The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-04-11
OWN YOUR HOME
CAMPAIGN IS TO
Be WAGED TO END
Department of Labor Deems
Movement of Social and
Moral Value to Citizens All
Over America.

- |
WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE own
your home campaigns promulgated BY
the United States department Of labor
as a logical andNsound way Of stlmu-
latlng business and absorbing labor,
was commended 10 the governors and
mayors in their recent Washington con-
ference by Ernest 7. Trlgg, president
OF the National Federation OF Con-
struetion Industries, Mr.. Trigg said
this activity carried on by the division
OF public works and construction devel-
opments OF the United States depart.
n.ent OF labor was a constructive, prae-
teal and desirable activity, and urged
tho governors and mayors to get be-
hind those campaigns in their commu.
mites, Mr.. Trigg said:
ra taon came here for the purpose of
TO how. you can best solve the question
OF giving idle labor employment and
how you can best hasten the return OF
normal peace conditions and general
prosperity.
OF Highest Importance.
Hon. Ernest Lister, governor of
Washington, in a recent message to the
legislature, made this significant re-
Speaking from the standpoint of
the state, | believe 1t is our duty and
responsibility so TO adjust conditions
that there will be employment available
In the state for every a~ble-bodied per-
son willing to accept II. = All the
responsibility for furnishing employ
menl should not be showed over upon
governmental agencies. 1t Is true the
nation, state, counties, municipalities
and other political subdivisions can as
sist greatly In handling the problem. |
But 1t Is equally true that investors |
who had contemplated the erection Of a
desired to erect a new home, the man
ufacturer who intended milking i'm.
proNements In his factory, all OF who's
plans were delayed by war conditions, |
ought now quickly to arrange their af-
fairs that they may proceed and thus
aid in providing employment for those
who desire and need It, n
specifically what can a community
DO TO BIO helpful In this essential revi-
val Of private building? There is one |
concrete program which deserves your !
earnest consideration, a simple program
and yet one OF unlimited possibilities.
| refer to a local own your home cam
paign, This seems to be a logical step |
In every community because:
ut meets a fundamental need. The
lldllOi 10 bHOTI VI MONIES. conservative
estimates say we are short 500, 900
homes since the war began. Some au- |
thorities place the shortage at one mil |
lion.
'"rhe campaign is of a character that |
will call to 1t every substantial busi-
ness and civic element IN your commu-
nifty. Your chamber OF commerce.
board OF trade, general organizations,
your financial institutions, your reli-
gious and labor organizations. every
element In your community interested
IN community improvement can be
brought to Cooperate Enthusiastically
In this campaign. Now, a campaign
in which everybody can and win par
ticipate is the sort of a campaign we
need at his time,
Home More Than House.
cranky, your investment builder,
the so-called speculative builder is and
win continue to be the cautious builder,
But the home Is built for use and SER
vice and comfort, IL is, In fact, the
worlds greatest Investment, but those
who build homes look more to com
forts, conveniences and fuller life as,
their returns, than to dividend or in
~terests on the money put into 1t. There
fore home owning today pays the same
ratio Of that type Of returns that1it did
before the war-indeed, it pays greater |
returns than before the wal because II
this wal has made plain u single fact
1t is the profound influence on our
lives in the American home. am not
attempting to pass to you time worn
sentimentalities about the home. Rath-
err | want to Indicate that the intangi-t
BILE profits and returns to the home
owner have in mt wise been at
fected other than to be enhanced by
the war,
Home building is the logical first step
for the further reason that building
10 90 larGA a NN1pt Of thu Antfra tnI,Yatrxg
of the country, and 7b to 90 per cent OF
the building indutry is labor. This is
Of profound significance when wa are
endeavoring to advise buffer employ
ment for a period OF industrial transit
ton. But In addition to this every home
that is built, Immediately stimulates
business locally and creates the de-
mand for materials and products in
more than a hundred correlated indus
tries.
at would not he difficult to enumer-
ate a dozen other arguments as to why
n general building campaign should be-
gin with home building. The arKu
ments are obvious. 1t is more impor-
tant to this conference, which Is seek
ing concrete and specific information,
In its division of public works and CON
struction development, has organized
the facts on the home building cam
paiRn with a national vision in such
fashion that II can, on your request,
place an outline for n complete cam
paign in your hands on short notice.
THE division can provide YOU with
definite plans for organization, II can
outline and furnish newspaper articles
for u publicity campaign; it can give
you suggestions to finance: it can,
believe, X occasion demands, send 10
your community an expert to advise
with you. Here Is something concrete,
of which your communities can avail
themselves, and the possibilities In per.
,n~ar ,,w,yn,pKNy hApafftr arn kA,-a.sA