San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-09-16
National Council to Say
Whether a Builder Has
a Better Home"
ISSUE SETS OF PLANS
Cooperation Between
Builder and Council to
Open New Building Area.

i've DulluerS are going 10 uuliu pettei
homes.
One Of the results Of the Better
Homes week campaign last June is the
announcement on the part of several
of them that they have sought the co E.
operation of the local committee of
women i'll order to secure the privl-
eye of building house that will be
used as the demonstration house next
May in the 1924 Better Homes cam
paign.
This is indicated in many of the. re-
ports of the Better Homes Weeksac'
tivities in various towns and cities
where the builders have agreed to dc
the job under the supervision of the
national council of the Better Homes
organization, of which Herbert Hoover
is chairman.
Heretofore the local chairman in a
given town has been under serious
handicap in securing demonstration
house in which TO carry on her cam
paign of education in all phases of
home making. Usually the most avail
able houses for this purpose were new
homes constructed by speculative
builders for selling. If she accepted
the ready invitation of the builder to
borrow one of these houses as de-
monstration house it meant that the
builder would quickly exploit the fact
and sell it and others like it TO the
public with the implication that they
were "model" better homes.
Submit Plans for Revision.
Tn few instances were these houses
sufficiently in conformity with the
ideals of modern home construction
which rule the Better Homes move
ment to furnish any basis of truth
for such an assumption. The chair
man was therefore forced to insist that
the builder sign an agreement rigidly
prescribing his advertising intentions.
While many builders were ready to
conform, others were not and CAM
paig1s in many towns and cities had II
be abandoned.
The great advertising value Of the
Better Homes official approval has
impressed itself, however, upon some
of the most aggressive real estate
men in the country and they have been
quick TO bid for it in the only legiti-
mate way, namely. TO consult the Bet
ter Homes officials in the laying of
house plans.
This will be done in two ways. In
some instances builders will submit
their plans for revision by the national
council Of Better Homes in America.
In other cases they will apply to the
national council for n complete set of
plans ready made. e.
Well Known People i'm Council.
The personnel of the national coun-
Gil of Better Homes in America as
sures that their decisions will be prac-
tically the last word in perfection in
small home building. The council in
cludes. besides Mr.. Hoover. DR.. John
Il. Cries. head of the building and
housing Lewiston of the Department of
Commerce John Ihlder of the United
States Chamber of Commerce: Dom
Barber. fellow of the American Insti-
tute of Architects and specialist in
the designing of small houses. the most
interesting Of whose recent work is the
Home Sweet Home house at Washing
ton which was dedicated during Bet
ter Homes wees by the late President
Harding; Mrs. William Brown Me-
loney. secretary and founder of the
Better Homcs in America organiza-
ton. who, in the capacity of editor
of The Delineator, for several years
has made n study and published in
Vulnerable articles on the small house
from the pens Of the best authorities I.
Mrs. II. G. Winter. president of the
General Federation of Women's
Clubs; Clara Sears Taylor, Washing
ton rent commissioner; Secretary
Wallace Of the Department of Agri-
culture: Secretary Davis of the De-
partment of Labor, and DR.. Lee
Frankel.
Open New Building Area.
"Co-operation between the spccula-
tive builder and the Better Homes or
ganization on practical basis marks
the beginning OF new era for home
construction in America" said Mrs.
Meloney.
"For long time social and philan-
tbronic ORGANIZATIONS have studied the
housing situation rs far as concerns
improving home construction. To
large extent they have had the pleas
IRE of their study for n reward. This
is in no way the fault of the specula-
tive builutT-
"Thc public not only wants but
needs his product. His methods are
predetermined bv the degree of educr-
ZION 70 which the nuhlic has arrived
Demand TO- Better Homes.
"The Better Homes movement has
IFS motive in idealism. but its leaders
have the practical wisdom to begin
with the public. This has resulted
in Increasing the demard for better
housing. This demand has by NO
means spread to the entire general
public vet. That nercentagn Of the
nublic. however. which hoe ~'s''"1 ~"
BETTER Homes demonstration houses.
attended the lectures. and fully -
plotted the educational opportunities
offered. is n reaI group ut nconlc renre-
senting the dollars and c"nts huving
corviction Of the sort that influences
hard-headed business men. The
shrewtler. more fHr-seeirg 1T the pal
estate men ore of the belief that this
public will
steadilv INCREASE. 81 TINT while now y
is y rood stroke If progressive brsi-
ness to sock their favor. in a few