Evening star., 1921-12-18


for small houses. but these houses
are not being built all over the
country ,as fast as needed, for
number OF reasons. The point is
that this housing division is de-
signed to put a basis of fact under
the various reasons ascrtbed for
the delay in building, and to see
what the rear unbiased reasons
are, il any. Secretary Hoover's
organization is looking at this on
longtime program. This work
Is under the direct supervision of
avery unusual. type of man, DIR.
John M. Cries, from the Harvard
school of business. in charge or
research in building trades.
Three special lines of study are
now In progress-(D investigation
OF the zoning plan for cities; (2)
study of building codes and con-
struction standards for cities,
plumbing regulations, etc, to see
II they can be simplified, made
more uniform and a saving effected
in labor ard material: (3) a group
Of activities around making plans
for small houses, with the best
architects of the country cooper
ating. and with the best builders
in the various communities CO.
operating also to. get the most
PRACTICAL plans.
Hand in hand with this goes a
campaign for simplification of
standards within trades. The idea
is to set up what is reasonable and
efficient economy. cutting out the
waste and needless costs. 1t is
broadly a campaign of education,
not to give the building industries
something new, but to enable them
TO use uniformally what is deter
mined to be best and which will
effect a tremendous economic saw
ing. besides bringing about largely
increased production to meet a real
peed.
So the bureau Of standards is be-
ing reorganized for two great aids
first, through Standardization for
quality and performance, which is
technical and scientific, and also
for Standardization Of dimensions
and nomenclature, which is COM
mercial procedure.
The contact committees have
pointed out that in various lines
there has been considerable waste
Of time, material and cost through
having multitude Of sizes for one
article instead Of few sizes, and
that in consequence the time of
skilled men has to be wasted in
stead Of their being able to 20
ahead on standard sizes. For in
stance. II a person bought a bed,
it would be a real economy for
everyone il there was a standard
size spring and a standard size
mattress to fit it. So also with
storage batteries-not to interfere
with the design Of the plate which
makes batteries individual. but
with the dimensions So there is
a study looking toward standardi-
zation Of dimensions. Similarly.
there has been q demand for
Standardization. of nomenclature.
For example, the paper manufac-
turers have asked for q general
trade decision on what shall con-
stitute bond" and. other grades or
qualities or types Of paper, so that
they will be fewer in number and
mean more.
.....- \ r. X X
To meet a. rather. general mis-
conception, 1t should be stated that
there is no intention on the part Of
Mr.. Hoover to- standardixe to any
such extent that all persons should
be wearing the same kind Of shoes
or overcoats or hats. There is no
thought Of that. but there Is a
careful study being made, under
the wish Of the contact commit
tees, to SO standardize dimensions
and nomenclature nrst and then
the technical questions Of quality
and performance. SO. as to get eff-
ci4nt economy all along the line.
enecting a big saving in mate
rials. labor and cost, with conse-
auent opportunity for increased
production without any real in
crease IN materials. labor or cost.