Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-12-28
Secretary Douglas Declares no
Effort to Restrict Erection
of Residences Proposed.

Pcsst.nt rumors, which even liGd
channels OF spreading thru the mailS
in the form of personal letters, TO rha
effect that there is to be cuftan
ment of building thruont the cour
try BY order OF the United States i;o..
eminent are branded BY Secretary
Douglas OF the Chamber of Commerce !:
as the work OF pro-Germans who have
an OBJECT In view: TO create IN the
minds OF the Americans a desire for
peace that will stay this embargo ON
building
For the past several months the
mails OF this section OF the country,
especially have been flooded with let
ters IN which the readers and the at
tention Of the press Is called 20 lhe
fact that two results OF the war will
be the placing of an embargo on The
shipment OF building materials and
the prohibition of work by skilled
men on such structures.
Sample Letter.
Only yesterday the following letter,
unsigned and reproduced verbatim.
came to The World asking this paper
to bring tC the attention of the read
building avticities before the govern
ment steps in and prohibits such
work:
WARNING. NOTICE!
"U. S. Embargo on Certain Indus
tries Coming. Home building expected
to be one Of the first to be affected.
until end OF the war. Some action cK-
pected as in Europe. where nearly
every nation prohibited home build
ing during the period Of the war. The
enomous shortage OF freight cars for
shipping food, munitions and war ma
terials Is causing the Govermen: to
begin stopping shipments of frelghts
which do not come under these class-
ifications. The rapidly increasing la
Dor shortage is expected to resul. in
similar action on using men in build
ing material manufacture. Help Win
the war. These facts are of vital i'm
portance to you right now. England
plans 100000 new working mer'S
homes after the war ends and csti-
mates that dwellings are to cost ap-
prox.m6tely l,2l6, 6,G25,000. ] expect
to see the worlds war end by the com
ing year Of 1918 in or about March.
Today the public have been enjoying
the highest of prosperity that the
world has ever known. More money
floatirg over the country than as
ever been mode money on deposit in
the banl:s The greatest crops ever
had, higher taxes and higher rents.
Higher wages and more labor has
been called for all over the entire
world But The public today don't
realize one third whats going on. Help
the soldiers help the laboring class
of people In regard to higher costs Of
rents Hclp cut them down. Save ex-
ira money ia help fight and win our
country's wa:."
German Propaganda.
In commenting upon this lcuer,
Secretary Douglas declared that with
out hesitation he would say it was the
work cf pro-German agent WHO
thinks to create the impression N the
minds Of the public that the nltlon,
to av"id an embargo on building ma
terials must bring about an early end
TO the war.
From IA Teutonic standpoint, such
reasoning Is logical" Secretary Doug
las declared. Such a person would
have us believe that the war, If It con-
tinuec, will result in an end tenn
porarly To all building activities The
aim desired by such q person would be
demand by the people that the war
end now, and If the war ends now
Germany can claim n victory. Aus
tralia ha. not stopped the construc-
ton of buildings nor highways, both
of which are essential. This same plan
was attempted in Australia, l have
heard, hut failed, and now the same
method to stir up strife and dissatis-
faction IL being used in this part OK
the country, especially such cities as
Tulsa. where building activity is at
its height.
such letters should be placed in
the hands of the federal authorities
and their authors should be brouShtk
out and given an opportunity to show
their reasons for writing them, and
whether these reasons ae 70 patiot-
ism to the United States or to Ger
many