The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-01-29

Strauss, and Walter Stabler of the
Amsrican Life. have the courage to
caution against over-production
gives assurance that the stability OF
our hig enterprises will be main.
tanned. Someone must warn: there
must he governing force. 1t is
somewhat similar TO a heavy train
which. having laboriOusly reached
the summit of the divide and starts
down the other side, gathering
speed with every turn of wheel,
would be wrecked by it's own
momentum. were 1t not for the
engineer who. with hand on the
throttle. the air and brakes in
order, proceeds with the train under
perfect control.
The engineer does not stop the
train--he simply reduces the speed
but keeps on going. That is the
way, in my opinion. that big build.
ing is going to be handled. We
will keep right on building, but
with considerably less speed but
with more assurance.
But how about home building?
What are the prospects? Has
BODYBUILDING reached the satura.
ton point? Let us analyze the
conditions. First, what proportion
of homes is owned by the families
who live in them? Shortly after the
close of the World War, United
States Government reports said 40
per cent were home owners.
1T is claimed that the average
since that time has been slightly
raised. Analysts, basing their
claims on incomplete research. say
40 to As now own their own
homes. Germany, France and
other European countries claim
as high as so per cent home owner.
ship. If this is anywhere near
the facts, it at least gives us some
thing to work on.
Below Normal
Therefore, if we only have IS
per cent home ownership in the
United States, notwithstanding
its tremendous resources Of raw
materials, land, and finance, as
against 80 per cent in European
countries, we are just 32 per cent
below normal, and normalcy is
nothing near the saturation point.
IF, according to these figures.
It took us eight years to gain
per cent in home ownership. only
per cent a year at this rate #
viii take thirty-two years to catch
up with the European countries.
The BODYBUILDING market will
have to speed up. 1t con only be
zone through education and easier
financing.
with the first warning issued in
financial quarters some months ago
about too much big building,
issued statement that loans
made on individually owned homes
was the safest secruity in tbs
world, that when a home was b,liIt
ana q man and his family moved
IN, 1t was rented for life and
tnat the owner, his life insurance
the members OF his family III.
nelrs and assfgnees and the nron,
erty itself, were back Of the mort.
gage loan. i
furthermore, / stated that the
uistflpution of loans on homes adds
ltnneasurably to the security of tho
money as well as the security of
the nation. Financial panics and
crime waves do not have thair
genesis among the families who own
their homes. own
Cooperation Needed
What is needed in This corn..
rlght now is more cooperation and
less selfish commencement, W.
neea for the moment to lose sirht
OF the dollar long enough RI tsLs
part in an educational camnaigp -
produce more home builders or Inv,
ers. Wen designed. carefullv Man,
ned, better built houses should he
the underlying purpose Of ali home
ownership talks and adyerfisinr % :
People should be encoura ped to
think for themselves show ia Man
a nome. how 1t can be financed and
ouilt. They should be taught 10
think OF home as one of the great.
est purpose of life. They should
know the fundamental principles of
good construction.
If the house is already huilt
they should know the difference he.
tween good and bad building. When
a real heart. interest Ia awakened,