The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-18


More than 500 opinions on this que$-
tton have been received In the last two
weeks by the Information and educA-
ton service OF the United states de-
rartment of labor. Many building an
thorities blame congress. o h @
charge the financial interests OF the
country with responsibility, In the
Central West. freight rates are said 80
he exerttng an Injurious influence in
the main. high costs Of materials are
held to be the chief obstacle.
Don't expect private capital TO I
build merely for the sake of furnish /
ing tobs for workmen." writes WE'LL I
known architect from Buffalo. That !
is the obligation Of the government. be !
1t local, state or national Lat pubEc I
works be started at once for the benz /
eft of the public. The cost VIII lie
high and the public will have to pay
the price. bat the public Will reap the
benefit In the reduction Of unempioy
ment, the absorption Of the produces
II many industries and the use OF
many works Of which there is great
need
From pasaaic, n. J., comes the fol
lowing statement I am greatly hin
dered in progress Of TINS work by not
beng able To procure loans by way NJ
T
/ this nelghhorhood Of $IaU.00o. The
banking institutions aud mortgage
companies are making only small loans
around here and. even where there is
ample security. will not consider In
vesting 4 large amount OF money in
one place"
Labor conditions and demands are
held to he unfavorable TO imInedie to
building operations by many of the
authorities writing to the informatit Ii
and education service, An architect
writing from Lincoln. Neb,. makes the
following statement typical of the
complaints along this line.
CONSUMPTION work in these parts Is
now and has been irnpeded not little,
due to the unreasonable demands Of
labor rot only for exorbitant wages.
bat moro by the fact certain very un-
desirable trade rules are being en-
forced by labor organizations, which
run mp the cost of doing work enor-
insrusly.
Many Of tho contractors and build
ers IN the central west assert freight
rates are the chief trouble. Typical
of these arguments is the following
from Grceuyilie, ONO;
I'VE have no complaint TO make in
the matter OF securing credits. build
ing materials ana labor. 1t IA true
THAT wages are quite high and yet not
iprohihttv.. The greatest detrifnent TO
our Industry through the central west
is uephibltiye freight rates sand
and gravel Il is not only threaten
ing TO destroy our industry. but at the
same time IL is impeding highway
CONSTRUCTION and other building pro-
jects which demand "A high grade OF
these basic materials
Lack Of cooperation on the part OF
.Hna ncial interests seems To he the out
of the best autN4Fities on the building
industry in Nes York city SUNG UP
the situa ton there In this fashion:
we N1ve In the United States seri-
, Gus difgiculty wing, principally. to
the unw3ilingncss of financial inter
Tests to cooperate in building projects
with tie material and labor market In
it's present condition, We are work
. ING on IL total OF cine Industrial pro-
, {tScfs involving approx ima'eiy 6,oHf
srcr1-9 EMS homes. to be c9rried out hy
private interests III various Important
Industrial centers4 hnt In each case we
nre hampered by the building loar
. situation The only definite work ws
expect to carry out without delay lie 10.
Gated outside OF the United States
, From ST. Louis Mo. werl-knowr
architect writes: RI arm firmly cou-
WINGED that the one thing the build
, ing public wants to know Is the cost
Of nuiiafne today as compared to ths
3 next three 10 five years. II they coult
within that time there would he
( tendency to proceed with the needed
work"
AZ for the last. question the in
fc~u1ation and education service oi
the department. Of labor. through III,
lewiston NJ public works and constr uc'
ton development now ia seeking. au'
-tthofttattve' information Az n wtfzt rar
. be expected in material prices for the
uext Hve years. While the inv eEttga,
! lion lacks completeness Mt this time
. m definite conclusions may be stated
Many eminent building and materia
authorities. however. insist that M
marked decrease Ia material prices
, lmar he expected for the next Gv'
years Th~v assert with Some ~osi
Inverness that pre-war prices on buitd
A ing materials viii rot he rc-estahlsshe,
4, for several wears. II ever These as
sert that persons who delay huildirs
l in the h9pc Of marked rcauctions II
, huitdiUE costs proba bly, iii he disap
pointed and WIN have denied them
selves the ure At needed property an
,the revenues which would be derives
L therefrou,
In response tn the depa rtuent 81 ia
" hor's inquiry aa to future rates al
y building and construction materials
tho United states railroad admlnistra
, tion assertE there ls To he no genera
4 20 per cent advance on freight rate
for sand gravel. crushed stone an
Il Stag. The rirpor that such advance
were contemplated was arnuSirl
Z anNietv In the central west Cnde
4 date of january 20 fhe railroad admin
1fStratton pnt out circular which says
! There IL no foundation for the repor
that the railroad administration hs
given or is giving any consideration