Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-22
THE READERS VIEWPOINT
No Housing Relief Without Government Aid


To the Editor of the Epcnino Public Ledgsrsa
Sir-My answer of few days ago did
not remove the question of rent proAtesrfr4
from your mind. or this am pleased, ~
/ previously asked for a complete investigai
tion and feel that in the spirit of co-opsxa-
ton something may develop which will tnis
prove conditions. and, with this in n,tnek
] want to state a few conditions which exl1t
and must be overcome IN some way, II ftdy
to be at all possible for any extensive builAs
ing operations of homes during either th91
duration Of the war or at a later pericdnt
In the first place the construction OF
houses requires skilled labor, and the mAs
chanics previously employed in home buifl.
ing now largely engaged in Governnasnt
work, or are found serving under our hag.
This means that the builder and the building
supply houses find 1t almost impossible to
procure men, even though willing to meet the
advanced prices established by the GoveTW
ment in the various shipping yards. etc,
The building supply houses also know that
even though they located and purchased ma.
terials at the various mills tnroughoutaithe
country (Which has been the CUSTOMARY
method of procuring materials during the
past years) the material would be subject
to Government communicating, II It -wan
wanted by them to be used in any Of then
construction work and. if carriers could ~
procured, or permit issued for such shfp-
nents, there would be no surety Of receiving
the same.
At the present time, for house building
work I'm particular. which is going ahead At
the Government -shipyards at Hog Isi6nd,
Chester Camden. etc, shipments have TON
made in the name of the United States ship
ping board, Emergency Fleet CorporatioI,
ana before permission to make shipments. ete,
be obtained it is necessary to file a. stAto-
ment clearly specifying the material reqiIt1A
and also show where the same is to be ubG0,
Viewing conditions as they now exist, no
reiief is In sight as to the building of AM
large number of homes to Offset the dlS9E-
ton OF rent profiteerng, unless the GoVefIi.
ment Will cooperate with the builders In pri-
vate enterprises and allow materials TO. ~
shipped, and unless it also becomes possu1N
TO obtain the labor now employed in Tvtely-'
Gus lines of business which are nonesseutidx
which labor could be educated to take -
place of labor taken from building construdf
tion work from the time of our entering the
war. There are large numbers Of varl6Sl4
kinds OF business which could be dispehse4
with to allow this labor to turn to buiidiR&
work, II some plan were drafted to bring u
change about in labor now employee IN
nonessential business, and place in buildt3f-
construction work.
Mortgage money cannon be procured and
mortgage money Is not available under Sucn
conditions. as ieven in normal times bu1es
a large risk and have entirely depended on
their success through the combined co-opera>
ton and dovetailng in the various coptructe.
as, until it is a completed structure 1t hae
no real value, and must be completed TO 50
either rented or sold.
WILLIAM r. NICHOLSON. ".
Philadelphia, June 81. W.