South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-06

Need Many Homes.
IN order % get a good idea q
what this meana lei us 20 back
again 20 tho country town compari
son. I have in rInd az this time
a town With a population Of about
10000. now that town has a lot OF
houses. There are long residence
streets with a row OF houses on
either side. IN driving over South
Bend one gets the IDEA that many
houses are being built which. Of
course. Is true. but when we think
o. the number OF houses IN n city
n 10000 population and compare
THAI witch the number now going up
in South Bend. 30 i5 readily seen
thar we are not making sufficient
effort 20 care FOR an additional pop
ulat.on OF 10000 people I do not
feet that we have any more than
made a good start in the sOlutlOn OF
our housing problem
Tho easy thing for US TO do as a
community would be 20 sit back with
folded hands and expect the prob
lem % solve ITSELF just as &c has
done ia the past: simply assume
that these people are coming regar1-
OF how uncomfortably they may
- situated within our borders. Prob
ably in the past we might have as
summed such an attitude OF indlffer-
ence without great danger; but right
now the city OF south Bend IS up
against something different. We
have a housing shortage In the city
as 20 IS without expecting TO care
for additional thousands. I do net
bellve chat there is an available
house in the city that could not be
rented within a few hours If the
owner were so disposed. II we
should find ourselves tomorrow
morning with 1000 additional
houses we could rent them all JUST
as soon as the noise Of the new ac-
QUESTION should get around The
houses would all be filled with the
present population without having
cared for a single family Of the new
corners.
Most Employees Married.
CAS- I have said before. three
fourths Of those who come to stu
debaker for employment are mar
ried men who must have houses
know chat wo must have between p
800 and 5000 additional employees
around tho first OF the year; from
which you can figure for yourself
that Il wiz require between 1878
and $500 houses 20 care for our
men alone. South Bend has dozens
Of growing concerns and expanding
industries. all Of them employing
more and more people as necessity
demands. Moreover, as our city
grows We shall need more profess
INonal and business men. As others
bve estimated. I do not sec how
We can adequately meet the situation
with fewer than 1000 houses be-
fore March 1st; we may be able TO
get along with fewer houses. but in
order 20 do itself justice, the city
should provide the 1000 houses.
Ito those who would sit back and
assume an attitude Of indifference.
] Will say that South Bends future
depends entirely upon the effort put
forth. Men are leaving the city
every day because they arc not
properly housed t believe that I am
telling no business secret when ]
say that we lost four expert work
men the other day because they did
not feel that their living facilities
were adequate. These men were OF
such q type tha. we had to go 10
New York city 90 replace them. Of
zen we go into tho labor market and
bid high enough 10 secure the men
we need only 90 find that they won't
stay with us on account Of housing
conditions. I am much concerned
about getting the wOrkmen we must
have unless building activities show
a decided increase within the next
few weeks.
Spend Money Here.
n think g. need hardly be said
that n great housing effort I'm South
Bend a. this time would be well
worth while FOR all concerned. I
have estimated that Studebaker
alone, using the average factory
wage as a basis OF computation. will
pay its now employees approximate
" 100000 in wages annually
e ost OF this money will be spent
IN South Bend. Four million dol
lars IS greater than the total annual
income OF many prosperous town
In this country. Putting this money
into circulation il the city should
Increase our business activities enor-
mously.
some may think my wage figures
too high since they do not account
fer any slowing up I'm production.
have but 90 point 20 Studebaker's
past production record. Last year
we stored SO. 600 OoO worth OF auto-
mobiles during the winter months
and ia the words OF Pres't Erskine
these cars melted with the SHOWS.
We intend 20 run our plants Il
months our OF the year. allowing
OF course. for reasonable inventory
periods. The big sales come durlng
the spring. summer, and autumn
btG IN order 20 meet these demands
We must have tho products Of the
winter months on hand
Evidence OF Prosperity.
Last winter Roger Babson told
Is tlae South Bend was a 100 per
cent ctty. This was due % the un-
impaired Industries OF she ciry. tn.
Scuoebakar corporation ran IA.
speed ahead. storing It's cars for n.
spring demand All this kept III,
city atve, stimulated business. AS q
result. South Bend showed every
evidence OF prosperity throughou
the winter months. Millions were
pad into the city In the form OF
wages; while the people OF othel
Cities were out of work, or. at best