Evening star., 1918-02-17
How England Housed
Her War Workers.


How England Housed many other
Her War Workers. .hs severn
ment are thinking about war housing
for employees, the fact that this prob
lem has been met by England should
lead to some investigative work. AS
matter of fact, some work along this
line has been done by experts Of the
Department of Labor.
/ In looking into the subject it has
been found by our experts that even
before the war broke out there was q
shortage of workingmen's houses in
England. and that this shortage was
great. At that time. before the war.
when the British government was itself
thinking of putting up cottages, it
was estimated that there was a short
age of some 100000 to 10000 cottages.
1t has been reported to officials high
in the British government-so our ex-
tperts have learned-that the lack Of
housing in certain areas is one of the
leading causes for industrial disturb
ances. Our own Congress has been
asked to take some action in connec-
tion with housing employees of the
various shipping yards which are turn
it is interesting to note in this connec-
tion that the British legislature al
ready has passed two housing acts
since the war began.
Under the basic housing acts the
British government makes loans not
only to local authorities and limited
dividend companies. but also to build
ing associations of every sort and to
private persons. Presumably, therefore.
employers are entitled to loans for
I'm
in borrowing from the government, our
experts are advised, have been permit
ted to charge portion of the increase
on the cost of building due to war con-
ditions to the profits which might have
gone to the government under excess
profits legislation.
1t is extremely difficult, experts of
the Department of Labor say, to secure
any data as to results of war housing
legislation in Great Britain-the extent
of government construction UNDER
taken. what departments have engaged
in it and the amount expended-as in
formation has been held back for mill
tary and other reasons. Even the loca-
ton Of the different government under
takings. it is said. is not made public
One official in connection with the
war housing in England has stated
that the world will be amazed at what
and the matter is publicly discussed
Numerous towns have been developed
as permanent communities and the
buildings have been predominanuy of
a permanent type, establishing a gov
ernmental policy in that respect.
While the question of housing our
workmen in the United States is mat
ter which has practically been brought
on by the war. this has been a subject
of British legislation since 1851. Pri-
vate enterprise, it Is stated, has failed
in England to meet the shortage and
resort. has been made to government
financial aid before. Under the laws Of
1890 and 1909. which form the basis of
British housing legislation. the differ
ent local governments are charged
with authority to advance funds to lay
out towns. buy land. build houses and
to rent to workingmen. Government
funds are also available for advances
to building societies. which agree to
limit their profits to per cent.
Under the legislation outlined above
the central British government has
housing question. 1t has done no direct
building on its own part. The war.
however. has fastened matters. Fur
ther legislation was passed which en-
abled the government itself to erect
suitable quarters for government work
ers and for employees engaged in work
ing on government contracts. That is
the present state Of affairs in Great
Britain.
Officers in the quartermaster depart
ment of the Army who have to deal
with the transporta-
Deye1oninp tion situation are proud
wor TrroL, OF their work. in con-
voA AAoeAs. junction with some
of the best automobile experts of the
country, in developing what they
denominate as an A No. l motor for
trucking purposes for our boys, both
here and in Europe. The experience
which was gained by officials of the
quartermaster department in trans
porting supplies to our Army in
ing the new truck, and also the fact
that our automobile manufacturers
had. since the European war broke
out, been manufacturing machines
and parts of machines for the various
foreign governments, and SO had some
experience in that kind of manufac-
ture.
Some months ago at the request of
the Quartermaster Corps a committee,
signers of the country. was selected by
representative association to design
a standard military truck that would
meet all the requirements of hard
MILITARY SeTVlSe, tIdt Coulu be quit
by the largest possible number of
factories, and that would at the
same time enable the separate part
makers of the United States to use
their factories to the hest ADVANTAGE
in turning out the parts needed for
these trucks The result of the work
of this committee, which labored day
and night for months, has been most
satisfactory. the officers aver, and the
progress made laid at rest. one after
another. those doubts and problems
which in the beginning were very
general. This standard truck is now
in use by the Army, and. while some
changes may be made from time to
tended the needs of the Army shall
be supplied with this one uniform type
of standard truck.
In the production of this truck the
broadest experience of the most ex-
pert automobile truck men in the
country was procured, and it is be-
lieved by those competent to Judge
that the truck will be able to meet
The most exacting requirements that
war conditions can impose upon 1t.
An additional advantage is that it IL
possible to manufacture this truck
in much larger quantities than could
facturer working on a different kind
of truck. The great advantage. how
ever. is in the lessening of the stock
of spare parts which it is necessary
to send to Europe for the repair of
the trucks, and thus the problem of
maintenance is partly solved-a prob
lem which our experts abroad say
has been most distracting to the
armies of the allies in consequence
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