, 1921-11-11
THE ARMY OF HOME OWNERS.

"of 24,S61, 676 families discovered by the census
takers in the United States" says the Boston Tran
homes. More than a quarter of the entire number
Of families are credited with the ownership of homes
on which there are no encumbrances; while 4,o6s,95t
antilles are represented as engaged in the slow bu.
hrifty process of lifting the mortgage. There is food
r thought in these figures.
AT a time when many people are disturbed by con
.itions that they look upon as endangering the stabil
y of American institutions it is well to call atten
on to the saving value of the army of the home own
s.. With nearly every other family holding title to
=, own home, and with more than half of these fam
.es owning homes free from Indebtedness, it is evi
lent that there is here a mighty force which will bt
ERECTED in the main toward the preservation of goo
government. 1t is reasonable to assume that the HON
owner will not be slow in detecting and resisting move
nents that tend to imperil his property interests, wo.
IN many cases at the cost of much effort and sell
ienial.
The figures suggest, also, the great opportunity for
ts.ionary effort among the 100000 families lv
/, in rented quarters. Under the conditions of moo.
n life, great numbers of people must necessarily b
rived of the advantage and satisfaction of ownin
cir homes, but among the renters of the present d.
e many who will be among the home owners of the
.0rrow. Their number will depend in large measure
on the efforts that are made to educate them to q
~alisation of the benefits to come from home owner
ip, and upon the facilities that are placed at their
'ommand for obtaining homes of their own. There is
l this educational work great opportunity for such
CARNATIONS as the Massachusetts, Society for the
romotion and Protection Of Savings. There is equal
portunity in the assistance that may be etended by
.bpNTdllNt anu dHAUB DduhS III OIHeT- dUCl III
buttons which loan money on real estate security.
But there are other factors to be taken into ac-
cunt. OF Immediate interest is the question of the
st of building. Reduction to the lowest level at
Unable after reasonable recessions in wages and the
arices of materials would be a powerful stimulus to
lome owning, and so would be assurance of approx
nate stability in costs. Few men want to put their
money into homes at a time when they have reason
10 believe the houses could be reproduced in a year
or two for much less money. There are, too, elements
in the situation that are not directly connected with
building operations. Transportation between cities
nd suburbs must be efficient in service and not bur.
iensome in price, because the BODYBUILDING enter
Drise involves a considerable movement of popula-
ton from crowded city neighborhoods into the broad
er spaces of the outlying districts. The existing
shortage Of homes makes this an opportune time fol
UGH migration il it can be brought about. There IL
| also need, perhaps, of laws, such as those now posi-
BILE under the constitution of the commonwealth, t.
prevent the deterioration of residence districts through
the invasion of business.
"The problem of getting the largest number of tn,
l2,0o0,0 900 families of rent payers to embark upor
homecoming ventures is thus seen to be one of man,
2spects, but it is one we'll worth solving. And it i
reassuring to find that, notwithstanding the crowdinJ
of the population into the cites, nearly II, 900, 00t
families in this country still occupy homes that the,
can call their own"