Evening journal., 1919-02-12
BUILDING Delay
SITES CAPITAL
Labor Department Invites
Governors and Mayors
to Conference
ARE SEEKING
COO PERATICN

WASHINGTON, Feb. i2-The delay
which he0sttend.ng the resumption ol
building operations throughout the
country is giving conside. able alarm
at the United States Department OF
Labor. where daily reports nd.cate that
unemployment is increasing by leaps
and bounds. To get at the situat.o7
at first hand the department has sent
out letters proposing a meeting OF
Governors and Mayors in Washington
early In March 10 ,hresh out the entire
question in public building.
The letter reads:
1T has been suggested by many
, prominent people that the Secretary OF
. Labor call a conference OF Governors
and Mayors in Washington TO discuss
the industrial situation, each telling nj
The conditions in his own State or ty
Representatives OF the Federal Gov
ernment could reply and explain what
can best be done 10 relieve the imme-
date situation. The question Of re-
suming public and private construction
and the st mutation Of business in gen
eral should also be fully discussed. in
clud.ng price tendencies and the atti-
tude Of labor
More than 500 opinions for the pres
ent delay In building and construction
work have been received in the last two
weeks by the information service OF
the Department OF Labor. Many build.
ing authorities blame Congress; others
charge the financial interests OF the
country with responsibilities. In the
Central West freight rates are said to
be exsrting an Injurious influence. In
the main, high costs Of material are
said TO be the chief obstacle.
Don't expect private capital TO build
merely for the sake Of furnishing Jobs
for wOrkmen," write a we'll known
architect fom Buffalo. This is the
obligat on Of the government, be it To-
cal. State or national. Let public work
be started at once for the benefit OF
The public. The cost will be high and
the public Will have TO pay the price
but the public will reap the benslt IN
the reduction Of unemployment. the
absorption Of the products Of msny in
dustries and the use OF many works Of
VIII 'ch there is gTeat need"
Lack OF cooperation on the part Of
financial interests seems to be the out
standing obstacle in New York. One
OF the best authorities on the building
industry In New York City sums up the
situation there in this fashion:
we have in the United States se-i-
GUS d'fflculty owing. principally. to the
unwillingness Of financial interests 10
cooperate in building projects with
the material and labor market In its
present condition We are working on
a total OF nine industrial projects In
volving approximately 600 workmen's
homes. TO be carried out by private in
terests n various important industrial
centers. but in each case we are ham
pered by the building loan situation
The only definite work we expect TO
carry out without delay Is located out
side OF the United States"
In Response TO the Department of La
bor's inquiry as 10 future rates on
bu'ld'nz and construction materials.
the United states railroad administra-
tion asserts there is to be no general
so per cent advance on fire. ght rates
for sand gravel. crushed stone and
Stag -he rumor that such advances
were contemplated was arousing anx-
iety in the central west.