Evening star., 1923-06-02
FEARS CONDITIONS I
IF BUILDING STOPS
S. w. Straus Says High
Costs, High Rents and Un-
employment Threaten.

Still higher building costs, higher
rents, general unemployment and a
slowing up of all business will result
unless necessary building operations
are continued, declared S. w. Straus'
president of S. W. Straus & Co. yester-
day Mr.. Straus returned to New YORK
q few days ago after an intensive study
Of building conditions in England and
France.
Summing up his views on the build
ing situation in this country, Mr..
Straus said:
above everything else all necessary
building operations must be kept going
on as extensive a scale as the supply
OF labor in the building crafts will per-
nit. If building operations generally
sacken il will mean let-down IN all
other lines of business. 1t Will mean
the creation of a still more acute build
ing shortage, higher rents, Increased
costs of living and general unemploy-
ment.
Feels No Alarm Now.
The situation as it now stands, how
ever, is by no means alarming. Inc
law of supply and demand as well as
the equally immutable instincts OF
human nature comprise the entire prob
lem
work together not only amicably, but
patriotically, to bring about stabiliza-
tion Of building costs.
Prices generally will not go lower,
and the longer stabilization Is post
poned the higher will be the eventual
stabilized level. Also the higher build
ting costs go the higher every other
commodity will go.
Ever since the summer OF 1918 peo-
toll lower
rents and lower building costs, but
prices have continued to go higher. The
fundamentals that have caused this up
ward swing are stil in existence
Cooperation Is Need.
.iStabiliZation of building costs can be
effected only through an equalization
OF demand and supply. This can be ac-
a basis Of priority in keeping with the
situation in each city or community
affected. For example. one city may
have an adequate supply of commercial
! buildings, but may be short OF resi-
Dental structures. Conditions of prog
ress in another city may be impeded
through a shortage of industrial build
ings or hotels. Still another city may
have an alarming lack of school faclli-
, ties. 1t is the patriotic duty OF LABOR
! finance, contractors, material interests
and all other elements to concentrate
their efforts on such types of buildings
as are most vitally necessary to the
general welfare of the respective com
rnunities, thus giving to the people the
buildings now most needed and post,
poning for the future benefit of the
Industry the construction of such
structures as can now be delayed IT
, the interest of public welfare.
"Such a program will, in my opinion
stabilize prices and assure a Ions
period OF prosperity not only in the
building industry, but in all lines Of
business as well.
Will Aid Labor.
such a plan will give labor more
money by furnishing steady employ
ment throughout the year and thus re-
move the incentive for a continually
higher daily wage.
1.-The situation merits the unst!nteo
patriotic support of all citizens not
only because of the effect such an at
titude will have on their present con-
dition, but also on account of its ef-
fects on the welfares of their children
in later years. For it must be borne
in mind that current conditions if not
corrected will grow more acute and
chaotic as time goes on. Labor par