The Washington times., 1924-04-26
.STRAUS' VIE VS..
On BUILDING
CONDITIONS
The Nations Building Pro-
gram viii Approximate $6,-
ooo, 600, 900 for the Year.

While the nations building pro.
gram Is now progressing at a rate
that, II steadily maintained, will
approximate $4,000, 900 900 for the
year, a conservative attitude should
% taken with regard to the i'm.
mediate future both in the build.
Ing industry and in all other lines
or business, according to state.
ment made yesterday by s. W.
Stratus, president of S. w. Straus
ana Company, who recently COM
pieted nm extensive Western trip.
While general conditions in the
building industry are well stabilized
ana the prospects are favorable
Tor an active summer, I believe
now is the time when all prospec.
tive 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 current
activities are at the rate Of $4,000.
100000 for the year, it should be
borne in mind that we have had
an uninterrupted period Of unusual
activity In the industry for more
than two years, and therefore q
cautious and conservative attitude
at this time Is within the bounds
Of good business Judgment.
1.-THE helpful effect Of present
building activities on general bust
ness at this time cannot be over
estimated. 1t means not only en-
ployment for millions 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 widespread en-
hancement Of property values
through improvement. In brief, it
means real American progress.
In view Of these beneficial effects
on the national business machine, it
would indeed be unfortunate If a
radical slowing up in construction
activities were to ensue this sum-
mer.
ut is significant that the activi.
ties now going on so extensively are
thoroughly national in scope. Dur
Ing recent Western trip in which
spent some time on the Pacific
Coast, noticed everywhere the
There is still some talk that
building costs are too high and that
these costs must soon come down.
While there will always be fluctua.
lions or times when, due to temper
airy or local conditions, building
costs ease up somewhat, it is to
De borne in mind that present price
leveeS are directly affected by such
economic factors as labor, taxation,
transportation and other important
Items on which any Immediate
marked reductions are improbable.
Also our constantly advancing
standards Of living constitute an in
huence equally as powerful as any
purely economic factor. It is a
fact, as we all know, that the aver.
age prosperous family would not
be willing to live today as they
lived a few years ago, although
at that time they may have felt
well satisfied with their surround
ings.
I'VE cannot Judge probable condi-
lions Of tomorrow merely from the
standpoint Of the past, because
building is always done for the
future, never for the past. The
buildings now being erected must
OO " sui kkl0 duVduCtI|s
tendencies Of the times.
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 uni.
versal desire Of all persons to live
more conveniently, comfortably and
efficiently.
zone Of the outstanding charac.
teristics Of Americans is our spirit
of progress. AS succeeding gen.
erations become educated and more
prosperous there is fostered cor.
responding desire to live in more
agreeable and comfortable sur.
roundings. Inventions and limo.
vations are constantly being intro
.duced which raise the standards OF
convenience and efficiency in the
average American home.
These conditions, which have O
most pronounced effect both on
building costs and activities, were
never more apparent than today
To my mind this is a factor that
will continue to influence building
tendencies, because it is a funda
mental Of human nature"