El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-05-04
UNCLE SAM IS
!. To Be LANDLORD
Will Build Homes for In
dustrial Workers as a
War Measure.
By FREDERIC }. HAsKIN.

washington. D. C.. May THE gov
eminent IS about to appropriate an
other $50. 900 900 for housing facilities
for Industrial workers. A bill auth
orizlnr- the secretary Of labor. under
the direction OF the president to
spend such an amount in furnishing
living quarters for employees engaged
in war work. including government
clerks in the District Of Columbia Is
now before the senate.
only a month ago, the emergency
fleet corporation received an appro-
priation OF S5O.OOO.0O0 with which 10
provide houses for shipyard workers
The housing question Is nov one OF
the most important factors In the
American war program II IS the cnleI
obstacle in the way OF speellns "
the war work The whole difflculLy
arises from the lack OF slll lS.Sa-,
houses in towns Where munlllyti
plants are located. American work
non are refusing to stay where they
can not obtain decent living condl-
The situation has grown up during
the past three years.
IntOIlerable Conditions.
In one town in Connecticut durlns
the first year OF the war. Workmen
were compelled TO sleep in railway
waiting rooms in the absence OF any
other kind OF shelter Lodging houses
were so overcrOwded as TO menace
the health Of the workers An inves-
tigation disclosed one room ABOUT L
feet square in which six double neds
had been iammed as close togetneE
During the height Of the boom in
: - cfnnr
in these beds. Each was allotted
eight hours.
This situation was not peculiar to
This town in Connecticut. The same
thing was occurring in almost every
munition town in the country. Thou
sands OF workmen have been ols.
covered sleeping in rooms Wltnoll
anv means OF ventilation thousands
have been found living in cellars ana
Easements. and thousands have been
found living in overcroWded tene-
ments, where the water supply was
confined to pump in the oackyaFo a.
or, in the more uptodate houses a
sink in the hall. In the first year OF
the war rebellion would have oeeh
futile. II a workman disliked his JOB,
there was always another workman
to fill his place. But now there IS q
labor shortage. II q workman isaFe -
his Job. IL is sometimes Impossible 10
get another man 10 ill Il
Factory Owners Awaken
As a result many factory owners
who never bothered their heads about
the housing u their employees oeIoI :
the war. are now adding the cost o.
newly built houses 10 their overhead
expenses.
Many concerns in sections where
housing conditions are bad are having
10 subIet 4 great deal OF their Work
! because they can not induce men 70
come where there are not suftlcient
houses With the United States az
-var- such a constant shifting OF labor
is a serious problem. It takes ABOUT
a week for a new workman to become
Accustomed to his machine, and the
firm that is changing Eorkmen every
week or so is losing a great deal IN
! efficiency. There is also more nu-
mn b,f Equally practical angle to
the situation The workman is usual
" what his environment makes nm,
The man who sleeps in a bed shar 60
by two other men. VINO eats poor.
cooked food and who spend most OF
his spare time Gin the absence OF any
form OF. recreation) in the corner sa-
loon, is not apt to achieve any e1Il-
cheney record
Thus the government has come 70
realize that TO get the best out o.
every workman engaged in war Work
Z
provided him, as well as fairly wen
cooked food and healthy recreation
The government can not very wen
attend 70 the cooking OF food for in
dustriaI workers. but II can make X
possible for married workmen 70 keep
their families with them, It can pro-
vide comfortable lodging houses IN
charge Of caretakers for single work
men. and. in many cases, II can pro-
vide land for gardens and athlete
games as healthy forms OF recreation
| for the Industrial worker.
England has done all OF these
things. The British government
learned its lesson early. and quickly
started house building. II has already
spent 500. 0O0.0OO in providing hous-
ing facilities for industrial workers
and Il is now planning 20 spend ST.
100000 more on the same project. The
cost is simply considered as one OF
the necessary costs Of war
This government is now following
England's excellent example
D