Evening star., 1918-08-23
ONLY WAR BUILDING
IS WANTED IN D. c.
Labor Board Proposes Per-
mits Be Limited to Essen
tial Construction.
MAY RULE on HOUSING

Building operations. except those
considered war necessity. may be
brought to q complete halt in the Dis
trist.
Request has been served on the
Commissioners by the war labor
board Of the District that no permits
be granted at this time for the build
ing or remodelfng of structures other
than those for essential war work.
This action is imperative" the
board has informed the Commission
ers. due to the shortage of common
labor in the District of Columbia"
This. probably the most drastic
war suggestion that has come official
ly to the local government, will call
for an immediate decision as to
whether the construction and repair
of dwellings is to be considered es-
sential war work in view of the
acute housing situation here
Commissioners to Consider.
The Commissioners will consider the
request at board session today If it
is held to apply to dwellings and SO
respected. the housing situation ad-
mittedly will become worse. The Of
flee of the building inspector, one of
the busiest cogs in the District gov
ernment machinery, will face a
period of comparative quiet.
There is little doubt but that the
Commissioners will ask for an inter-
probation Of the request and recon-
mend that construction and repair of
dwellings be classed as war neces-
sity.
| An adverse decision by the board
on this point not only would affect
seriously the general situation as to
housing facilities, but it would en-
tarrass the Commissioner program
for improving the living conditions
of alley dwellers.
When the suspension of the alley
law was ordered, SO that 5000 dwell
ers In the alleys would not be forced
to look for new homes at a time
when the supply was not equal to the
demand, the District board for con-
demnation of insanitary buildings
served notices for the repair of many
alley structures. If this work should
be interrupted by strict interpreta-
tion of the community war labor
boards request many alley homes
will become uninhabitable in a short
time.
Request Adds to Problems.
The boards request presents but one
of many difficult problems now con-
fronting the Commissioners Labor
shortage is making operation of those
departments which look after the
health and comfort of the public daily
more difficult That a crisis is ap-
preaching is admitted.
Supply Of labor in the engineer de-
t. ,LN
normal New street work practically
is at standstill. but little repair
work on streets is being done and it
is with the greatest difficulty that the
functions of the street cleaning de-
partment. the garbage and refuse dis
posal services and the sewerage and
water departments are being main
tanned.
Unless these particular functions,
which affect directly the health, COM
fort and safety Of the public. are held
to be essential war work and deferred
of the departments the new draft
will hit the engineer branch of the
District to such an extent that opera
ton and maintenance OF vital depart
ments may become impossible. with
the supply of labor already SO per
cent below normal the depleted force
now at work will be reduced at least
SO per cent. say officials Of the de-
partment, unless deferred classiflca-
tions are given to draft eligibles en-
gagged In this important work.
Means to Offset.
Three means of meeting the labor
shortage situation are being considered
by the Commissioners. One Is to re-
ducc all operations to minimum basis
consistent with the public necessity. This
would mean cutting out all new street
work and improvements Of every kind
not absolutely required. A second plan
h 70 seek the assistance Of the War