Housing Pains

The President had called on Congress to get in and pitch for the Patman housing bill. It was the key to the Wyatt Plan for mass-producing 2,700,000 new homes for veterans in the next two years (TIME, Feb. 18). It was something more--united Democratic action on it would be a sort of dress rehearsal for the coming fight on extending OPA controls and subsidies.

But when the Patman bill came to a vote in the House last week, the Republican-Southern Democratic coalition had its way in a teller unrecorded vote. Down & out went major clauses the Administration wanted most: 1) allocation of $600,000,000 for subsidies, 2) price ceilings on existing homes.

Work Done. Last week the House also:

P: Passed the $128,550,000 deficiency appropriation bill (its second urgent one this session), setting up funds for veterans' hospitalization, old-age relief, etc.

P: The Senate:

P: Took up consideration of the billion-dollar-plus Agriculture Department appropriation bill.

P: Passed a bill to create an Under Secretary of Labor (and three Assistant Secretaries).

P: Passed a joint resolution tendering the thanks of Congress to General of the Army George Catlett Marshall (and members of the Army of the U.S.) and authorizing the President to have a medal struck off for General Marshall.

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