The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-09-30
tUIlutR5 j
To SOL vE HOUSING
PROBLEM Of j. 5.
National Industrial Congress
Is Organized in Chicago to
Work to End Shortage Ca.
tastrophe.

7 Chicago, Sept. 28.-Heroic steps be-
Ing necessary to revive the buildihe
industry in the United States, with It's
shortage of 100000 homes and bill
lions OF dollars in construction con-
tracts held up for legion reasons
leaders of the construction industry
met here Monday and took those
steps.
The National Industrial Congress of
Building and Construction was
formed. The seven organizations
controlling building throughout the
country, held themselves RESPONSE
bic for the almost complete stoppage
OF construction and agreed to work
together to end the catastrophe
The new building congress Is an
elaboration of the British Industrial
council for the building industry. But
where only the British employers AID
labor got together and agreed to end
the building crisis, all seven Of the
Industries IN the United States which
are elements in construction agreed
to come to the countrys rescue
This congress will make a-nation-
wide survey of the country's building
needs and some time before June 1,
start operations to lead the way out
of the wilderness.
John II. Donlin, of Washington, d.
c., president of the building trades
department OF the American FEEDER
alton of Labor. declared that strikes
In his department over jurisdictional
matters which union is to install
certain material-would have to stop
and he pledged himself to see that it
does.
Gen. X. G. Marshall, Of Washing
ton, d. c.. general manager Of the
Associated General Contractors of
America, pledged American contract
ors to come half way with labor and
to support collective bargaining If
jurisdictional strikes are eliminated.
Robert ID. Kohn, New York City.
representing the American Institute
OF Architects, declared that his branch
Of the industry would do everything
possible to revive building.
Norris Knowles, of Pittsburgh, rep
resentlng the American Council of
Engineers, declared the other six par
ties to the new congress could depend
on the engineers to assist in every
way to give the country needed
homes.
Il. M. Craig, of Chicago, of the
Building Trades Employers Associa-
ton of America, said the best news
America could get was that the build
.ers were pledged to work as a unit
to revive construction and that he
was anxious to assist.
Agree Costs Too High
Several building material men
agreed that costs were too high
in their business and would have to
come down.
So a committee was appointed to
form the supreme court Of Ameri-
can building"
Labor, capital and all of the inter-
mcdiarles agreed to work together.
Even the investment bankers of
America. not present at the meeting,
were given two members on the exc
cutive committee which is to pass on
all jurisdictional matters In the in
dustry. 1t was declared that the
bankers must understand the pres
ent problems Of construction or there
will be no building done.
There has been $4,0G0,O0O 900 worth
OF contracts let In the United States
in the last eight months, 1t was de-
ciare,i by General Marshall. Much oss
this contract work is suspended be-
y cause Of high prices labor troubles
and lack Of financing. The salvation
OF the nation and the industry is to
get completion of these contracts I'M
der way, he said and 1t was up to the
new congress to do 1t.
with this congress we can pre-
gent a united front to the public" de-
clared Lewis X Comstock, of Wash
ington. d. c.. representing the electri-
cal contractors of America. We must
show them that labor, capital, and
every component part of our industry
Is pulling together to provide homes
and needed construction The diff
culties inside the industry which have
Increased costs must be stamped out.
1t was pointed out by Chairman
Kohn that building materials prices
are dropping, but must come long
4 ways yet before BANKERS are going
to list en- to investors.
Cut Lumber Prices.
IT noticed today that big con-
Germ mas cut iunDcT prices 30 per
cent, and that another firm OF nation
wide Importance. handling plumbing
supplies has announced price cuts
of from 10 to 20 per cent" he said.
THE material men will be in line by
the time we are well formed to give
the construction industry the smooth
running cooperation needed"
1t was unanimously agreed by the
50 leaders present at the birth OF
the building congress that the i'm
portance of the move could not be
overestimated They said the spec
tacle OF all of the elements In one Of
the biggest industries in the country
getting together and taking part Of
the blame for wrongs within and Of
ficially pledging themselves to right
these wrongs as a public duty, gives
great promise for the future.