Show i Put in New Claim for fOl Mel Merits its Of Rammed Earth Buildings By BA BAUKHAGE News Analyst an and Commentator News Service 1616 Eye Street N. N W. W Washington D. D C. C Is WASHINGTON Is there a solution solution solution tion of ot the low cost housing problem as simple as the ad m a dirt un under er our r f w I feet Have we J- J been overlooking I a n bet w which h i c h Pliny said the Romans were overlooking in inthe 0 o the first century A. A D. D and to i K which most peo- peo pIe plc have shut Il their eyes ever f S fo t 5 since Ince 2 Anthony F. F r fr r t Merrill says so and so does a convincing Job of proving the contention in Ins hIS book The Rammed Earth House which I I have just read It seems Incredible ble I I It didn't seem incredible to Pliny who heatedly proclaimed that the Romans had in Africa and Spain walls of earth They are rather than built Pliny explains by enclosIng enclosing enclosing ing earth within a frame of boards constructed on either side These walls will last for centuries are r r proof against rain wind and fire andare and andare andare are superior In solidity to any cement ceI ce ce- I ment Even at this day more than a ai century after Hannibal Spain still i holds watchtowers watch that were erected erected erect erect- I ed by Hannibal The idea of ot houses of earth is not i incredible to Clinton P. P Anderson good or better a I dwelling than most of ot the called so-called defense homes so 50 widely used during the war for And there are already modest mod est cottages In a n number of places which cost little more than a a thousand thou sand dollars for tor two members of a family to build Solons Salons Have Good Laugh on Selves When Bob Hope or Henry Morgan or even Senator Claghorn pokes fun at congressmen that's supposed to tobe tobe tobe be humorous Its It's always open season on politicians in this country where people riddle their public officials of ot- with gags instead of ot guns But it is IS' not generally realized that legislators like to laugh too too too- even when the laughs laugh's on them And at least one of enjoys congressional jokes so much hes he's written a page book about them Compiling the congressional Joe I Miller may seem a far cry from fromI I steering policies of ot the senate judiciary judi I ciary dory committee but Senator Wiley WHey I Ihas has been working on the humorous i project since 1939 1930 when he first was elected to the United States senate Last L-ast year he got around to sendIng sending send send- ing a letter to all his colleagues inthe In Inthe inthe the house and senate asking them their favorite jokes He was deluged deluged del del- deluged with stories stories good good bad and corny and most of them jokes onor on onor onor or about congress congress- and congressmen All of which Inspired the title othis of ot his book The Laughs Laugh's With Con Con- gress Under the title The Women Women God God Bless em he how In the i I c I I r 71 tf I S A 5 a j b 4 11 Y 11 4 t ti l L A t 44 t t 4 tS i I i p 1 iP 4 S. S The old and new In rammed earth houses Top panel shows modern modern mod mod- modera ern era structure at nt Claremont Calif Calit Bottom shows church at Sumter S. S C. C which has stood through more than tItan a century and weathered sev several ral hurricanes and an earthquake secretary of agriculture who has written the preface to the book If It Tony Merrill and his rammed- rammed earth builders want either my blessIng blessing bless bless- ing tag or my cooperation says the secretary they may be assured of them both Rammed earth according to Merrill Merrill Mer Mer- rill nil is a term ferm describing both the material and the process of wall building by which earth is tamped into the shape of a wall Avail or building block In essence a compressed block or section of earth will when tamped assume the shape of the form torm into which it is pressed and when the moisture dries out harden into a permanent shape suitable for tor use as a building material The reasons set forth by Merrill as to why if it this method of building is so good it has not been widely adopted are logical One One theres there's theres no money in it except the money saved by the builder Two Two con con contrary to the impression among sellers sellers sellers sell sell- ers of building materials Merrill insists in insists insists in- in it would help rather than hurt their business The man who builds a rammed earth house cant can't afford any other kind And he has to buy eve everything floor everything floor roofing plumbing everything In fact tact except the I walls which are free tree except for tor the cost of ot the forms and the tamping Merrills Merrill's thesis is that anyone willing to acquire the rudimentary knowledge of building can build a rammed earth house bouse himself with three bedrooms spacious living dining and cooking facilities and all plumbing g and nd heating equipment for less than He can as closing and very literally hot hot- sessions sessions sessions ses ses- of the congress the then Sergeant Arms Wall Doxey ruled twice within three weeks that al although although although al- al though women in slacks could be permitted in senate galleries women women wom worn en in shorts would be inimical to the dignity of ot the senate and were to be barred from the gallery All of ot which moved Sen Richard Russell of ot Georgia to remark In hot weather I am sometimes envious that I cannot wear shorts myself Mr Doxey is supposed to tobe tobe tobe be e an authority on what creates confusion contusion confusion con con- fusion In the senate but personally I have no objection to shorts If this had been printed in the record there would have been laughter after that one Another story claimed as the fa favorite favorite ta- ta of former Sen Guy Gillette of Iowa and Arkansas' Arkansas young Sen William Fulbright Is a true one As Senator Gillette tells it his colored maid had noticed that the senator then a representative had his pIcture picture pic plc ture In the paper Underneath was wasa wasn a n caption to the effect that he might be nominated for the upper cham cham- ber Is a higher than a representative the maid wanted to know Yes Gillette told her they are so considered because a senator represents an entire state and a representative represents a district of ot a state The maids maid's next question was Well Is there anything lower than a congressman congressman congress congress- man Gillette is said to have been forced to Imply that there was Indeed in indeed indeed in- in deed nothing lower than a congressman congressman congress congress- man |