The Washington herald., 1920-11-07

The housing problem Is one wnlcn
has ever been and which will, fear.
always be with us, said Robert T..
Simon, New York realtor. l do not
Nish to strike a pessimistic note,
but l can see by the past that con-
ditions in the future will probably
continue to be behind the need OF
the times
Housing is an economic and
social problem. and as such must be
considered from the broadest posi-
BILE viewpoint. Education is con-
stantly creating greater demands
( for better homes, and the rights OF
! the poor man are ever being
brought home to his more fortunate
neighbor, so that there should be
the desire to satisfy this perfectly
Legitimate growth. A good home
makes for good citizenship, and I
doubt very much IL you will find
many among the l. w. w. who have
family and own their own home.
Every effort should be made to en-
Icourage home ownership. whether
! in the single or two family house
or by cooperative ownership in the
multi-family house.
"The large percentage of ten
antry is one of the dangers in our
Icountry today. While France has
so per cent of home owners. the
UNITED States census of 1880 showed
as per cent, and 1919 only 3S per
cent a decrease of 10 per cent; In
1920 II probably will be still less.
This tide must be stopped and turn
led in ths opposite direction
"Since our country entered the
war construction of buildings ano
the complexity of the multitudinous
phases of materials and human ele-
ments directly and indirectly in
volved have been one of the storm
Icenters of legislative regulation and
control. The result of this interfer.
lence with the regular course OF
the law of supply and demand has
resulted in the present chaotic con-
Iditions, not only here, but every
wherein every civilized country.
"The ultimate solution of this
problem lies in houses and then still
more houses. Absolutely nothing
else will relieve the shortage, yet II
is almost two years since the ar
5 mistice has beerf signed and there
has been nothing constructive done
; to give relief Instead of the slo
4 gan being Houses" it has beeI
: politics and votes. Gov. Smith sem
' two constructive programs to the
I Legislators, but they were more in
: terested in politics than relief, and
: they adjourned twice without pay
e ling any attention to the governor
E helpful suggestions. In fact, theiI
D attitude toward the laws which
r heretofore have protected capita
S Invested in real estate has beer
such as to actually drive capital ou
. of the field. Early in the discussion
/, it was realized that there was moth
ing the legislature could do to in
terfere with the law of supply anC
demand affecting business buildings
Though there was just as mucf
profiteering in this class of prop
erty, and though the halls of tn
Legislature rang with the SUFFERING
of the store and office and loft ten
ant, the police power of the Stat
could not be invoked in this direc
ton, with the result that building
to relieve this pressure are beinI
erected on every hand. In New
York City from Fourteenth to FIT
ty-ninth street over 100000 squar
feet of loft and office space is unde
construction. while the Residential
field rs practically stagnated.
Both party platforms recommen
the passage of a law exempting in
lcome from mortgages for a limite'
time from income tax in order t
set an example for the national gov
ernment to follow and to entic
money into housing Investments.
bill to this effect was presented a
both sessions of the legislature. Pol
itics at the last moment twice kille
this measure.
Another play to the galleries o
which the curtain should be dror
lped is the talk of building neN
multi family houses for the labor
ling man. At the present price {
labor and material this is a finan
ciai impossibility. Why not adm
Nit?
due to the higher rents. tn
departments and houses which shoul
be available for the workman ar
being partly occupied by familie
who can in normal times afford I
live in more. modern and bette
lquarters. Room must be create
for them to move and vacate til
Ilspace they. now occupy for the
Ipoorer neighbor, and this shiftin
must be started. well toward tn
top. Furthermore. our great syn
Ipathy should not be falsely arouse
Iientirely for the lehoring man, VIII
is receiving 50 . DAY for unskiIle