The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-04-09
KGfOrmlSn1 In Hull SW1n6 T
By j. T. MURPHY

reform because they feel that the
only way to defend the spread OF
Poplarism which is growing IN NJ
Boards of Guardians is to trans II
the functions of granting relief
Councils where they feel the capitA-
list forces have a firmer hold. From
being an outspoken critic. Of Mac
Donald, Wheatley is be@ming ms
most powerful ally, may be later to
supersede him, but only to pursue
more vigorously the policy Of Mac
Donald.
This he is making obvious on his
building schemes. Planning to build
on large scale and cheap which will
catch the eyes of the multitude he
desires the stability of capitalism over
a period Of years in order to carry out
the dilution scheme with regard to
skilled labor in the building industry.
He is therefore asking for building
scheme extending over fifteen to
twenty years with working agree
ment between employers and workers
without the slightest inroad into the
powers of the capitalists.
That he has got great scope with
the housing problem no one can dis
pute. In 1911 nearly 5 million pei
sons in Great Britain lived more thsfs
two in room; over l million in Scol
land alone were living more than
three in a room. (The Government
standard of overcrowding is more
than two in a room, living rooms in
cluded.) If the surplus persons had
been removed from the overcrowded
houses and re-housed in 5-roomed
houses on the basis of 10 persons to
a house 100000 new houses would
have been required in 1911. BY 1914
there was an absolute shortage of
$4,000 working class houses. During
the war practically no houses were
built except in overcrowded munition
areas. At the end of the war the
shortage was $4,000. Under the
Addison scheme 1919 to 1929 176,-
900 houses were built. At the present
time it is estimated that there is an
absolute shortage of at least 100000
houses, without making any allow
ance for an improvement in standard.
These were the conditions that
forced up the rents. In 1915 the
Government in war time introduced
the first rents restriction act. This
was continued until the summer Of
1923 when the government announced
its policy of gradual decontrol until
1925 when all control was to be re-
moved. The act limited the landlord
to increasing his rent not more than
400 above pre-war plus any increase
in rates. Nor could the landlord turn
out a tenant without finding alter
native accommodation. The new policy
permitted the landlord to turn out
the tenant without providing alter
native accommodation if he bought the
house before June 1923 and wanted
it for himself or child of his over 10.
That would mean also that control
of rents would lapse - houses were
released.
OutdOing Liberals in Liberalism.
This week a private members Bill
was read twice and is likely to be
adopted by the Government as Gov
eminent Bill fathered by Wheatley, /
which proposes to extend State con-
troll until 1928 and impose new res
trictions on the landlords right of
recovering possession of the house.
1t further proposes to cut the 400
above pre- war rent to 25qo. That
this will be popular outside there is
not the slightest doubt. Add to this
the proposal for 9 shillings-per-week-
houses and it will be seen that the
Labor Government is straining every
nerve to win mass support and win
confidence by social amelioration.
They are striving to Guido the Liber-
ais in Liberalism. Partly for these
motives and partly for motives Of in
ternational politics the question of
the 4S-hour week is receiving inn
mediate attention.
Thursday: The 48-hour Week.