San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-27
CAUTION URGED
FOR BUILDING
BY FINANC|ER
Shaus Says All Lines Of
Industry Should Adopt
Conservative View.
PEOPLE LIVING BETTER
Higher Standard Reflected
in New Homes Through
out the Country.
PEOPLE LIVING BETTER

New York City, April 26.-While
nations building program is now
progressing at rate that, if steadily
maintained, will approximate $4,000
100000 for the year. a conservative
attitude should be taken with regard
to the immediate future both in the
building industry and in all other
lines of business, according to state
ment by S. W. Straus, president of
s. W. Straus & Co., who recently
completed an extensive Western trip.
"While general conditions in the
building industry are well stabilized
and the prospects are favorable for
an active summer, / believe now is
the time when all prospective building
projects should be most carefully
scrutinized," said Mr.. Straus. "While
the amount of pending construction in
this country is very large, judging
from the volume of building plans
that have been filed since the first
of the year, and indicate that cur
rent activities are at the rate of
S6,OO0000.OO0 for the year, it should
be borne in mind that We have had
activity in the industry for more than
two years, and therefore a cautious
and conservative attitude at this time
is within the bounds of good bust
ness judgment.
Employment For Millions.
~The helpful effect of present build
ing activities on general business at
this time cannot be over-estimated. 1t
means not only employment for mil
lions of men and profitable activities
in scores of trades and industries, but
it means also the creation of new
wealth for the country and the wide
spread enhancement of property
values through improvement. In brief
it means real American progress.
ain view of these beneficial effects
on the national business machine, 1t
would indeed be unfortunate if
radical slowing up in construction &C
6vities were to- ensue this summer.
at is significant that the activities
now going on so extensively are
thoroughly national in scope. During
a recent Western trip in which |
spent some time on the Pacific Coast,
] nAticed everywhere the same evil
dences of progress.
"There is still some talk that build
ing costs are too high and that these
costs must soon come down. While
there will always be fluctuations or
times when, due to temporary or local
conditions, building costs ease up
somewhat, it is to be borne in mind
that present price levels are directly
affected by such economic factors as
labor, taxation, transportation and
other important items on which any
immediate marked reductions are
improbable.
People Living Better.
gAlso our constantly advancing
standards of living constitute an in
fluenee equally as powerful as any
purely economic factor. 1t is fact,
as we all know, that the average
prosperous family would not be will
ing to live today as they lived few
years ago, although at that time they
may have felt well satisfied with their
surroundings.
aWe cannot Judge probable condi-
lions of tomorrow merely from the
standpoint of the past, because build
ing is always done for the future,
never for the past. The buildings
now being erected must be made to
suit the advancing tendencies of the
. GiIcS. IL nut tHCy oOOa S~~..-~
obsolete and of a correspondingly de-
preciated value.
@The building industry is perhaps
the nations most accurate index OF
. improved standards of living by the
people. 1t is in the home that one
finds expression given to the univer-
sal desire Of all persons TO live more
conveniently, comfortably and eff
GENTLY.
Progress Is Factor.
! Zone Of the outstanding charac-
teristics of Americans is our spirit OF
progress. As succeeding generations
become better educated and more
prosperous there is fostered cor
/, responding desire to live In more
agreeable and comfortable surround
ings. Inventions and Innovations are
constantly being introduced which
raise the standards of convenience
and efficiency in the average Amer
lean home.
! sThese conditions, which have a
most pronounced effect both on build
ing costs and activities, were never
more apparent than today. To my
mind this is a factor that will con
tinue to influence building tendencies
because it is fundamental Of human
nature"