The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-12-15
Civic Association Told of Great
Need Among Families With
Small Incomes.
DR.. John NOLAN SPEAKS
Real Estate Exploitation Is
Blamed for Majority Of Badly
2 Constructed Homes.

Real Estate exploitation OF an'
Speculation in the homes of the work
ingmen must give way to field o.
legitimate manufacture before thu
great change in housing condition!
IN this country will come, DR.. Johr
Nolen, of Cambridge, Mass told the
American Civic Association today.
Housing Is a big business Isl ,ra. "a sac y,
such. More than $4,000, 100000 a year
In spent In the United states FOL
dwellings and large percentage ol
them are poorly conceived for theii
purposes. Fully so per cent OF then
are OF wood. Usually In such build
ings, there is excessive depreciation
and n fearful risk of fire"
House Costs Nearly $1,000.
The usual house OF four or five
rooms, he stated, cannot be provided
in the United States for less than
about $1,000. n house Of that sum
cannot be offered on the basis OF
an economic rent, for less than x1l
. month. More than half OF all work
ingmen receive less than SIS week,
Either the cost OF the house must b.
lowered, he stated, or lcso the wages
OF the workingman must be raised
The solution of the housing prob
lem. said DIR. Nolen. must come from
putting the great forces which now
are Instrumental In producing had
housing conditions, to work In tile OPP
posite direction. Most employers. he
stated. are now confronted with tho
problem OF holding their help, and are
improve the living conditions OF the
workingman.
Presided ~ session.
In the absence OF Lee J. Ninde.
chairman OF the committee on city
planning. of Fort WAYNE. Ind, George
B. Ford. OF New York, presided at
the session Of the civic workers this
morning.
Richard ~. watrous. secretary Of
tho American civic Association. told
OF recent campaign conducted In
Indiana for tho purposes OF city plan
nins and the success with which IL
met.
Andrew Wright Crawford. secrc-
tary OF the Art Jury OF Philadelphia.
told Of the method OF city planning
IN Philadelphia and also spoke OF
tho need for state city planning COM
missions.
stated, lis more than the movement
for TIM city beautiful. IL In more
concrete. less ornamental II benefits
the city commercially, industrlally.
and economically"
In speaking OF the results obtained
he said; I'VE have shown city authorl-
ties and citizens that good-looking
results arc much cheaper than poor.
looking results"
"The city which does not have the
proper number OF Fairgrounds" he
said. may pride itself on its reduced
expense account, but there IL another
story; when the death rate Is con
suited"
Many Interested In city planning
discussed the movement informally
this morning In three'minute speeches.
Resolutions were passed thanking
the newspapers OF Washington for
their aid, and inviting sid Edmund
Walker and DR.. Faulkner, president
of the University OF Toronto, as hon.
orary delegates from Canada TO the
session OF the American Civic Associa-
tion next year In 81. Louis.
Although planning TO adjourn this
morning, IL was voted To hold an eN-
ira session OF the association this
afternoon In order To wind up unhn-'
ishod business,