The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-02-13

his own judgment as to the prudence of
his individual undertaking. We are sim
| ply helping to bring about realization in
this great basic industry that conditions
have changed
During the reconstruction period, the
labor and materials which might other
wise be idle can be fixed through this
basic industry into permanent wealth
which has earning power and pays taxes.
Otherwise this labor and materials will
go to waste. The activity of this in
dustry is literal reconstruction. ..
Deferred construction is a part of our
war debt--the first part to be paid, be-
cause through reconstruction we are
making good our impaired facilities and
putting ourselves into better condition
to repay the remainder of our debt.
This division is composed of men with
practical training, Their desire is to
present the truth to the nation.
Information obtained is being fur
| nished to the public and transmitted di-
rectly to parties interested.
The labor department stands for in
creased production, while preserving the
efficiency of the capital value of the in
dividual worker as it is only by in
| creased production that the comforts of
life may be made more universal, A de-
crease in consumption may make them
cheaper but the comforts of life become
thus less and less available TO all.
All recognize that the working man
would have been ground out of existence
before now if it had not been for the I'M
ion, but the value of the dollar received
by him as wages is the value he estab-
lished by the quality of the service he
renders.
1t is probable that the cost per cubic
foot Of modern tireproof buildings, up to
three years ago at least, was less than
the cost per cubic foot of the old six
story, non-eleyator, non freproof build.
ing Of 80 years ago. This is because of
the rapid advance in the art, the man
ufacture of materials in large quaint
ties, and the more ready assembling of
the component parts through standard.
ization of forms. In the assembling of
these materials there are 100 to 200
skilled artisans, As inventions and i'm
pr0vements occur-as metal lath is sub
stituted for the wooden, reinforced con-
crete for brick, the kaolin doors for
wooden doors, etc, these trades suffer
successfully and yet the public Is bene-
flied In the adjustment of the Incl
dental trade disputes over such matters
occurs our greatest trouble-yet this is
Just the same kind of trouble which oc-
Cured in Manchester England, on the
introduction of the textile machinery,
and as has occurred in every great in
dustrial center upon the introduction Of
the labor saving devices and improve
ments, each temporarily injuring one
trade yet benefting society as whole.
Less than 10 per cent of our labor dit
iculties in the building line are due to
contests for wages. Home building and
home owning is the basis of the strength
Of the nation While the home is not
negotiable investment, history has shown
that it pays very large financial returns
in the increased efficiency of the family,
The home owning spirit is awakened in
about 100 cities throughout the United
States in which end agitation is now
active.
One of the greatest factors in making
home owning possible is building loan
associations. These associations are I'M
able to supply the demand for money
made on them because they are depend
ent upon the weekly payments of their
members but they possess nearly 81
000,00O,000 worth Of securities which
they desire to pool in home loan banks
in each federal reserve district, in order
that they may borrow upon these coIlat-
eral assets, and with the proceeds fur
nish home builders with the money to
undertake their small projects.
There are 1900 such institutions
throughout the country, Loss is practi-
cally unknown to them. Their directors