Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-10-10
MOULD ORGANIZE
HOUSING COMPANY
Mr.. Nolan Suggests This
Method Of Meeting Local
Conditions
PLAN SUCCESSFUL
IN OTuE CITIES

Wilmington business men who at
tended the Chamber OF Commerce lun-
cheon yesterday and heard John Nolen'
of Cambridge, Mass, housing expert,
were much Impressed with his talk.
They were espec ally interested In what
Mr.. Nolen told them other cities are
doing to meet the same problems that
confront Wilmington. Mr.. Nolen's od-
dress in part follows
Housing IN Wilmington for more
than a year has been given careful
thought and the conditions have been
examined with a good deal Of psnetra-
ton. individuals and special commit
tees have Investigated the subject yet
action halts. The demand is unques-
toned, perhaps rs great extent is the
very factor which brings hesitation. II
has been said that II there were enough
houses made ready by some magic
within twenty-four hours that within
three days every one Of them could be
rented"
"The housing Of wage earners Is now
common problem, In at least lity
cities. corresponding In almost every
detail with the situation In Whining
ton. The conditions we all know are
UIIUIEEEuNMNNun
dustrial expansion prior to 1914, then
war in Europe for three years with
The constant increased demands on the
United states. following that our en-
try into the war actively 10 should be
kent In mind too. what that entry INTO
war brought. we had all the problems
involved i'm the manufacture Of war
materials combined with the building
OF camps. the withdrawal Of a million
men or more from industrial and com
merclal life and continued demands for
supplies from the Allies
eThe result briefly is a bitter com
petition for labor IN all sections Of the
country. Where will the laborer eol
Naturally, he will go where wages and
conditions are most favorable and
among these conditions the most I'M
portant perhaps, is that of housing
Fortunately, the solution Of The
problem even in its present acute form
has been worked out In a number OF
industrial cities similar IN almost all
respects TO Wilmington. Striking exam
ples are Waterbury and Bridgeport
Connecticut; Akron, Ohio, and kenosha,
Wisconsin. Bridgeport Is especially IN
terestlng because the conditions II any
thing were decidedly more dihlcult.
Yet. within a year Bridgeport has forced
a housing company backed by tht
Chamber OF Commerce and the business
interests generally, has raised q millios
dollars. engaged q competent manage
10 give all his time TO the subject an
has constructed sold or rented lmmo
dlately upon completion, between thro
humid ed and four hundred houses
the tvpes most needed. The recOmmeT
dations given TO Bridgeport and thes
other places and followed successful
by the housing companies organize
are available for Wilmington. Unde
such a program, ] firmly believe tina
a hundred houses could be rising iron
the ground In Wilmington In less thai
a month. and that the effect OF sucl
an operation would be to stimulate
other building interests simply because
Of the expression Of confidence and leat
to almost as many more houses. Win
in six months such a company NIGH
be the means Of providing for Mt lcasl
five hundred workers and the program
could be repeated every six months, I
in the Judgment Of the officers, th'
supply was still inadequate. The Torn
OF organization might follow that al
Kenosha or Bridgeport or might b.
modified 70 meet local conditions here
1T IS more than probable that tn
United States Government will be com
PEELED to step into the housing Held
but unless all signs fail, i.s action VII
be confined 20 the assistance or indus
tries and shipping directly related L
war contracts with the government
"The capital needed for an extensive
program can he provided in variety o
ways. Some OF It undoubtedly SHOULD
be had In the form Of subscriptions L
stock IN the housing company, anl con
siderebly more might also be mad
available from the wage earners them
selves through a better and more ex
pansive organization Of local building
and loan associations In Wilmington
me success Of these cooperative en-
'erprises and encouragers Of thrift 4
Well known. II am correctly informed
their use In Wilmington at present {
very limited"
The business interests OF Whining
ton however, have no reason 40 hos
tate one moment about the capii,l nee,
ed for housing program. A citv ,yhir
has recently contributed milton
more outright to the Red Cross. ana n