The Washington herald., 1920-10-31
AIDING
BODYBUILDING
Nearly 5000 Houses Being
Constructed Under $751;
100000 Project.
Cwashinston Hsrsld-PubHe Ledger Service.
Special Cable Dispstch.)

London, Oct. 30.-London needs
$4,000 more homes today, declares
DR.. Addison, minister of health.
Eleven thousand contracts have
been approved and nearly 1000
houses are under construction here
at present. The program involves
building $4,000 homes each year aft
er the immediate demand has been
met. While London's f5.000,00o
(normally S25, 5,o0o. .0oo) project in ad
dition to the houses erected by pri-
vate individuals who receive the
government grant is most extensive
other cities are building in proper
tion to their needs. Glasgow plans
to erect 1900. homes at a cost of
f2. 900, o00.
The unwillingness of the building
trade unions to admit ex-service
men as members without their pass
ing through the customary long pc
riod of apprenticeship or to WORK
with non-union carpenters and ma
sons is the chief cause for the slow
ness with which England's housing
program is being carried out.
Two More Delay Causes.
Two additional causes for the
delay in carrying out the govern
ment plan to alleviate the shortage
in dwelling houses that today ex-
lists all over the United Kingdom
are, according to DR.. Addison, first
the general slowing up of all labor
since the war and the resulting dis
organization of the building trades
and. second, the impossibility of OBJ
tanning prompt delivery of the nee
essary supplies.
Even before the war the shortage
of dwelling houses was a much dis
lcussed question in England and a:
practically all building and repair
ing was discontinued for the period
of the war the scarcity has become
so grave as to necessitate govern
ment action. Investigation reveal
ed the fact that the building trades
have suffered during the past from
periods of unemployment and tha
Immediately before the war the
trade was in an unhealthy condi'
ton. Owing to the slump in build.
ling men were apprenticing theil
sons to other callings and the nor
NAL growth : of the trade wa
checked.
In addition to the labor difficulty
there is that of finance, as a result
of increased. prices and decreased
income during the period of the wa
and that of unemployment for many
which followed and still exists, 1
became necessary for the govern
lment to take a hand and today as &
tresult of parliamentary action, tn,
British government, through tn
borough and city councils, is ven
turing into a new field on an unpre
lcedented scale
| Lloyd George Attacks Shortage.
Lloyd George attacked the labo
shortage first. Last December h.
Explained the seriousness of tn
shortage to the Joint industria
council. AS the results of their in
ivestigation were not satisfactory
the ministry of health appointed I
special delegation to put the mat
tier before the parliamentary com
mittee of the trade-union congress
which is considered the Legislative
! body in a sense of the Labor party
| The second difficulty-that of n
lnance-which, because of the bur
den of Great Britain's enormous wa
debt and the resulting heavy taxa
ltion. seemed at first almost insur
tmountable, is rapidly being over
lcome. Two plans are being carrie
out. First, free government gran
of from 23o to $50 pounds sterlinl
lean be obtained by any one desir
ling to construct a house and willini
to comply with certain specihca
Itions. Second, the borough and tn
lefty councils are authorized to rails
Imoney to erect municipal houses.
Copyright, lsso, By Public Ledger CO..