Evening star., 1926-08-23
To the Editor of The Star

| Criticism, in order to be usefui,
should. if possible, be constructive as
well as destructive. In my letter IN
| The Star OF last Monday I set forth
| reasons why the proposed erection of
| big renting barracks for Government
| clerks is likely to prove failure, re-
| ferring to the vain efforts OF a great
man, Franklin X. Lane, to help the
| clerical force of Washington save
money by cooperative buying of the
necessaries of life through the Home
Club, but no suggestion was made as
| to how that element cansbe assisted
| in a practical way.
| At the risk of rousing the opposi-
ton of those who have money to
| lend, L will say that if any man or
| corporation has d hundred million
| or so with which it is planned to
| help the clerks and the city of Wash
| ington in the housing line, the money
| might be usefully employed in en-
| abiing the clerks to own homes of
| their own, while choosing their own
| plans and location. Housing a wife
and children in a third floor back"
| does not appeal to the average head
| Of a family. At the proposed price
| of $3.50 per room per month a man
| with a family OF six would need six
rooms at a cost of SIS per month,
which is prohibitive to the average
clerk. A carpenter or br1cklayer with
his $40 to $14 per day might afford
| it, but how many Government clerks
receive anything like such pay? And
yet there are many suburban homes
with even more room that are offered
for rent, with plenty of ground for
garden and chickens, fruit, etc. at
| II0r I,,,If fhnf n
Of clerks would be better off in a.
home outside the noise, heat and
crowded condition of the city, but
| they lack the small amount of ready
cash needed to start homecoming
and are waiting until they can get
| the money. And then they have to
run the gamut of borrowing at high
rates and there is the nightmare of
| the renewal commissions on loans
and other eXactions of the money
| lenders.
There is nothing that appeals more
| to a man with a family than the
prospect of the individual ownership
of his own home, with land enough
around it to make him Independent of
others, room for his children to play
under his own vine and tree, and to
raise fresh, rich food for his family
and save living expenses. Above all,
| it Is worth while to own a suburban
home near this great and growing
city, with the certainty that the prop
clty will increase in value, especially
now. since the Washington Suburban
Sanitary Commission is laying water
mains and extending sewers all
around the suburbs, affording city
conveniences at country prices.
| This leads up to the suggestion
| that 1t would be a real benefaction
| to the average clerk with family
| to establish a loan fund at a low rate
| of interest, say or 6 per cent per
year, doing away with all commits
| siOns for making or renewing loans,
| so that the head of a family might
either buy one of the houses already
built or so to saving to buy a lot on
which to build his own home. The
houses and lots near this great and
| growing city will afford ample secur-
ity. In that way a man can live
just where and how he wants to, and
it will give Washington a new element
| of home owners, help the city'S
growth far more than big rental bar
racks in the city would, cut down
living expenses for the element which
it is sought to benefit. and no one
|
growing rich at loaning money at
present prices and making 1t hard for
borrowers to renew their loans.
Give John Clerk cheap money and
ID chance to build his own home i'm
his own way and he will be better
employe, a happier and more useful
man and help build up the COM
munHy. and his children will enjoy
life and better health than any ready.
made home on IL big scale will afford
Rental barracks may have certain ad
vantages in the way of comfort and
convenience, but anybody can see
that that sort of living does not make
for sturdy health. independence or
the great homeloving spirit, which is
at the bottom of true American life
and greatness. / have not a foot OF
land for sale, but there are many bar
gains in lots and houses in or near
Washington, most Of which are first
class Investments at present prices
TO say nothing of their value for the
founding of separate, individual homes
for honest, worthy Government clerks
and their families. Five per cent
money will do the business.
l.. S.. PERKINS.
1 -------------S-8DN~&--