Evening star., 1915-01-31
ARCHITECTS PREDICT
REVIVAL IN BUILDING
Bankers Ready to Furnish Money
for Work Already
Planned.

TO one who carefully reads the re-
ports Of building conditions in all parts
, of the country. the one thing which
| will probably he impressive above all
others is the almost universal spirit Of
! optimism that exists among archi-
| tects," says the American Constructor
| II continues:
What is the actual value - be
placed upon that optimism? Is the
I architect professionally one who looks
| upon the bright side of things. or is he
in position to perceive and appreciate
| conditions of betterment that are yet
! hidden from the general business eye?
If the latter. then the architects of the
country sound most cheering and sig
nificant note of reviving business ac-
tivity.
"The architect is and should pc an
optmist. Just as everybody should be
to the limit consistent with sound
Judgment The architect breathes the
true spirit of the times in giving voice
to his hopes and expectations. And 1T
is moreover true that he is in d posi-
tion to behold underlying conditions
not yet generally apparent
Much Work Held Up.
Another significant fact is the large
amount of construction work that has
been planned and held up on account
of adverse financial conditions. This
deferred work has increased from week
to week and now has attained nota-
BILE volume The mere return Of money
to it's normal market status would IN
itself give a tremendous impetus to the
building line without the addition OF
new business.
some localities report the money
markets practically back to normal
conditions; others indicate only prog
ress in that direction. All. however.
show marked Improvement as com
pared with month or two ago. Bull
falo gives the tip as coming from in
side banking sources that after Janu-
ary l money will loosen up. And the
significant statement comes from Co
lumbus that bankers are now tending
to favor building operations more than
they did 4 month or two ago, because
new buildings add to the material well
fare of the country.
Demanded First Consideration.
That is an important idea. 1t is,
moreover, comparatively new idea,
one that should be widely promulgated.
The banker three months ago had no
quarrel with Legitimate building opera
tions. They We're all right in their way.
but they had no preference. There
were other demands made upon his
consideration to which he gave first
place. But the big financial people
have had an opportunity to study the
effects of moderate subsistence in
construction work. 1t pinched in many
unexpected places. Because of this
modest subsidence in building opera
tions. construction work no doubt now
occupies a position OF higher necessity
in the eyes of the hnancier. than ii
has done heretofore. The making of q
community it wrapped up in its struc-
buildings progress, and the welfare
of the latter, therefore, rises to su-
preme Importance.
Our Washington correspondent
raises an interesting issue. one Of pure
psychology. In sthat city of regular
economic habits, with banking depos-
its as steady and uniform clock
work. there has been reported the same
tight money as in other cities. -Ap-
parently, simply because to hoard re-
sources had become a contagious habit
The numerous evidences of financial
relaxation are therefore most cheering.
Public Work Increases.
An early expansion of building is
foreshadowed also in the reports of
public work. Where the issuance Of
bonds has been submitted to vote. the
result in the great majority of in
stances has been favorable: And; more
over, many municipalities throughout
the country are taking pains TO get un-
der way public work. because officials
recognize that that policy is popular.
relieving as it does the local distress
created by unemployment. The ag-
gregate amount of new work UNDER
taken from that motive is doubtless
vast.
THE building outlook may be re-
garded as distinctly better than a
month ago. 1t Is of course mainly