The New York herald., 1920-12-28
CALDER THINKS U. S.
MAY BUILD HOUSES
Senator Cites Entry of Britain
and France Into Construc-
tion BUSINESS.
LAUDs LOCKWOOD PROBE
Tells Marquette Club AbnOr-
NAL Scales Of Wages Must
Drop-FOr Coal Control.

Senator William NJ Calder. chairman
of the Senate Committee on Reconstruc-
ton and Housing. suggested publicly last
night that the Federal Government might
| be forced by pressure of public opinion
TO engage in the actual building OF
homes to relieve the housing shortage.
The New York Senator delivered an
address on "The Housing Situation" un-
der the auspices of the Marquette Club
| in the east ballroom of the Commodore
Hotel After explaining that the hous-
| ing shortage is worldwide. the speaker
! said that the French Government Is now
offering to assist all home builders by
paying 80 per cent. Of the cost OF con-
struction. while Great Britain is pre-
pairing to build as an actual Govern
ment operation 10000 homes for work
| ingmen.
II do not favor our Government thus
going into the business Of house build
ing" said Senator Calder. but what is
| it that has compelled the Governments
Of England and France to take this radi-
cal step? It is the force Of public opin-
ion that has driven Great Britain and
France to home building for their citi-
zcns. And unless our Government ex-
tends every possible facility to encour-
age investment of private capital In
home building for the people, public
need and public clamor may compel this
Government to do something similar to
what is being done in France and Eng
land. II the power of public opinion
drives this Government into house build
ing, then of course the private building
of dwelling houses will cease utterly. for
the private builder cannot hope to COM
pete with the Government"
Senator Calder paid tribute to the work
Senator Lockwood's committee and its
counsel. Samuel Untermyer. are doing
toward rectifying some Of the conditions
that have tended to paralyZe the build
! ing industries. "rhey are doing won
! derful service he said, "and Mr.. Un-
termyer is getting speedy results"
The new rent laws. the Senator said
had operated to halt all tenement house
construction. 1t did not seem to him
! surprising that real estate operators and
builders were unwilling to invest in ten
ement house construction when a civil
court Judge could tell them what rent
they may and what rent they must not
charge their tenants.
"I am not willing TO say to this audi
ence." said he, that / should approve
of the repeal of these rent laws, but I
do say we must do everything possible
TO encourage the building Of houses by
private capital il we do not want to
see the Government come into the field
as it has had to do abroad. While
do not come here to advocate reductions
OF wartime rates of wages. do say
that when the cost OF living has come
down, then abnormal wage scales. which
have been another cause of the housing
shortage, will have TO come down pro-
portionately.'
1ai irn1 va
bills Incorporating remedial legislation
which he has introduced and is advo-
eating in Congress-one instituting a
home loan banking system. another con-
ditionally exempting mortgage interest
from the operation of the income tax
and thus popularizing mortgage invest
ments. and a third providing for the
creation of a housing bureau under the
Department of Commerce.
In advocating n material modification
Of the present income and excess profit
taxes he said: MANY men who paid
large income taxes last year will have to
mortgage their property this year in
order to meet the Governments demands
upon them"
The Senator reiterated his position
favoring Federal regulation of the coal
industry. Speculative abuses in which,
do not like TO use the word robbed
within the last year between 100000
600 and $500. 10000
In conclusion Senator Calder said :
1--WE arc to-day undergoing a severe
business depression almost entirely as n
result of the war. We have had unduly
high prices and abnormal profits and de-
fiation was necessary and unavoidable.
Many men in America are concerned
over the outlook.
.t'For my part--nnd l make this state
ment after n nationwide survey of exist
ing conditions-there is every promise
that when the new administration takes
office and the people come to under
stand tie causes Of their present
troubles. with the readjustment Of
both our internal and tariff revenue sys-
TENS we will at once have a revival OF
business in this country which will far
exceed the expectations OF even the most
optimistic. We must have courage and
confidence, and with that there will be
n .l<t - f,,t,,