The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-05-13

wise. Every bill of the water company the same. And the street car company has agreed to put poster 20x30 inches in every car window and replace the discs that tell where the cars run with Buy a-Home First" poster. The Manufactu- rers association have joined in and ap- pointed a committee which means that every working man will get the thought from a poster displayed in every factory in Oakland with the boss back of it.
 
 The Contractors and Builders. associa- tions have appointed committee and we're going to have discounts of from to 15 per cent during the month of April. We are going to smash the worlds rec ord in our vicinity for the number of houses built by owners in any one month.
 I don't know whether or not you know it, Tom, but Oakland has the record for America for percentages of homes owned by occupants-54 per cent-but we're going to beat that to death. The slogan is Every Oaklander In His Own Home" "Buy-a- Home Finst" before you ask the girl to marry you. Bring her fruit blos- soms from her back yard-to-be and make that offering against the other fellows record of good intentions in her behalf. Buy it with s100 down if you have to and then take out an insurance policy guaranteeing that she'll have a roof over her head. Get every man in America to own piece of property and own his own home by the time he's married. own home who let another fellow kick in the front door, or even let chunk of mud be thrown at the side of the house? Home owners, Tom, fight for what they have, and what America needs right now is a nation of fighters, not a nation of takers.
 This will give you, Tom, some idea of what we're after. We believe that the Buy Home First" idea is the biggest thought that can be spread over Amer lea by the Real Estate association or any other body of men in existence to- day. We believe it is national issue
 
 solution of the situation with Germany.
 This "Buy-a-Home First campaign, Tom, we believe to be the salvation of our nation at a time when money is being thrown to the birds It never was easier to lay aside a competence than at the present time, and there never was fha thrift was so hard at work. Nor will we be able to promote the habits of thrift so essential to the welfare of our nation unless we set up something for the fellow to do with his money rather than merely save it. No man ever gave something in its stead that appealed to him all over as better and isn't this sub stitute for booze and many other forms of reckless expenditure this big thought of "Buy-a-Home First"
 Special articles every Sunday by wen known authors such as Herman Whit aker, Rose Wilder Land. Jean Baker and about a dozen others, are special features of our three months spring campaign. It began two weeks ago. We were- sup posed to have one page of the Oakland Tribune turned over to this purpose We started with one, but ran 1t up to three with the second issue. We follow with three next Sunday.
 l The Ad club of the Chamber of Com merce is writing advertisements and hunting up copy for the leading evening paper of the Pacific coast, our Oakland Tribune, which has taken hold of the thing as though it was the only thing on earth they were interested in. es
 | Can you picture joint conference held last Tuesday by the Oakland real es- | tate board, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Ministerial Union? A lunch with 1 it's theme of "Buy-a-Home First" with crowds being turned away and tho room as still as. vacant air. while three of the best speakers in our city helped the real estate men sell houses and lots. Can you see it, Tom? &
 Ninety per cent of our people in Am erica at the age of 60 are not able to pay their own rent. Isn't this a startling condition? And what are we going to do about it? I believe, Tom, the National | Association of Real Estate Boards can d, more good for our nation within one year from today by following up this