Evening star., 1926-04-09
SUMMER SLUMP
.. IN BUILDING SEEN
Not Likely to Have Effect on
Buying Power of Army
NJ of Workmen.
BY. J. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, April e.-Building
construction is now proceeding at a
greater rate than ever before in this
country. Since January /, actual CON
tracts let have been more than $3.50
o9o, 600 heavier than In the correspond
ing period Of 1928. the previous ban
ner building year. In addition. large
amount Of building was carried over
from 1925 and much still Is uncom-
pleted. There Is every reason 70 be
iieve this remarkable activity will con-
Snue through MAY and June, These
very facts however, make il less like
lv that such heavy programs will be
planned in later months.
ANY housing shortage which exists
IN the larger centers of population Is
rapidly being obliterated: This ts
shown by the decline in rentals for
houses and apartments reported ny the
National Association of Reai Estate
Boards. No city Of 100000 inhabitants
or more reported increases in resi-
dsntial rents. but no city in the South
eastern section reports marked fall-
ing of in rents.
Office Rents Advancing.
But rents for business and Office
many sections centrally located busi-
ness edifcee are bringing in more
money from tenants. Marked i'm
provemen' in the office building situ'
alton In Cleveland is reported for eX-
ample, by the largest mortgage COM
pany Of that city. In four Office build
ings upon which II holds bonds the
space rented increa sed o6.Tol square
feet in the last few months. with added
revenues Of $50. 600 a year.
The movement for industrial build.
ing has been aided by the policy Of
turning industrial construction away
from specia purpose structures. Fac
tories and other industrial buildings
are being put up along standardized
lines, so that they are suitable for any
one Of score of industries.
With these factors in operation.
indications are that merchandisers
will have, no need for worry as to the
productive buying power supported by
the building industry, which is one Of
the big factors of prosperity today.
Employment will continue to be
heavy. The trend Of wages Is unmis
takably upward. Many contractors
anticipate still further wage advances
afeer midyear.
Plasterers in Chicago have voted to
demand wage of s1.75 an hour and
f1ve-day week. In the metropolitan
area about New York plasterers are
getting SIS a day and builders fear
demand will he made for $50.
Wreckers here have received boost
Of IL cents an hour. while bricklayers
have been advanced to S14 day, a
gain Of 81.
Carpenters Strike in West.
VSo far tho strike Cf union carmen.
: ters in San Francisco has not been
Successful in abolishing the open-shop
conditions which have obtained there
for Ave years. EMPLOYERS assert that
less than 500 Of 1000 carpenters en-
rloyed quit work This was the first
attemrt since 1923 hv building
trs des union to combat by walkout
the so-called american plan" estab
li:hed in 1921 This present strike
was not over wages. but was directed
agains. the open shop
The present high labor costs have
nN served 10 check building. since
cyst ot financing has been low. and
.he drop in material prices has acted
as 3 counterbalanc One statistician
estimates total costs now about / per
cent less than in April. 1925 But
even II volume Of construction were
to drop off to some degree the loss
would he compensated so far as buy
ing power was concerned by the
higher level OF aees.