Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-02-15
Adequate Wages
Urged for Worker
Continntd from Page One

to lower the costs of materials for con
struction purposes.
Hits Cost Plus" Plan
There are those who proftcd By the
10 per cent plus plan during the war"
the Mayor said in his address. "who are
loath to give up the system. They arc
those getting big wages under that
system who hate to give IL up. There
were wonderful contracts entered into
by the Federal Government which led
these people to believe that money came
easily II Il only came from the govern
ment.
While we contributed to the win.
ming of the war we created abnormal
conditions and raised the expectations
Of proiitcers TO heights from which they
are now descending. These war condi
tions were intolerable and left an after
math Of worry aud trouble and abnOr-
mality
The debt which has been left will
be source Of worry which must be
met by generations TO come. We taught
many employers and employees that the
government could continue to do any
thing and go on and furnish means
whereby the period OF high prices might
Continue
Returning 10 Normal
We now fuce tho results of the war
and must get back TO normal. Incl
dentally there must ne an increase i'll
government taxes at once SO our obi.
cations can be met. No civilized nation
of course, dare rNpudate its debts.
1T is Il good thing 70 get conSPr.
ence like this together. We should hold
another one and wipe out 30 per cent
OF the laws on the statute books. We
g,,Ha lu,,. aud
TOO many lawmakers.
The city has been doing unusual
construction work and il is prepared
to do much more during the coming
year and yet they say this Is not u
constructive administration. Take In"
bridge. for instance. It will not con.
meet merely city and city and state and
state. but will give facility Of ACCESS 10
the whole people Of the United States.
Bridge TO Provide Work
The bridge will give employment 20
all kinds and use all sorts Of labor and
materials. II will be the largest pas.
seuger span in this country and perhaps
in the world and will cost at least $40
900 900.
Take the Parkway. which has al.
ready cost S2u, 100000 and which is
still unfinished; the great art gallery
being built upon the hill the great
buildings which cau be constructed on
the Parkway when we can cut the red
tape. including a convention nail Ihis
! Will not be an avenue for rich or poor
| but an evenue for everybody.
Condemnation proceedings are un-
der way for ground for City Hall an
mex at Broad and Race streets, u ten
story building. When the red tape is
| cut We will begin with that We have
a million dollars in hand already There
is another opportunity for the use OF
men and materials.
| There are the new piers to be oullt
s'onS the Delaware waterfront at nest
nut street and between Market and
Cherry streets. There IL much to be
done in the matter OF highways and
sewers. The Public Works Department
report, which is not vet printed. shows
the contracts which have been entered
into in 102O. vet they say this is not a
constructive administration.
Real Estate Too High
Now. concerning the housing situa-
ton. Due 70 the war spirit there have
! been many fictitious values placed OF
! real estate. Some gulliblc people paid
money on houses that they could not
maintain Last year was the high rec
ord in the number OF permits taken out,
there being total of lille permits
for $4,000 900 worth Of building con
strUction. few Of those being dwellings.
The dwelling house situation has
simply been this: Some honest man
making war wages With $1,000 saved mp
bought a Sl2, 900 house. II has an
Sll 900 mortgage and he cannot hold il.
So the trust company or other mort
gage holder must take II of his hands
and, as the value has been inflated,
they cannot get their money out when
they sell H. Therefore. they refuse
to lend money on mortgages and that
makes the difficulty.
building Of dwellings has NOT gone
on because the builders cannot find per
sons willing 10 lend money on mortgn Gcs
under present conditions. The housing
situation in Philadelphia iS not as bad
az it has been depicted We have heard
lol Q! HoW eaSS u I W ~ T''u,'' h"',t" "0'
w. p.,,... Co....,,io.
wants i'aOo
II you stop the government from
building and owning homes ana TAX"
the government out oi business, many
business meu would aga.n begin 7" com =
pete.
we have %S4 900 dwelling houses in
Philadelphia now. 'ounting one dwell. &,
ing (" every nv" persons, thar Wouid
provide FOR a population Of nearly .
600. 900 persons anc. regardless or our
boast. the latest census shows W" have
not that many.
There ar" enough houses in the city
right now for "v"ryb"dy. According