The New York herald., 1921-03-28
CALDER'S BUILDING
REPORT SUGGESTS
10 FEDERALLA
Blames Coal GOugers for
Considerable Share in
Housing Shortage.
SITUATION ANALYZED
Million Homes Lacking at
Present Time-Remedies
Are Recommended.
ASKS BUILDING LOANS
Senators Go Into Problems
Critically With View to
Affording Relief.
SITUATION ANALYZED
ASKS BUILDING LOANS
Special Despatch TO THE New YoHK HnsALD
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington, ID. c.. March n.

D.
New York Herald Bureau,
Washington. ID. c., March "a.
There is o shortage of 1000, 900 habi-
rate of construction during the last six
years should continue until 1925, the
shortage will be in the neiyhborhood or
2.000.o 900 dwellings. the Senate commit
tee on reconstruction and production
states in a report made public to-day.
The committee, OF which Senator will
lam NJ Calder Is chairman and Senators
Walter e. Edge and william S. Kenyon.
are members, delves into the housing
situation and it's ramifioations in a sixty
page report, and presents ten bills TO
solve the problem, or at least to alleviate
conditions.
The great needs Of the building indus
try are better transportation. abunda nee
o. fuel. home credits or loans and full
information on the best methods OF con-
struction and of city planning. the COM
mitee reports. and it points out that
legislation by the Federal Government Is
essential to carrying out plans which the
committee believes vital to reconstruc-
ton
III lHt course OF lLs survey INTO COnui-
tions the committee lays blame upon
coal prohteers for their part in raising
construction costs and thus aggravating
the housing shortage.
The committee reports that evidence
taken before it proves that last year
there was both an artificial shortage of
supply and unconscionable profiteering
in price. The committee finds no excuse
for the great enhancement In price,
which the evidence clearly shows was
participated in by operators. operator
brokers, wholesalers and retailers, ag-
gravated by the entrance into the field
of quick and easy profits OF horde OF
spectators who have had no defenders
before the committees" The committee
emphasizes the need for legislation to
prevent recurrence of wholesale profit
eering.
Enormous sums Are Needed.
Concerning the money side of neces-
sary construction work as a whole the
committee says:
1T is probably not an exaggerated
statement to say that from $40, ,oo0 000.-
600 to 10000. 100000 is nece ssary to-
provide the structural facilities which
would have now been in use had not the
war occurred. Necessary railroad con-
structicn has been estimated as high as
S6,000.0 100000. and 100000 homes
at $4,000 each would require SIS. 600, ,000.
900; public utilities. highways and
waterways, taken together, would re-
qure several billion dollars in addition.
Until this construction has taken place
the nation must do without conyeniences
TO which Il was formerly accustomed"
Private enterprise must be relied upon
TO meet the emergency. the committee
declares, as the Government is an or
ganization to govern, not to build houses,
or operate mines. or run railroads, or
banks" It condemns granting subsidies
or building at Government expense, and
emphasizes the necessity of economy to
prevent a larger burden of taxation.
Priorities also are loleed upon unfavor-
ably. The ten bills suggested by the
committee are as follows
A bill to establish in the Department
of Commerce a bureau to gather infor-
nation as to the best construction prac-
tees and methods. technical and cost
data.
publication by existing Governmental
agencies OF current facts as to produc-
tion, distribution, available supplies,
standards OF quality. costs and rcaliza-
tion of coal.
An amendment to the transportation
act limiting the power Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission to grant priority
In transportation TO commodities.
An amendment to the Federal Reserve
act TO permit the Federal Reserve Board
TO direct the use OF savings and time de-
posits of national banks for long time
loans for home building.