The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-03-26
\ Newport City and Orleans County
Gown Your Own Home


city n the United States, for an eff
fective Gown Your Own Home"
campaign, have been formulated by
the u. S. Department of labor and
the literature is now ready for distri-
button through the Division of Pub
lc Works and Construction Develop
ment of the Department. Twenty
cities already are getting under way
with their drives for home building
and home owning.
! To supervise the formulation of
these plans, Paul C. Murphy of Port
land, Oregon, for two years working
on Gown Your Own Home" work
was brought to Washington. In con-
sultation with Department of Labor
officials and several of the leading
authorities on building in the United
States, Mr.. Murphy has drafted the
campaign manual, now available for
such cities and individuals as are in
terested in promoting home owning
The Gown Your Own Home" bur-
eau in the Division of Public Works
and Construction Development will
serve as an advisory board to the
arrangements of these local cam
paigns, where requested, and will ex-
tend the fullest cooperation to every
city in the country which undertakes
a campaign.
Briefly, the campaign plan con
templates General Committee made
up of civic and industrial leaders,
with someone whose standing in the
community justifes his selection, as
the chief executive official.
Under the general committees
are such subcommittee as have been
found essential. The manual sug-
gests the prudence of having vigor-
GUS committees on Finance, Public
ity, and Campaign Methods, Mercan-
tile Institutions, Public Service Cor
poIration, Education, Religious Activi-
ties, Industrial Workers and Labor
Unions, Hotels and Restaurants, Elk
hibits and Management of Head
quarters, Women's Clubs, Speakers
and Meetings, Poster Contests, Civic
Bodies, Theatres and Amusements,
Transportation and Automobiles, In
dustrial Plants, Music, Printing and
Supplies and Donations.
The function of each committee is
explained in detail in the Depart
ment's manual together with sugges-
lions on handling specific problems
which invariably result in the "Own
Your Own Home" campaign.
In the Department of Labor's plan
Of campaign the women, churches
and labor organizations play an i'm
portant part. The entire campaign
is pitched on a civic betterment plane
rather than on a purely commercial
| basis and the appeal is more on the
line of what each business group can
put "in," rather than what it can get
"out'' Of the movement. 1t is one
hundred per cent Greater City move
ment, having in mind only the meal
culable permanent benefits to the
community and the immediate help
fulness to the nation during the
transition from war mobilization to
peace production. The Department
| of Labor emphasizes these benefits
which may be expected from the Own
Your Own Home Movement.
l. 1t will provide better living
conditions, increase efficiency, en-
courage thrift, give greater comfort
and happiness and create individual
reserves for misfortune and old age
| Every house owner with his family
whether rich, poor, or well-to-do, be
comes thereby a better citizen, with
increased self-respect, independence
and responsibility to the city and ma,
ton and are more vitality interested
; in the welfare and prosperity of both
2. That during the readjustment
period, such a movement hastens the
return of normal conditions; results
in much needed construction for homo
and industrial purposes; provide:
work for returning soldiers and sail
ors and for labor changing from
war to peace industries; stimulate;
| all lines of business in each commun
| ity, creates general prosperity.
! The fact that all these are patrio
|, tic in purpose does not eliminate thu
certainty of their being materially
profitable to the local communitie:
and, in the long run, the communit!
| which makes it easiest to build ant
cheapest to build, will reap the great
t est material benefits.
Not only has the Department Of
Labor set out in detail the plan for {
successful Gown Your Own Home
campaign. 1t is preparing publicity
matter which is to be placed at thu
disposal of the local committees ant
will, where communities can SHOW
such action is necessary to the inau
guration of the campaign, send al
expert to assist in the organizing ant
getting the movement under way.
The Gown Your Own Home
movement as outlined by the Depart
ment of Labor was one of the pro
: positions submitted to the recen
conference of Governors and May
ors in Washington where it met wit
enthusiastic encouragement and sup
port, many of the Governors an
Mayors expressing the determination