Show I BUILDING OF HOMES IS' IS FO OF PROSPERITY Y IN U U. So S I I I CREATION N Ni OF LOANI LOAN LOAM BANK SUGGESTED rr BY EXPERT I Wartime Restrictions of Should Be Removed He Declares By Ernest T. T Trigg President of the National Construction Industries I The American construction industry employs s 's more labor than any other I field except agriculture It produces I annually about worth ot of wealth taxpaying property A shortage short short- I age in this production Increases the I cost ot of living I The industry s halting Those engaged engaged en- en in it are deeply concerned with witha a to normal conditions During the period ot of re reconstruction it il Ia primarIly necessary that all Idle labor and material be engaged for tor the future use of at the nation Here aril are I some ot of the thoughts briefly stated which industry has to advance I It is estimated that the accumulations accumulations of at savings banks and insurance companies during the war amount to from three to fIve thousand mIllion dollars and that these It if Invested would make good g our impaired conI construction con con- facilities The home buIldIng ot of the country could be greatly facilitated by by the creation of t a home loan bank sImilar to the New York Land bank which would ermit borrowing by the building build build- ing and loan associations at a low rate of interest upon their securities which amount to about two thousand million dollars makIng these available to the home builders throughout the United States Building labor throughout the UnIted States Is said to have advanced advanced ad- ad in cost an average of at per percent percent cent during the war period It is possIble to reduce labor cost by the elimInation ot of the jurisdIctional strike It Is estimated that 95 05 per cent ot of al all strikes in construction lines and 75 i per pel cent of at all delays due to st strikes s I in this line have been from jurisdictional jurisdictional I causes which have had nothing to do with controversies as to wages The cost of living has gone up during the war about 6 65 per cent while the cost ot of construction has Increased increased In- In creased 50 per cent to 80 per cent according according ac- ac cording to the type of at building It does not seem reasonable to suppose that labor in the industry in various arious forms torms will immediately substantially substantially sub sub- decrease in cost and consequently consequently con con- it cannot annot be expected that there will come a drop in the cost of at materials to a prewar basis or anything anything any any- i thing lUte like that It is generally accepted accepted ac- ac as a tact fact that from 70 to 90 I per cent Ot of the cost ot of producing of at atan j an average run ot of products from the stump to the finished article Is labor MUST STABILIZE VALUES I Market values need stabilizing If I the material prices in any branch ot of I Ithe the Industry are out of line with prevailing pre pre- costs then the leaders in such I industries should make adjustments One item In costs should be corrected corrected cor- cor II without delay That is a war schedule of freight rates on certain I materials which was undoubtedly planned to limit civilian construction durIng the war These rate advances I ranged from 25 per cent of at per cent TOO MANY IDLE CARS There are more idle c cars rs than at any previous time To place these freight rates on a peace basis would bring the railroads revenue for carrying building materials and also additional revenue on a vast quantity ot of other traffic whIch moves when construction Is going going go- go ing on and men are earning and spending spend spend- spend spend-I ing ing- wa wages Tn rn normal times 25 per I cent ot of the railroads railroads' tonnage is in construction materials Another means ot of encouraging buildIng building build build- Ing is the possible waiving of at all taxes on such buildings for a period of years such as may be consistent with the local lo- lo cal needs need The standards of at living In this country country coun- coun try are are high it is the judgment of at many thoughtful men In industry that the purchasing ability ot of the the wage earner should not be decreased This country must therefore look to its natural resources to Its improved tools of at Industry and to the efficiency ot of Its labor to improve Its strategic industrial industrial indus indus- trial condition rather than to a reduction reduction tion of at the standards ot of living PUBLIC WORK NEED Public work has always been a governmental governmental gov- gov expedient in time of stress and municIpal county state and federal ted fed eral aid should it would seem be thrown into the balance at this time Tn In an endeavor to reduce heavy taxation taxation taxa- taxa tion Incident to the war the federal government besides curtailing its wartime expenditures has apparently viewed with an to economy its peace construction expenditures The railways whIch have been absorbing absorbing ab- ab about 35 per cent ot of the product ot of the steel industry are in a period ot of uncertainty War regulations of a mInor character charac- charac ter are still in effect The shipping pro program ram Is beIng cur cur- tailed The postmaster general has In his wisdom restricted telephone construction construction con con- while congress has restricted restricted re- re the appropriations necessary for federal buildings hospitals etc ThIs places a greater need upon the construction Industry for tor the absorption absorption tion ot of materials and labor into useful construction The revival of the construction Industry Industry In- In should not leave leavo behInd It as monuments ot of indiscretion ill advised constructions ot of any sort It would seem at least that work which has already already al- al ready been carefully planned could be proceeded with and at any rate nothing nothing noth- noth ing ing- can be be lost to either public or private private vate work it if both governmental authorities authorities au- au and private Individuals who are contemplatIng building of any sort set about to draw their plans |