New-York tribune., 1920-09-22
Hoover Offers
Help Here i'm
Housing Crisis
Former Official to Give Sug.
gestions to Senate Conn.
mittee for a Quick Solu-
ton of Dwelling Problem
Calder Confers at ALBANY
Extension of Postal Saw.
ings Plan and Increase
i'm Interest Considered

Herbert Hoover will appear before
the United States Senate Committee on
Reconstruction and Production, at 20
West Thirty Street, tomorrow
morning to give his ideas on how New
York may most quickly solve its criti-
cal housing problem. This was an
nounced by the committee after q brief
session yesterday.
Senator William NJ. Calder, chairman.
later departed for Albany to consult
with some of the housing experts in at.
tendance at the special session of the
Legislature. He will obtain from them
suggestions as to how Mr. Hoover's
experience may best be utilized in an
advisory capacity.
The committee, although appointed to
deal with the housing and all other
postwar problems throughout the
country, has decided to give special at
tention to New York, and series of
recomme mendatlons, including some from
Mr.. Hoover, will be sent to Albany be-
fore more rent legislation is enacted.
I'VE believe Mr.. Hoover will give US
some valuable hints on compre-
hensve housing plan" said member
of the committee. The seriousness Of
the situation has been placed before
him"
Postal Savings Extension
The committee yesterday considered
whether the postal savings bank sys-
tenn should be extended. Hywel Davies
commissioner of conciliation in the
Department Of Labor, testified in sun
port of recommendations Of Eugene
Meyer jr., former chairman of the War
Finance Board, that the interest
allowed to depositors in postal savings
banks should be increased from the
present rate of , per cent to a per
cent. He asserted this would stimulate
heavier depositing by laboring people,
who found no inducement now at the
lower rate Of interest.
Il believe the expansion of the
postal savings bank system, with it's
tendency to make workers more frugal.
would DO much toward solving the
eountry's industrial problems," said
Mr. Davies.
Men to-day are earning more sur
plus money than ever before. The
temptation TO spend it is often con-
trolling factor. they become an easy
prey 70 all sorts of get rich quick and
gambling schemes and make useless
purchases that leave them poorer than
they were before the era of the high
cost OF living. Very few save for
rainy day. 1t is pressing public duty
to educate these people in the ways Of
thrift.
The alien is more saving than the
native American. but the alien has
little faith in banks and wonders why
he cannot lend his money to the gov
eminent as ne did in his home coun-
try The American. on the other hand.
b1
poor do not earn as much as those of
the rich. He cannot discriminate be-
tween stocks. bonds and savings He
cannot understand why S100 in post
once savings should not earn about as
much as a sl0o Liberty bond
Inducements for Thrift
The Postoaice could even establish
near large plants branch savings banks.
open on pay days and one or two days
thereafter. The solicitation of such
savings could be conducted b. similar
poster propaganda as during the war
investment in government funds would
90 more toward real Ame ericanzation
than all the academic lectures or talks
that could be irdulged in. Labor has
some surplus money-why not SHOW
the advantages Of saving it By keeping
1t IN circulation. and the disadvantages
OF the multiplying losses as the re-
suit Of boarding?
The economic benefits to the in
dqstrial welfare Of the country, as
whole, will be: The man with saw
ings fund viii! not impair it by strik-
ing without good and sufficient cause
The man with savings account will
hGt be SO ready TO roam or move except
when he feels that the move is for the
better. The owner Of savings ac-
count Will have a greater tendency to
fno an anchorage and a home. whicn
In turn Will increase his interest in
his neigh borhood and neighbors, also
IN the general welfare Of county, state
and nation