The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-11-10
STIMULI FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

STIMULI FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.
.What will stimulate buildinga" inquiries
building trades periodical and the sensible
answer is given that removal OF uncertainties
caused by strikes, wage scale stable and so
adjusted that it is not prohlbitive, and lessened
cost of materials form triad OF stimuli that
will bring building construction up to the level
of the need for it, There is more building be-
ing done now throughout the country than pres
ent conditions would make probable were it not
for the dire need of communities for adequate
housing. According to reports from one hun
dred and eighty seven building departments,
an increase of two hundred and seventy-fve per
cent over figures of 1917 is indicated by the
total of permits issued last month.
But such necessity as exists is not the best
sort of stimulant to construction; normal sat
isfaction of demand is what is wanted, and this
will come only when the means to 1t are put In
operation. In the building trades as elsewhere
high costs are not benefiting those who are get
ting more than under present conditions IS
earned. The excess cost of labor and the ex-
cess cost of material is charged to the public
in higher rentals higher assessments and nigh
er prices because of these. And the workman
who gets high wages can only hope to keep
them in proportion as the efficiency of their
production makes them earnable. In the face
of this limit to the number of brick to be laid
In an hour is set; there is a general lowering OF
labor schedules of work for the futile purpose
of creating more jobs where there are not now
enough men to fill those at hand; also there is
"a constant succession of disputes that stay
work and make it impossible TO accurately
figure contract prices.
Very pertinent is the following from the
Fort Dodge Messenger:
All of which reminds OF a remark made the
other day by Fort Dodge woman she had
man doing work at her house. promptly at
prepared leave. This is a mighty nice house
YOU have" said the as he started FOR me
door "Yes, it is" was the woman's answer BUT
am sure we could have 1t If my husband
quit work at 1870" And just this woman
couldn't have had her mice house" ii her HUSBAND
quit work at 400" And just as this woman
things if 1t quits work at 80 rms IS especia at
true of America In this country we have the
highest standard Of living of any nation IN the
world If we wish to maintain this standard we
have got to work for it There is no o.ier way
about it We probably could exist in sort OF
caye-nan fashion a national sixhour day, but
we never could maintain our present STANDARD Oh
living The necessities and comforts OIL l1e nave
to be produced by toll, not by wishing LOT tnein
Perhaps it's unfortunate, but it is the law OF the
universe and far no man has found a way 10
change it, Just as surely as decrease our
working hours we down in production and that
means a lower standard of living. II we want
nice things we have to the price anu tne price
is work.
A universal honest days work for an non
est davis pay would end all industrial troubles.
If is the stimulus for building and for all other
industries.