El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-01-16
NOW IS TINE To
PUT Up HOUSES
The Government Urges All
Sorts Of Construction Go
Forward At Once.

NJ LAanAAAAL y HAaAlMa
Washington. D. c. Jan 1s.-So less
than ss.00o.00o.o05 worth o. private
and public building projects IN the
United States were postponed as .
result OF the var. according to an
estimate made BY the department Of
labor.
The Immediate resumption OF this
work. and the initiation OF as much
more necessary construction work as
the private and public capital Of the
country can carry. are the only meas
ure8 that can avert an era OF unem-
nloTment and labor unrest. wiki all
The injury % business and financial
condition which Inevitably accompany
such a condition IN the opinion OF
labor department officials It is for
this reason that the LABOR department
has created a new diviEiOn-that OF
public works and construction de-
relopment This division VIII coop
crate with states. cities and individ-
lals wishing 70 undertake. construct I
Finding Jobs For Men
During the war the labor depart 1
meut built up machinery which be-
came very effective il the work OF
the problem OF finding jobs for men.
The seriousness Of that problem 4
can scarcely be exaggerated Soldiers
are now being discharged al the rate
o. about Is, 900 day and many Of them
have no work 10 turn 10. The labor
well has already oFerflowed. and only
prompt action can avert Hood.
The administration is at work on
the preliminary investigation for a
measure which viii provide FOR the
reclamation Of thousands OF square
niles q swamp and cut over land,
and the making Of the reclaimed
areas into farms for soldiers Thisi
work would give employment 70 AM
army But the measure Is not even
formulated as yet
L. 5. To Gather Data.
A group Of economists and business
men VIII make a thorough survey
OF the country snd collect statistics
n regard TO price and supply OF build
ing materials. the amount OF labor
available and It's cost, the values oil
land. prevailing rents. the supply oil
capital. and the amount OF construc-
ton held up By the war
This data wiz be available for the
use OF any community or builder In
determining whether e is advisabls
20 undertake. public OF private con-
Etrucrion IN given place
TIE department Of labor VIII also
conduct an active campaign 10 en-
courage building operations Il is eX-
Dscted that the building industry viii
respond 10 this heartily. f. ever since
the beginning OF the European war
construction has decreased until now
10 j. practically AZ a standstil- The
increase IN rents is indicative Of the
shortage Of houses.
AIuzf Begin At Once
a point 20 be emphasized is the ad-
visibility Of beginning building op-
erations Immediately. one reason for
The serious labor situation at the close
q the civil war was that building was
then limited 20 short seasons. Now
operations can be carried on as far
north as Ne" York in the coolest
weather..
The department OF labor wiz urge
The completion q the subway and
elevated lines under construction IN
Philadelphia. and other similar work
IN large cities. Inquiries from Har-
ris1urE. Pa, show that municipality
IS getting 20 ready 70 90 ahead with
municipal projects delayed BY thel
war. The demand for residential and
business construction In Washington,
ID c., Is greater than ever before Chi
1aEo has union station 10 complete
A the close 81 the war, the de-
partment Of labor estimated the
labor shortage nt 100000 work
CTS. This shortage has now dis
appeared entirely and the scales
are already tipping the other way.
Only e small percentage Of the navy
and about one nth Of the army have
been demobolfzed- Add to the number
Of soldiers and sailors soon to be dis
charged the vast army OF those en-
Eaged IN Uar occupations who viii be
turned of on account Of contract can
csllations. and you get an idea Of the
condition that Is coming.
Labor Market Flooded
The l15or market viii be flooded
long before the manufacturing indus
tries viii be ready 20 absorb their
share uf labor and long before the
farmers are ready FOR the army OF
hands" which they VIII demand IN
tine.
TIE temporarily OF this situation
may minimize its seriousness IN the
eyes OF governments and employers,
1ul the soldier who has just received
bis discharge and the muniton work
lr who has been given notice are not
50 interested IN the jobs that await
them next sumner or the big oppor-
-uuirieE that viii come in the fall They
want 70 know how they can feed their
families and pay the rent The land
lord and grocer can not be put off
r-sHN man lee about fhn frrfm-E