Page:Longines Chronicles with Albert M. Cole 1954 ARC-96006.ogv/11

Cole
May I say this, I do not believe, Mr. Cronkite, that housing for people in America is based solely upon public housing, or the housing provided through the program of subsidized housing through federal assistance. Many sound, well informed, well-intentioned people, who have an interest in the human needs of the people of America believe that the problem is getting good houses for people, good houses, and therefore we envision a plan, a program, legislation, which will do that. It can't be done through one program, through public housing, through slum clearance, through rehabilitation, through expansion of federal housing insurance programs, it must be done through all the tools available to the people. It must be done in a partnership by government with the people, with the communities, and no one of these tools will provide all the housing that all of the people need. Let me say it again, the piecemeal approach, the approach which says that you can solve the problem of housing using one tool, lets say FHA insurance for housing. That won't accomplish it, Mr. Cronkite. Some people say we can get housing through slum clearance, that won't accomplish it; some people say we can get housing through rehabilitation of old structures, that won't accomplish it, in my opinion. Some people say we can get better housing through public housing, that won't accomplish it, in my judgment. My opinion is that we need all of the tools, all of the implements, all of the activity, all of the productivity, all of the vigor, all of the enthusiasm of the people to get the job done, everything (illegible text).