[No. 272] INVESTIGATION OF CONGESTED AREAS A REPORT OF THE CONGESTED AREAS SUBCOMMITTEE. OF THE COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SEVENTY-EIGHTH CONGRESS SECOND SESSION PURSUANT TO H. Res. 30 A RESOLUTION FOR AN INVESTIGATION TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE WAR EFFORT IS BEING CARRIED FORWARD EFFICIENTLY, EXPEDITIOUSLY, AND ECONOMICALLY UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1944 COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS CARL VINSON, Georgia, Chairman PATRICK H. DREWRY, Virginia LANSDALE G. SASSCER, Maryland MELVIN J. MAAS, Minnesota W. STERLING COLE, New York JOHN Z. ANDERSON, California ANTHONY J. DIMOND, Alaska JOSEPH R. FARRINGTON, Hawaii BOLÍVAR PAGÁN, Puerto Rico JOHN C. LEWIS, Clerk MARGUERITE MADDUX, Assistant Clerk MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE INVESTIGATING CONGESTED AREAS COMMITTEE ON NAVAL AFFAIRS JOHN E. FOGARTY ED. V. IZAC, Chairman MELVIN J. MAAS GEORGE J. BATES JOHN Z. ANDERSON MARGARET CHASE SMITH ROBERT E. KLINE, Jr., General Counsel, Naval Affairs Investigating Committee LT. WILLIAM C. LEWIS, Jr., United States Naval Reserve, Special Counsel to the subcom matter 1 Deceased. * Resigned. II LOUISE K. BENTON, Clerk [No. 272] INVESTIGATION OF CONGESTED AREAS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, NAVAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE, Ion. CARL VINSON, Chairman, Committee on Naval Affairs, House of Representatives, Washington, D. C. November 1944. MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: At this time last year, the Subcommittee on Congrested Areas made an over-all report to you on its investigation of the first five congested areas in the vicinity of naval establishments. Shortly thereafter, you directed this subcommittee to investigate hree additional congested areas on the west coast in anticipation of he shift of the war effort to the Pacific. As in the case of the first series of the subcommittee's investigations, preliminary reports were nade immediately following the completion of inspection of each of these three additional areas and hearings conducted in these westcoast centers. Findings and recommendations were made on the problems of housing, health, recreation, transportation, manpower, police and fire protection, food, and education in these areas. From October 22 to 28, 1943, an intensive inquiry was conducted in the Puget Sound, Wash., area with 50 well-informed wit-nesses testifying on the vital wartime problems of Seattle, Bremerton, Tacoma, Everett, and other municipalities in this area. A similar inquiry was pursued in Portland, Oreg.; Vancouver, Wash.; and other localities of the Columbia River area. Testimony was received from 33 area leaders of all segments. This second series of inquiries came to a close with the sessions in Los Angeles and Long Beach, Calif., for that area which has approximately 45 local governments. As in the other two areas, personal inspections were made of various war plants, facilities and establishments in the area. Through 45 local representatives public hearings on the problems of 10 of the leading municipalities from November 10 to 14, 1943. In summary, the subcommittee heard 128 witnesses from 18 localities, during 9 days of hearings in 4 cities. ACCOMPLISHED OBJECTIVES We found that these areas had the same general problems of the areas investigated in our first series of inquiries. Of course, each area had its own peculiar problems, but the most urgent need of each area was for the Joint Chiefs of Staff to inform the local authorities in as great detail and as far in advance as the interests of security would permit, of the demands to be created by this shift of the war effort to the Pacific. We urged realistic recognition of this by the President and the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Since that time the end of the European war has appeared on the horizon and the full-fledged shift to the Pacific is imminent. |