New-York tribune., 1919-04-13
Housing Problem
AT Acute Stage
Senator Calder Suggests
Lower Material Prices and
Some Labor Sacrifices to
Help Building Activity

United States Senator Calder in q
speech before the Chamber of Com
merce Of the Borough of Queens at a
recent meeting declared that the hous-
ing facilities in the United States and
particularly in ihis city had reached
the acute stage. To encourage build
ing he suggested that material men
should be willing to accept lower
price for materials, and some decrease
from the wartime scale Of wages.
The one thing that troubles Us most
90 Gay, SAID Senator Calder, "ls high
prices. III tho construction industry,
neither the prices Of materials nor the
ages OF labor have advanced as far
as have commodity prices ana wages
IN general industry; consequently, if
there should be q recession in prices
and wages. it viii net be so great in
the building industry as in general
industry
Furthermore, the cost of commodi-
ties IS expressed in higher figures be-
cause the purchasing power of the dol
lar mas declined with the rapid ex-
panslon of money and credit This in
creased cost is being expressed by the
readjustment in rents which is now
OF dwellings, and apartment houses.
With increased rents in many instances S
1T pays to build even at the present
cost of construction
The cessation of building operations
on account Of the war, he said, was
responsible for the scarcity of housing
facilities. "The situation,' he asserted,
rs not as yet fully realized by the
people, although a large number have
begun to feel its effects in increased
rents and inability to find any vacan-
cles at lower rentals.
AS the months go by, this situation
VIII become increasingly difficult and
1T is my purpose now to lay stress upon
the immediate need Of providing new
housing, IN order to, in a small degree
at least, relieve the situation.
"ln my opinion the building of new
houses is the only solution when there
is an absolute shortage, as exists to-
day. The building of new houses will
afford employment to large numbers
OF men, who, because of the cessation
OF war industries are now without en-
ployment. AS measure of recon-
structlon in the sense of tiding over
the interval between the closing of war
activities and the resumption of peace
time enterprises, there is no better
means than in the erection of large
numbers of needed buildings
This is social question of the
highest Importance and is so recognized
both in England and in Canada, where
in each case the government is putting
itself forward to loan the necessary
money to start new construction
"Thc difficulty in the way Of new
building is of course its present high
cost. In order to reduce this cost,
material men must be willing to ac-
cept lower price for their material
than obtained in war time; labor must
be willing to make some sacrifice on
the wartime scale of wages; and cap
ltal must recognize that increased
costs are liable to continue for
period of years, and that the increased
returns now obtainable on real estate
Justify outlays for new houses.
Lenders Of money on bond and
mortgage must make more generous
loans in recognition of the increased
cost Of building, and make for the
amortization of these higher loans
during the years to come.
"The providing of homes in the
great centres of the United States and
especially of New York City to-day is
no longer real estate question, but
public question, since it is becoming
more and more apparent that the
proper housing of it's people is a
problem which the government should
recognizc.'