The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-05-10
BUILDING IN u S.
IS NOT ABATING,
DESPITE PRICES

Ih ANY 20 Tan5T rs snLsU 3.A
country continue without ilttle apaee
ment, the first quarter OF this year
showing loss of only fraction OF
one ner cent. as compared to 1916
while 1916 displayed great gain over
1915. Hoggson Brothers, the New
York and Chicago builders, announce
that they. started active operations III
Apr1l on fye buildings for banks alone
in different sections
The impression is gaining strenslh
that while present costs OF materiais
ings appear to be high, the prospec.S
entering into the construction OF Duio-
are for prices to go to stfh hlsner
levels The American Arcnltecl polnS
out that inasmuch as a dollar VIII Duy
three-fourths as much of any COM
7,oditv as it would three years ago,
the cost .6fsibui1ding is',iht prachcaIy
the same ratio to former costs
1sIt lis possible to enumerate one rea-
son after another in favor OF the COL
tention that present prices are low
not high" declares that paper
owners can be made to see mat lne
really pertinent comparisons OF cosls
are with the future rather than the
past, building cannot fail to take On
greater activity Viewed in TINS hent'
present prices for building maIerlai Is
actually appear to. be bargain prices.
Authorities for the most part seem
agreed that the chances for building
material prices to take crop are
! o,,ite remote. whether hostilities con-
tfnue for some time or whether peace
should come within the near future
OF de-
uand on our Industrial resources VIII
be Infinitely greater than they nave
heen- France has just recently clos
| ed n contract involving two hundred
million francs, most of which sum Is
to he spent In America for building
materials to be used IL the reconstruc-
ton of important buildings in cities
in the vicinity of verdun, the Argonne
and the heights of the Mouse.
The danger of a cessation of build
ring activities does not lie so much 1T
the impression that prices are too high
as it does in an attempt to carry the
4 econofny idea to harmful lengths
NotAIngseould be, more injurious thar
indfscrimanats delaying of plans fol
building. This would create an indus
trial situation that would be far
! reaching in its evil effects
The government is actually carry
ing on campaign gaainst the holding
up of Industrial activities, Howard E
Comm, of the advisory commission O.
the Council OF National Defence. de
claring that waste ID bad. but an in
discriminating economy Is worse. Un
employment sand5fz closedsS factorie
brought about through fitfu1 and i'll
advised campaigns for public and pri
vate economy. will prove e veritabl
foundation OF quicksand for the ser
ious work we have, on hand. w
need prosperity in war time eve
more than when we are at peace
Business depressions always are bad
but donbly SO when we have a fight O.
our hands 9 The declaration of wa
can have no real evil effect on bust
ness What bad effects are apparen
are purely psychological and largel
of our own foolish making. For GU
/ markets are the same in April q
they were in March. We need NOR
business, not less. There is real dar
ger In hysteria- Indiscrtminate ecor
omy would be ruinous. Now, is tn
time to, open, the. throttle"
Two years ago the prospective buil6
d or was urged to build now" to 81
to give employment to idle labor. Tt
day he is urged to build now SO 6
| to keep skilled labor employed,
keep the wheels of Industrial activit
going, and to take advantage of pre-
emit prices, lest he be forced to pa
wen more sff ne delays. a7s5
r