Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-10-18
MASTERFUL INACTIVITY.

lEhFUL INACTIVITY.
THE housing problem has been before the people of
y Salem for weeks. 1t has been discussed and debated
In civic and commercial organizations and received the
moral support OF the community, but nothing has been
done to attempt a solution or bring matters to a focus.
There are, it is true, a few attempts by individuals
and building loan associations to relieve the. situation.
Plans for building a score of houses have been announced
---but the adoption of a comprehensive construction pro-
gram IS as far Off as ever. Hundreds Of houses are needed
and for lack Of them the city is daily losing population.
With characteristic ~lethargy the city watches the
daily eviction of renters from property whose purchase
by newcomers has been forced because of failure to find
vacant houses. The newcomer must buy if he is to re-
main, because there are no houses for rent. The evicted
renter must in turn either buy, build or leave the city.
This condition may be highly pleasing to the landlords,
who have taken advantage Of the situation to raise rents
and raise prices OF property--but is fatal to the city's flu
ture.
1t was proposed that the commercial organizations
and business men appoint a committee to make an accu-
rate survey. of the situation, gather data and outline a
plan for submission to capitalists with a view of ~enlisting
support for a comprehensive building program, so that the
additional population essential for the new industries be-
ing established could be housed. But no action was taken,
and talk will not solve the problem. No one is making the.
survey.
The Salem situation is different from that faced by
most communities---nearly all Of which report a shortage
in homes, due to the suspension Of all building activities
during the war. Salem has the factories in operation or.
under construction that will furnish permanent employ
ment for the increased population, which must be housed
or the industries will be crippled. 1t is an entirely differ
ent situation from that faced in the past by Salem, when
the city was over-built because it lacked the payrolls to
sustain the new residents. The present emergency is not
caused by a mushroom growth due to real estate initiation
and speculation, but by a legitimate expansion Of indus
try.
Salem faces the crisis Of building suitable housing
accommodations or OF stunning the citys development. 1t
is an emergency which ought to call forth the construc-I
tive energy and enterprise of the community and enlist the
support of the monied interests. If the survey fails to en-
list outside capital, a local corporation should be organ
lied, it's stock publicly subscribed, a tract Of land secured
and contracts let to cover it with houses---most of which
would be sold before completion and all rented. Such AMI
would in addition stimulate private building
curb the rapacity of landlords and initiation of pro.
perty.
There is no use procrastinating or delaying on ac-l
count OF the high cost of building. These costs will not bel
lessened materially for years to come. They are ~regulat-
ed by the law Of supply and demand, and a large part of
the world awaits rebuilding and the rest of the world is
far behind its actual needs. Besides the war, with it's tre-
established a new financial plane and the dollar viii never
regain its old purchasing power.
What is Salem going to do about it? Build homes andl
grow as Astoria and Pendleton are, or pass up an oppoe-l
tunity no other city possesses?
Are we going to continue to drive people awav and
industry, when a little money could be profit.
spent in converting the idle, empty upper floors of
business houses into suitable apartments? Or are we 90
.ng to preserve them as they are, fitting monuments to the
allen spirit. +
The future of Salem lies with the people of Salem.
md II we are not going to attempt to solve the housing
problem, it is time wasted to advertise our resources and
Industries and invite population we cannot house and
hence do not want.