Evening star., 1920-11-16
NATION IS SHORT
100000 HOMES,
KENYON DECLARES
Senate investigator Advo-
Gates Establishment of
Federal Loan Bank.
HOUSING SITUATION
CAUSES GREAT UNREST
Would Relieve Conditions in D. c.
by Moving Several Depart
ments Elsewhere.

ments Elsewhere.
The United States is about 100000
homes short. according to Senator
Kenyon Of Iowa. member of the
Senate committee which has been in
vestigating housing conditions
throughout the country to ascertain
what may be done to aid in the pres
ent serious housing shortage.
Senator Kenyon. who returned to
Washington today, said that he saw
no reason why a federal home loan
federal farm loan bank, should not
be established to aid the American
people In constructing and purchas-
ing homes.
I beliepe such a plan could be
worked out" said Senator Kenyon.
Cure for B0lshevism.
believe that it is imperative that
something should be done. The pres
ent situation is creating a great deal
Of unrest. Home owning is a great
cure for bolshevism. The man who
owns his own home will give little
attention to radicalism Of that kind"
senator kenyon attended the hear
@ 1mgs OF the committee in Chicago.
The Information obtained by the
committee. he said. was that some
oOo.oOo people in that city are not
properly housed. He estimated that
there are probably 100000 people
in this countsy who are not housed
as they should be for health and SAN
itary conditions.
in Chicago and found there was an
average OF seventeen persons to a
home there" said Senator Kenyon. He
said that in one week there were
eighteen men to be hanged in Chi
cago. Much of the crime. he said.
was due undoubtedly to the failure to
provide proper homes for the chill
dren.
Costs Too Much to Build.
There are a number of causes"
said Senator Kenyon. for the short
age OF homes in this country. I'm the
first place it costs too much to build
now and men will not put their money
into buildings unless they can obtain
an adequate return on the investment.
The evidence submitted to the COM
mittee showed that window glass has
increased in price. 800 per cent In the
last four years. and plate glass has
increased 400 per cent.
The committee learned that the
plate-glass manufacturers. although
they had orders to be filled, shut
down their works SO as to Keep Up
the prices. The committee intends
to send the testimony taken in this
connection to the Department Of Jus
may follow II they are warranted.
Certainly it would appear that. there
was an attempt to restrict trade.
The cost of labor Is up. too, though
nowhere near the cost Of various
ber was way up. 1t has come down
somewhat. though it seems to be
unique in that respect"
Senator Kenyon pointed out that
the state governments In New York
taken to aid in the housing situation.
II necessary. he said, he thought
out, too. France and Great Britain
are already building homes.
Would Move Departments.
Senator Kenyon said that SO far az
the housing situation in the District
Of Columbia was concerned he in
tended to introduce a bill, or several
bills. to move some of the govern
ment departments away from Wash
ington.
THAT will relieve the congestion in
Washington. and will cut down prof.
iteering in rents in the Capital CITY,"
he said. Certainly the Department
Of Agriculture could be moved to the
middle west. and there are other de-
from Washington"
Senator Kenyon advocated such a
plan to meet conditions here when he
was in Washington several weeks
ago. He is now going to prepare the
bills to carry 1t out.
Agricultural Situation.
The agricultural situation in the
middle west was Investigated by the
Senate committee which is looking
into various measures of reconstruc-
ton outside Of the actual housing
sho ortage. The farmers in the middle
west, he said, are being compelled to
sell their product at less price than
the amount Of money which they had
to put in to raise the crops. He said
that there would be called at an
and representatives from the agricul-
steps for relieving this condition
would be considered. Senator Ken
yon said that undoubtedly an effort
would be made to revive the War
Finance Corporation 50 that the sur
plus crops could be financed for ex-
port to foreign nations.
With regard to the high prices of
coal, which were Investigated by the
Senate committee. Senator Kenyon
said that ne would favor the govern
ment's taking control Of the coal
mines il the coa1 operators did not
xpeedily bring prices down. He said
that undoubtedly a bill would be
presented to Congress for this pur-
pose unless there was some relief.