New-York tribune., 1920-11-21
Housing Shortage.
Is elimination of
Many Troubles
Calder Committee, in Swing
Around Country, Finds
That Credit and Coal Are
Most Important Factors
By John l.. Parish
Sccrctory Advisory Council Of Rsal
Estate interests

Estate Interests
Tho United States Senate Commit
tee on reconstruction, of which Sem
stor William NJ. Calder Is chairman,
reached New Orleans yesterday, in Its
program of Investigations Of housing
and building conditions in the chief
industrial centers, having previously
held examinations in st. Louis. Kansas
City, Denver, Omaha, Des Moines,
Chicago, Cleveland, Baltimore, Phila.
dclphia, Boston and Washington.
These hearings have all been held
IN response to appeals for help from
chambers Of commerce and other civic
bodies, In the solution Of their varied
and vexatious problems, involving as
they have questions of mortgage cred
its, cost and supply of materials,
transportation, coal supply and sup.
ply and cost of labor, all Of which
we're found to be involved in tho over.
shsdowlnC housing problem.
Mortgage Exemption Urged
Even local problems, involving the
relations Of landlord and tenant and
threatened rent laws" as to which
the Senate committee dIsclaimed Con-
gressional jurisdiction, were submitte
TO the committee with appeals for help
In Kansas City on Wednesday, while
sdmitting the lack of power In Congress
IN the matter, Senator Calder was
rrgcd to specially recommend to the
Missouri Legislature, and to all the
states where similar laws are in force
the exemption of mortgages from tax.
alton under the state as we'll as the
Federal laws. 1t was shown that the
building industry was starving for lack
OF customary mortgage credit
Every part Of the country has been
made victim OF the demo ralizaton
Of the coal industry-if the holding
back Of the supply, the failure to live
up to contracts, the liberal supplies to
spectators in spot" coal and the
boosting of prices may be so mildly
described
materials ascribs in large measure @ 6
their increased costs Of production, and
so their prices to the builders, and
the railroad operators ascribe their
higher costs and necessarily higher
rates of transportation, and the pub
lie service people ascribe their higher
costs Of production of gas, light and
power, and so their necessarily higher
fares on the street railways and high
er rates to consumers of gas, electric
light and power.
Coal the Big Essential
Members of the committee have been
greatly stirred up over the revelations
Of the hold-up in the coal industry and
declare they are deter ernined to 80 to
the roots OF it unless there is drastic
and complete reformation from within
before Congress reassembles next
month. But while reduction in the
cost Of building materials and their
supply in quantity to meet market de
mands promptly have been held in
every city to be necessary to the re-
sumption of building, every witness
has declared that there can be no very
material resumption of building opera
tions until there is a liberal supply of
money ior first mortgages. The Gus
tomary sources of supply have all
gone dry. There is no prospect of an
early return of individuals and trus-
tees of, estates to investment in mort
cages land these have hitherto sup
piled 73 to rs per cent of all the mort
gage money! until mortgage income, to
at least a moderate extent, is set free
from taxa ton under the Federal in
come tax law.
Everywhere where tho committee
has set this condition forth the Calder
Siegel bill, which will effect this ro-
form, has been indorsed. In some Of
the more consequential cities formal
steps will be taken to urge tho enact
ment of this oill at the recouvcning
Of Congress n December.