The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-05-20
HOOVER HAS PLAN
FOR RELIEF OF
HOUSE SHORTAGE
Would Have Labor As
sist in Stimulating
Building

wASIuNgTON. May 2O-Herbcrt
Hoover sees many ways In which gov
eminent assistance and cooperation
can stimulate a renewal OF building
activity 30 relieve the housing short
age and high ror's situation.
"Tho appalling anomaly OF millions
of idle men. co-existent with suffering
as never before from undcr-housine.
Is obvious to everybody says the aeo-
retary OF commerce.
Among the obstacles In the path
of resumption Of home building on
tho large scale needed are the high
prices Of building material. transpor-
tation and labor: the reduced income
IN many occupations. the conspiracies
In restraint of trade; the restrictions
on effort through the rules Of organ
lied labor. striKes. federal taxation
and the wastes In the industry.
The services the government can
properly perform must be entirely In
direct for the government cannot en-
ter into the fixing OF prices or the
determination 81 wages.
''The particular direction In which
u u the purpose OF the department
Of commerce 20 exert itself is IN the
reduction at waste and the Increase of
stability in operations In the industry.
"Thc Intermittent operation of the
building Industry is whore the great
ost waste finds ~ roots and is the
largest element OF high costs.
"1 believe the average employment
Of labor in the building indutries is
not over 80 per cent OF the posslh hie
time ON" roason FOR the constant
! drive for higher hourly wages u 10
maintain nu adequate annual Income
and Co offset the loss due 10 iutermit-
| tent occupation. Labor itself. how
ever. has contributed To intormittency
/ by rs rules
| duction of building materials IL prob
/ ably 30 per cent higher than h nee
csSary % We could secure nearly an
| average demand For instance, our
| lumber mills have capacity OF 90,
/ 600. 900 0O0 TO 10000 900 600 board
| feet Yet production Is bat from
~ coo 100000 90 to,ooo.0 900, 600 board
i fcpt
"Thc annual rspariiy ~ our cement
| mills g. above i1n n0n. 600 barrels. but
the annual production IL only 20 600.
| 0O0 90 100 600 900 barrels
THE annual capacity Of our brick
I ulants is about 5000 00o 000 bricks
hut the annual production only from
| 3 500. 600 00O 10 1000 00V 600.
/ iItlf are IifiNNhN MN'n Wv RiN
| ductiou OF huilding material De- actual
! iy suspended.
THE intermittenclcs TALL into three
general clnsses First. seasonal ans
! weather Interruptions. second, striker
and iurisdiciional quarrcls. third. ~
ability of transportation to meet III
peak load.
"Thc seasonal and weather prob
lens are to great degree insur
mountablc. Hut there could De loca
| community action iu establishing
definite repair season out uf conflic
with the season Of new building
"Thc lost timc from general strike
could De- reduced hy local adlusimcu
boards The recent declaration ~
,rganiHcd labor or q plan tu cstahiis
adjustment boards in various com
muniuos is a stop iu thr right difcc
tlun.
"Jurisdictional strikes have no iua
tifiratiou. yot Z am Informed that I'D
the time lost due Go an strikes in th
huilding trades over one half arise
from this quarter The abolition %
such urikrs lles entirely within th
powers OF organized labor settle
mcut boards Of tlrir own would Do
contrib utlon tp inhors own incom
and employment
Labor could also greatly assist d
ilrtlnE uH from this hlockad" on build