The Detroit times., 1917-02-27

Getting at the Very Root of
q Serious Problem With
Which Detroit Contends


All the talk we are hearing about the causes
Of and remedies for the house famine in De
troit. remind - OF the incoherencies OF the
Queen IN "Ahcs In wonderland whose mine
was OF such q kind and quality that IL never
arrived anywhere. nor started from anything
The housing condition in this city Is az plain
as abe II the people who are eestirring them
selves about Il are acquainted with the alphabet
A-b-c's are out Of style. we are informed BY
Miss SixYear-Old. and we are supposed 10 say
other things, supposed TO be as good. tho more
difficult or else snatch the word up bodily from
its environment. o.
This seems TO Be whxt Is occurring at the
meetings held TO discuss this important matter.
They are snatching up the house. bodily. and
overlooking its relation 20 other things and also
It's component parts.
Detroit. as we all know. has outgrown its
clothes, and letting down the tucks. the hem
and resorting to an artificial facing are not
sufficient TO cover her nakedness.
Why then, are not more clothes fortheomingg
certain class OF men with money are out to
make more money.
Being out for more money. they figured up
returns and and property high. labor high, ma
terisl high and rents high
n they build houses. the interest on their
money IL not as great as II they invested II
some other way.
Rents are high. bat the fewer houses there
are. the higher are the rents and II they own
rsntable property, they are not inclined to In
crease the supply.
For the closer quarters We inhabit. the more
tepemeuts we are obliged TO have and the
Erx lnr Lord
This seems TO dispose OF one side Of the
question
why. then, do not working men build their own
houses as they once did.
There are thousands Of acres OF land going to
waste all about us. and men are receiving good
wages.
Good wages seem also 70 become jumeied
problem In the public mind. which looks entirely
upon the money received and very little upon the
necessities they must cover.
Good wages may be briefly summarized as
those which supply a man and his family with
the necessities OF life and leave a margin for
sickness and old age.
On this basis men today are not receiving good
wages and were better OF 20 years ago at half
the wage.
The working man was once able TO buy lot.
mortgAge u and build his house. paying for II
In the usual way. on time.
He cannot do this today
why notf
Because all the nne property has been bought
up for miles and miles about the city Of De
troit, plated, and In held by unscrupulous specu
lators at prices prohibitive for the working man
He cannot buy the lot: which Is the FIRST move
toward home.
Under the present system. this idle, useless
property may be held ON a low tar basis and
the owners realize more gain from continuing
to hold II than By giving the working man
chance to buy. TO build and TO settle; relieving
the city Of congestion and disease and giving the
new generation n chance to grow in healthy,
happy surroundings.
The problem which our business men are try
ing to solve n not how TO relieve housing con
ditions but HOW TO RELIEVE HOUSING
CONDITIONS AND MAINTAIN THE PRESENT
RATE OF PROFIT FROM RENTS AND
PROPERTY.