Evening star., 1919-04-06

tIEh Two years OF cessation OIL
~ work on all public building
n and construction, except where
it was needed for war pur-
poses, Uncle Sam is now rolling up his
sleeves and starting to work again.
What is true of the federal govern
ment in the matter of revivifying con-
struction work is true of state, coun-
ty and municipality and of private in
dividuals and concerns.
careful study of the situation has
been made by the division of public
works and construction development
in the Department of Labor. The re-
suits of this study, which was carried
out with regard to 6.446 deferred
building and construction projects.
costing a total of about s1,s92.275. 900.
contracts let in March showed a re-
markable increase over those in jan
uary and February, indicate that
builders in this country are getting
busy, notwithstanding the high prices
of material and labor. The likelihood
mendous amount of building and con-
struction work in this country.
Building Now for Peace.
Now that peace is practically here.
the government and private concerns
are branching out again in the con-
struction of projects which may be
considered of particular value to the
country at peace as distinguished from
the wartime construction projects.
The division of public works and
construction sent a QUESTIONABLE to
1864 private persons and concerns
which had deferred projects at the
time of the armistice, and 2,Ss2 SINH
lar questionnaires to cover public
projects. of which IS were federal. 279
state, 593 county and 1882 municipal
projects There were other deferred
projects in the country. but these
were selected for the purpose Of max
deferred projects were pending IN
November, when the armistice was
signed. At the Department Of Lab or
it is estimated that perhaps SO J,er
cent of them have gotten under way
since then and so per cent are still
| waiting commencement.
High Costs Chief Obstacle.
In . general way, a study of the
answers to these questionnaires show.
that the principal obstacle to going
| ahead with building and construction
projects are high cost of materials
high wages and difficulty in financing
the projects But the news of con
tracts let in March shows that they
they amount not only to far more
than the contracts let in January and
February. but to more than the con
tracts let in any month of March since
1911, except 1917. When all the fig
ures ane in they may equal those fol
March, 1917.
Since the spring of 1917. because OF
war needs, new rivers and harbors
projects were not started and only
enough work was done to maintain
those already in operation and to
keep from deterioration those in proc
ess Of construction when war began.
The construction of public buildings.
post offices, federal courthouses. Gus
tomshouses. etc, was suspended
wherever it was possible to do so.
Reclamation projects in the west were
held up and comparatively little was
done in the way of redeeming the
arid and swamp lands Except where
roads were needed for military pur-
poses. road construction was allowed
to languish.
It is true that Congress. at its last
session, failed to provide an emer-
gency public works fund of $780,
O0O, 900, as it was urged to do by Sena-
tor Kenyon of Iowa to act as a safety
valve when the country shall be
threatened with an unemployment
problem. that it failed to pass the
500. .0oo, 900 urged by Secretary Lane
of the Interior for the reclamation OF
arid, swamp and logged over lands for
farms for the soldiers and sailors, and
that it failed to pass half dozen Of
the big annual supply bills which
were much needed for public works.
Considerable Money Available.
Nevertheless, there is money avail
able for river and harbor projects.
His Hat in the Ring