South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-09
MAKE SOUTH BENDS HOUSING =
PROBLEM AN REORGANIZATION
ONE TO MINIMIZE SORDIDNESS

- NJ thing the Chamber OF Commerce committee
( ] should bear in mind while advancing the citys
~ housing crusade: the vacant lots in the
Irsaey improved districts. There hundreds. per
sts thousands Of them throughout the city. in front
~ which the built, streets graded, and
eire.uz iu gas and mains and electric conduits
.ang along and OF the streets are paved
THESE vacant lois should all utilized where pos
.loc houses built them. and these sidewalks. gas
water mains ETC.. put work, an economy 10
,b, otis, VIM spread sotnh Bend all over the uni
verse compelling the extension OF these improvements
whether b, the city public utilities when such
considerable portion OF the building needed can be
brought Within the present improved domains?
And .t can be done TO a considerable degree by
some attention being given TO keeping building ma
teriais within the reach of possible builders Some
process should be- prevent too much
prohteering on the home builders incident a cam
paign like this IL is to that prices
Will go back to where they before the war. but
the builder have assurance that building is
not going 10 cost him much that the work once
finished the completed will be worth less
The market than it cost.
Any attempt al monopoly. controlling and making for
unreasonable prices OF building material, out Of pro-
portion TO the cost in other cities Of South Bends class
deserves the certain frown OF the Chamber OF Com
building committee and competition should be
provided Tor such monopoly from the moment that 1t
heal. Buying in south Bend must be
ragged but insisted the derimen OF the
building program.
Another reason why South Bend should encourage
building lots in the improved districts
us that it will help scatter the new-comng popula-
ton mixing it with the old population. and minimize
the coonizing the factory hands-not always the
best Xhng in the world p good citizen
ship Ehe thing that makes for live. cooperative.
selfish community activity is the rubbing of elbows
The more people all types and callings in
other rule; able to each others Viewpoint
and that makes democracy social Industrial poll
teal and every way; the thing that are either
driving at. at the opposite
4 community OF worI1ingmen stuffed off by
selves house them well you may. is still community
workingmen. same community Of employers
is decidedly a community Of employers. 1t will hurt
neither the workngmen the employer TO have
the other living door to have their children
play together m others back yard And 1t isn't
bolshevsm talk that kind of stuff either 1t is just
plain demOcracy the kind of democracy that is to
save the world from boshevilism if 1t is ever to be
saved We are indeed. tackIing bigger problem than
Just the building Of homes
1t is a patriotic problem, the same in kind II not
degree as that in which INDUCED the solution
II our share Of the recent war problem Patriotism is
not for war alone It is for peace times well, and
Amercanization not to be overlooked in this build
ing program. if 1t to its highest posi-
bfities The man with a vacant lot who can build.
won't should belong in pretty much the same class
AS the fellow who wouldn't buy Liberty bonds help
support the Red Cross but he should be faced with
every assurance possible that not being proheered
upon-a victim Of else's greed-in putting
his
We must have patriotism. satisfied to accept rea-
sonable profit from those who have things TO sell for
building as well from those who buy and build
md are glad that the Chamber OF Commerce
committee seemingly, needs only the encouragement.
to include some such propaganda their program.