Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-04-16
TOBU|LD HOMES FOR
SH|PYARD WORKERS
Government and Local Company
Complete Arrangements for
Federal Funds.

Ofhcials of the Wilmington Housing
| Company have issued invitations for n
public meeting to be held i'm the grill
room of the Hotel du Pont mt 3 O clock
| on Thursday evening, at which they hope
all citizens of Wilmington interested in the
problem of housing shipyard employees
will attend Detailed explanations Of
| the plans for the construction of hundreds
| Of houses in this city will be made. Con-
| tracts have been completed between the
| Housing Company and the Emergency
| Fleet Corporation of the government,
| whereby n liberal loan of government
| funds has been granted To Wilmington for
| this purpose. However, the success Of the
| project, in part, depends upon the
thorough cooperation of the officials OF
the housing company and local business
interests.
The housing proposition, which has
been under consideration for some months
past has assumed definite form. and the
government has made concrete propo-
sition TO Wilmington, the contracts be-
ing almost identical with those offered
other shipbulding ccnters While there
has been some delay in the housing
proposition. which has been the cause OF
deep regret to the Wilmington men in
tercsted. Il IS stated authorItatively that
this delay was not occasloned by any
causes within the control OF local people
The main cause was the failure OF the
officials at Washington 10 work out com
plete plan which was acceptable to the
communities To which il was offered
The lack of houses for the accom-
modation of the increase IN the ship
building population Of Wilmington has
become very serious matter II might
appear TO be an cxaggeration to say that
the success of the American armies and
their allies on the western front IN France
depends, or may soon depend upon the
number and character of the houses built
in this city and other places during the
coming six months. Yet this Is the case
High government officials, heads Of ship
building concerns, and other war indus
tries and others have affirmed that the
war cannot be vigorously and ~sfully
prosecuted unless there is {, cd IN
crpase in suitable housing facnties in
cities like Wilmington, where ships are
made.
Wilmington at present has the densest
population per arre of any city Of the
100000 population class IN the United
States. As compared with the average
density of population of all the cities Of
density of almost four times as great
as the average. 1t even exceeds In destiny
OF population per acre such large and
closely built-up cities where the same
type Of housing prevails, as Baltimore
and Philadelphia.
As a result of the war and the pressure
for industrial efficiency, unique op-
portunity is presented to this city. which
is called upon to increase and speed the
production of ships to the absolute limit
OF capacity For the first time in the
history OF the city, hundreds OF houses are
TO be built under conditions that make
possible the use of the very best methods,
controlled by the best ideas and motives
These benefits, however may not he
secured to their full extent unless all
concerned bend every energy in united
effort for the advancement of the one
idea that should dominate the entire
nation at this time, namely the sue
cessfu prosecution Of the war with every
one working to assist IN rushing the pro-
duction of the ships that are so necessary
to transport men, munitions and supplies
TO the fighting line III France.