close enough | to make attack possible. He ven- | tured a prediction: “The next 12 months will be the | toughest that the democracies have | ever had, on all fronts, Pacific and elsewhere. But it will be tough for our enemies, too, and I think we will win through. We have got greater resources and better morale.” New Zealand, he pointed out, lies outside the sphere of command given Gen. Sir Archibald Wavell, in charge of the United Nations in the | Southwest Pacific, with head- | quarters at Batavia. The eastern As Nazis Repor EY the Associated Press. LONDON, Jan. 31.—The luck of | Wing Comdr. R. R. S. Tuck, one of the greatest aces of this war, finally has run out. tall, slim Londoner was shot down during a recent raid over Northern France and now is a prisoner of war. One of the R. A. F. fighter com- mand’s top-scoring pilots, his official record credited him with 29 enemy planes. Tuck returned to the wars only recently after visifing the Bell Aircraft Corp. in Buffalo, N. Y, where he advised the manufacturers about placing cannon in the noses of Airacobra planes. Tuck was the pilot the Air Min- istry reported missing Thursday. He was accompanied by another Spitfire and both pilots crossed the Channel just above the waves. The other pilot last saw Tuck near Bou- logne, apparently hit by gunfire. His plane disappeared toward land, trailing white smoke. The 24-year-old pilot holds the D. S. O. and was the first pilot of this war to get two bars on his Distinguished Flying Cross. He has been called one of the luckiest and most skillful men in the Royal Air Force. ‘He always seemed to be around when the showed u fel- WANTED 1940 PONTIAC WILL PAY HIGH PRICE FLOOD PONTIAC 4221 Conn. Ave. WOodley 3400 Oidest Pontiac Dealer in D. C. WESTINGHOUSE—recondi- szz tioned modern type portable DOMESTIC floor sample s31 2 night table model o 49 WHITE de luxe portable, practically new__ SINGER de luxe consble model that sold whea new for about 355 $160. In very good condition SINGER Round Bobbin Portable that looks and sews like @ Sewing Machines _-; WASHING MACHINES - British Ace’s Luck Finally Ends German reports today said the | t His Capture low pilot said last autumn after | | Tuck had shot down two Germans on what he called a “pleasure spin.” | His luck held out on at least four occasions when he was forced to | abandon damaged planes. Once his plane collided with another in mid- ‘ air. The other pilot was killed, but Tuck was unscratched. Another time he was rescued from the sea. He went to a hospital after another encounter and there a German ptlot he had shot down WALTER NASH. —Star Staff Photo. boundary of Sir Archibald’s com- mand is the center of New Guinea, the minister said. All-Out War Effort. “The war effort in New Zealand is an ‘all-in’ effort in the fullest | sense,” the Minister said. “Today | war effort is New Zealand's greatest | industry. After 16 months of war, 317,000 men and women have been mobilized for war service—one in every five of the total population | of 1,600,000—and 113,000 men are in active service overseas or train- ing.” | Mr. Nash was in New Zealand | two weeks ago, traveling here by | trans-Pacific and transcontinental plane. In Honolulu he met Brig.| Gen. Pat Hurley, on his way to New Zealand as the first American Minister to that dominion. | “New Zealanders,” the Minister said, “are found In every place where the R. A. F. operates, from land to Singapore. The R. N. Z. F. also maintains flights of craft in the Pacific islands. Since the outbreak of the war 35500 men have applied to join the air force | and more than 16,000, of whom | 6,000 are overseas, have so far been accepted. | “In winning the war and in building the peace, New Zealand | is ready and anxious to make the fullest contribution she is capable of making. It is hoped' that the closer ties between the United States and New Zealand that are likely to result from an exchange of diplomatic representation will usefully further both these objec- tives.” Plants May Go ngngry | Because of War Needs B3 the Associated Press. ALLIANCE, Ohio—Even flowers may suffer hunger in wartime. Defense plants are using for munitions chemicals that are also essential as fertilizers for floral’ piants, say officials of the Lamboon | Floral Co. of Alliance. i When summer comes and it is time for new fertilizers, the firm may not be able to obtain neces- sary nitrates and sulphates that are the life food of its greenhouse See us ond save from 10% to 25% on lotest model spinets, grands, consoles, small uprights of standard makes. Cosh or terms. Also bargains in used pianos—uprights, $25 to $75; spinets, $125 up; grands, $195 up. We are ex= clusive local ogents for Cable- Nelson, Everett and other fine pionos. PIANOS FOR RENT + .. 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