The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1919-03-15
IMPROVEMENT IN
BUILDING SITUATION
IS NOW REPORTED
Field Agent Of Department of Labor
Announces Improvement In Ma
tiOnal Building Situation.


Having Travelled in the last six
weeks all States in the Union except
those of the southeast, Henry N. Teag-
ell, field agent for the U. S. Depart
ment of Labor, reports to the Infor-
nation and Education Service that in
dustrial and labor conditions show
marked improvement during the last
60 days. This results, in Mr.. leagues
opinion, from the fact that State and
municipal authorities have come to
appreciate the necessity for buffer en-
ployment for labor and the possibili-
ties of stimulating business through
extensive public improvements
Hr league has travelled, during the
last six weeks, from Boston to San
Francisco, and from Seattle to New
Orleans, calling on all the Governors
and on the Mayors of the principal
cities and carrying personal mes
sage to them from Secretary of Labor
Wilson, When asked to state his out
standing impression from his trips,
Mr.. league said:
There is to be great deal of pub
lie building during the next six
months. am convinced the public
improvements program for 1919 will
equal that of any five years in the
countrys history and the road build
ing activities from the Atlantic to the
Pacific, once under way, are to be tre-
mendous.
81 have been much surprised to find
the scope of improvement work in the
west larger than in the east. Perhaps
this may be accounted for in the fact
that the west needs more improve
ments than the east. 1t IL newer coun-
try. The Governors and Mayors Of
the west, almost without exception
realize the prudence of going in for
public improvements as a source Of
buffer employment for labor and
means of stimulating general hyc'-
ness. The west too. is much irier-
ested in reclamation and Is anvr- =
make land, heretofore arid and waste
available and suitable for fa~min~ -
such former soldiers as wish to &c
back to the soil"
Most of the Governors of the agri-
cultural States" Mr.. league sad, ARE
anxious to get men from the Army t.
settle in their States. This is because
they believe the Army to settle in
their States. This is because they be-
lieve the Army represents the best
manhood and brains of the country
and if their respective States can alb
sorb soldiers, the Governors believe
the States will get the highest type of
citizens and the best blood of the Ma
ton"
Mr.. league says there is much criti-
cism in the west of the Federal Gov
ernment's failure to go ahead with its
own building operations. in many To-
calities Federal buildings, for which
sites, plans and appropriations we're
had before the war, are now held up
because the original appropriations
will not cover present construction
costs on the buildings desired. Mr..
league says, in such localities there
is resentment over the fact that the
Government has not been granted ad-
ditional money to carry on these
building activities and the fact that
this has not been done is exerting a
harmful influence on many private in
terests which feel that IL IT is prudent
for the Government to refrain from
building at this time, 1t also is pru-
dent for the private interests to follow
the same course.
There are more building activities
in New Orleans than in any other city
/ visited" Mr.. league said New Or
leans is spending s14,OOO,OOO on the
municipal docks. More than 10000
men are employed in this undertaking.
II anticipate no labor crisis
throughout the country for the com
munities are awake to the situation.
There is just as much unemployment
today as thirty days ago, and yet the
situation is much improved because
local initiative is being brougha to
bear on local problems and as soon as
the cities and States get under way