The Powder River County examiner and the Broadus independent., 1922-05-19


HIGH RENTS STILL SERIOUS HAM
DICAP-ALL OTHER PRICES ARE
SLOWLY BUT SURELY DROPrING
RACK TO NORMAL, Is HOUSING
EXPERTS CLAIM.
Editors Note.-walter F. Dodd, an
attorney of Chicago was selected as
general chairman Of the Public Com
mittee Ct Fifty on Housing when that
organization was formed November
80, 1921. The committee began an ex-
tensive investigation into the housing
problem not only in Chicago but
4 throughout the United States. 1t was
| from this investigation that Mr. Dodd
drew the conclusions he presents here
with.
During the war little building was
done. With the termination Of the
war 1t was apparent that there was a
great shortage of places in which the
people could live. This shortage has
led to continued nigh level Of rem
tails. and tC an owe crowding Of peo-
pie. to the detriment Of life and health
Movements in New York, Massachu-
setts. Illinois and other states for the
regulation of the rental Of dwelling
premises have to some extent met q
temporary emergency situation, and
restricted profiteering upon the part
OF landlords who have enjoyed tenn
porary monopoly. Rental legislation
has. however, been mere makeshift
The cnly permanent solution for the
housing situation is the construction Of
more houses. A permanent high cost
of dwelling construction and a perma-
nent domination cf the situation by
dishonest labor men and dishonest
material men must he met in order
that new period of dwelling con-
struction may begin.
The cost Of living Is gradually ad-
justing itself with respect to ether
items of expense. but the reduction as
to other items is still in many COM
munities more than offset by the high
rates of rental. In the city Of Chi
cago and in many other large urban
communities it new appears that rents
are likely to go higher. rather than
be reduced in the near future.
The building situation in all of the
larger communities Of the country is
now handicapped by combinations of
material men which maintain the Price
of building material; by leadership in
the uicns of the building trades of
corrupt and incompetent leaders: and
by restrictive agreements among ma
terial men, labor organizations and
contractors, which increase the price
of building construction. The Lock-
wood Commission in New York and the
Daley Commission in Illinois have
done something to expose conditions in
the building industry in the cities of
New York and Chicago However. re-
cent developments appear to Indicate
that 1t Is impossible to convict COR
rupt labor leaders in the city of Chi
cago.
The Lands award issued in Septem-
ber. 1921. stands not merely for a
lower wage scale in the city of Chi
cago. hut is more important as repre-
senting an effort to get away from
| restrictive practices which are sup
ported not merely by labor organiza- :
| tions but by material men and con-
| tractors as we'll. The Landis awardl
has. however, as yet not led to ma
| terfal Improvement in the city of Chi
| cago. because neither labor organiza-
tions nor material organizations have
supported it with honesty.
The time has come for the recc gni-
tion that something drastic must be
| Gone in order that persons of moder-
ate means may be enabled to build
homes for themselves. In order te ac.
complish this result 1t must be rec.
| ognized that all elements in the com.
munity have a partnership interest In
the construction of proper dwellings
for the housing of their people This
partnership is one which must be real.
tzed in a definite and concrete way BY
material men, labor organizations anC
contractors. 1t must also be eralizeG
by those who lean money for purpose,
| of investment.
Today there Is a serious speculativ,
element in building within almost al
of the country. and this affects tn,
rates at which money Is loaned fol
buflydtng purposes. Conditions mus
be established by which each Of tn,
groups interested in the building in
dustry may receive fair treatment an,
by which the public will also receiv,
fair treatment. Nobody is beneted3 b!
La situation which leads to permanen
stagnation in the building industry
and least Of all those who are pecun
iarily interested In the building trades
All groups pecunsarily interested II
these trades must make sacrifices an
all should be willing to sacrifice 70
the public good. A real partnership o
endeavor to better the building situa
tion win lead to definite and concret
!. results. The general public, whic
suffers most from the present situa
, tfcn. is not asily aroused. This publi
} was aroused in many of the large
!, communities OF the country agains
profiteering Ian lords 1t will b
! aroused against labor organixat ion.
; material men and contractors, unles
! these several interests set their CIV
j, houses In order. A constructive pro
/ gram for better housing renders
necessary that all Of these group
: cease present improper practices