Evening star., 1922-01-15
CUT WASTE OUT OF INDUSTRY
AND REDUCE THE COST OF LIVING


practical methods now being used by different
manufacturers and merchants for meeting
these periods Of ups and downs in the general
business situation. and how these individual
schemes or systems have worked out in prac-
tice. For example, H. s. Dennison, in the tag
business in Massachusetts,. has a very definite
system for keeping his business gradual
curve of f1uctuation, rather than suffering
from sharp rises and falls
X X * X
So. first. there has been the unemployment
conference presenting phases in the great area
of economic waste in industry. for a correc-
ton of which definite studies have been un-
dertaken. Next the Federated Engineering
Societies report on elimination of waste has
been promulgated by the Department of Com
merce as a basis for elimination of certain
wastes of production Some effort is being
looked for in that field to localize the national
problem of waste by having a group approach
in the community, rather than a national ap-
proach to it.
In addition to this general program under
the auspices Of the Department of Commerce
not governmental but public, being carried
out by groups Of men and tied up with the
federal department because it followed out of
the unemployment conference.-the department
has set up two specialized divisions of the
bureau of standards to make inquiry into
definite fields of waste to ascertain the pos
sibilties Of eliminating these wastes--u) the
division of building and housing, and (2) the
division Of simpliaed practice.
~ X X
The division of building and housing IS in
charge of DR.. John NJ. Cries. formerly profess
in the Graduate School of Business at
Harvard. a man of broad practical experience
as well as economic training in the fields of
building and housing. This division has under
n inoury n - pOsSihlifv of
duction Of cost Of small house construction in
particular and building construction in gen.
eral As a result Of preliminary surveys with
committees of architects, manufacturers of
materials contractors and associations repre-
senting them the Department of Commerce
made analysis of the methods of coming in
cities established advisory committees to
analyze and help improve methods Of zoning
in cities. plumbing specifications and building
codes.
The plumbing committee has been developing
the opportunity for reduction of plumbing COSTS
principally through greater uniformity in
nicipal codes These vary greatly among cities
Some for example. require vent pipes for each
fixture and others do not: some require larger
sizes of pipe than do others for the same pur-
pose. The committee is working to establish
some common understanding between cities
to plumbing codes which will be based on
gineering facts. This work codes is being
uSFeiOpoO particularly from tne engineering
standpoint, and tests various classes Of
equipment have been undertaken by the bureau
Of standards at the request of the plumbing
committee. The tests are being made to ascer-
tain what minimum requirements in the way of
plumbing equipment will combine public safety
with greater economy, the committee can
work to have the right requirement adopted
generally.
The committee on building codes has been
endeavoring in similar manner to bring about
uniform requirements and lower costs for walls
and other parts of small houses.
Some work small house plans has been
completed along lines which give promise of
large benefits. There exist in the country gen.
orally accepted trade standards on lengths of
lumber and sizes Of doors and window sashes
These often are disregarded by inexperienced
builders with resultant waste. A committee of
architects has undertaken to bring them together
and make them the basis Of plans for small
house construction, that the carpenter or
builder in small community who undertakes
to put up a house for persons in the relatively
small earning class will have these plans and
be able to take advantage of these general stand
ards instead Of special sizes.
X X X
The second division definitely set ND in the
Department of Commerce to bring about re-
adjustment in the area of waste Is the division
of simplified practice. A great many trade as
socfations individual merchants and manufac-
turers haye brought to the Department of
Commerce their problems for elimination of
waste which could be solved only when some
government agency acted as a center point
about which discussion could gather, con-
sidertng elimination of these wastes. The
wastes in general involve lack of commercial
standards. and have to do primarily with such
matters as nomenclature questions of dimen-
sion and size. This area also includes the
setting up of standards of quality and stand
ards of performance, but these last two are
within the field Of the general activities of