The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-16
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
INFORM ALTON
Blu RE AU
FREDERIC J. HASKIN, Director,
Washington. D. C.
BUILD NOW.
Washington. D. C.

BUILD NOW.
Washington, D. c., Jan. 13.-No less
than three billion dollars worth of
private and public building projects
in the United States were postponed
as a result of the war, 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
ures that can avert an era of unem-
ployment and labor unrest, with all
the injury to business and financial
conditions which inevitably accompany
such condition. in the opinion of
labor department officials. 1t is for
this reason that the labor department
has created a new division-that or
public works and construction de-
velopment. This division will CO.
viduals wishing to undertake construc-
| tive work.
| During the war the labor depart
! nient built up a machinery which be-
! came very effective in the work of
| finding men for jobs. 1t now faces
| the problem of finding jobs for men.
I The seriousness of that problem can
/ scarcely be exaggerated. Soldiers are
now being discharged at the rate of
about fifteen thousand a day, and
many of them have no work to turn to.
| The labor well has already overlooked,
| and only prompt action can avert
| flood.
! The administration is at work on
the preliminary investigation for a
| measure which will provide for the
reclamation of thousands of square
miles of swamp and cut-over land, and
the making of the reclaimed areas into
| farms for soldiers. This work would
give employment to an army. But the
| measure is not even formulated as
yet, and when it comes before con-
gress, it will be months before its pas
sage. The present emergency must be
met by the state and city government
and by private capital.
The work of this new division will
be primarily to bring capital and labor
together so as to obtain the best re-
suits. It will assist the leaders in the
building industry by giving them ex-
pert advice and information relative
to the demand for building in all parts
of the country. 1t will aid labor by
providing employment to large num-
bers of soldiers and workmen dis
charged from war plans.
The advice given will be expert be-
cause professional men have been
called upon to handle this work. F.
T Miller, who is organizing the work.
is a we'll known publisher of indus
and inquiries will be directed by a
group of economists and special inves-
tigators, supplied by the department OF
labor and other government depart
| ments. or borrowed from universities
This group of economists and bust
ness men will make a thoro survey
of the country and collect statistics in
regard 70 price and supply of build.
ing materials, the amount of labor
, available and its cost, the values OF
I In RI iE1er re hn ri
capital. and the amount of construc-
: ton held up by the war.
These data will be availabl for the
use of any community or builder il
determining whether it is advisable tc
undertake public or private construc
ton in a given place.
The department of labor will alst
conduct an active campaign to en-
courage building operations. 1t is eX
, pected that the building industry will
: respond to this heartily, for ever since
the beginning of the European wal
construction has decreased until nov
it is practically at a standstilI. Tit
, increase in rents is indicative of the
shortage of houses.
| 1t must not be supposed, however
: that the department of labor will en-.
courage building just for the sake O
t the employment it will give. The new
/ division Of public works and con
S struction development VIII be yer,
S careful not to stimulate economical,
/ unsound enterprises.
E A point to be emphasized is the ad
> visa bility of beginning building opera
tions Immediately. One reason for tn
serious labor sitaution at the close o
i the Civil war was that building wa
t then limited to short seasons. Nov
{ operations can be carried on as ia
north as New York in the coldes
weather. Modern SCIENCE is fast over
y M fr1r brre ,,.I,
] electric riveters and the use of steam
S in thawing out the frozen ground. Fo
instance, all the ground-breaking ant
- foundation work at Hog Island ship
yard was done in the dead of white
e last year.
The department of labor will urg
the completion of the subway and eIe
= waited lines under construction i
Philadelphia. and other similar worl
in large cities. Inquiries from Har
, rIsburg, Pa, show that municipality i
- getting ready to go ahead with munich
: pal projects delayed by the war Tn
: demand for residential and bushes
!. construction in Washington. D. c..
!, greater than ever before. Chicago ha
! a union station to complete.
At the close of the war, the depart
s ment of labor estimated the labo
+ shortage at one million workers. Thi
shortage has now disappeared entirely
and the scales are already tipping tn
S other way.
: 1t is quite clear that this situation 1
4 only temporary. but 1t is also quit
clear that it will be worse before it
better. That is, at the present tim
= only a small percentage of the nav
t and about one-fifth of the army hav
a been demobiliZed. Add to the numbe
of soldiers and sailors soon to be dis
y charged the vast army of those en-
s gagged in war occupations who will b
= turned off on account of contract can