Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-29
VAST BUILDING PROGRAM
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.

countries Of the world the governments
produce a larger share-from about
half in Great Britain to even larger
proportions in other countries.
During periods of depression private
industry invariably lessons its activity.
Almost furtive in It's timorousnesS con-
corning safety of investment, private
capital is reluctant TO start anything.
In such times the public as a whole
must engineer a revival In no previous
crisis has this been so clearly recog-
nized and acted upon as in the present
one.
Private construction in the United
States has slumped heavily, but THE
slump has not been anywhere near So
marked as elsewhere. In Great Britain,
for example, about half Of the construc-
ton of buildings of all types normally
is done by the government In boom
years private enterprise becomes spe-
cially active, but there have been no
boom years recently in Great Britain
and 1880, Of course, was the worst in a
long time. The contrast between 1929
for instance, and 1890 is distressinely
sharp. In 1929 there were 6O,804 build
ing projects undertaken by govern
mental authorities with government aid
and 59,219 undertaken wholly by pri-
vate enterprise. In 1880 there were
1880 Of the governmental type and
I
prise. Government building declined
1872 per cent, but private building fell
oil 95.6 per cent.
Other Nations Plans.
This constituted an emergency and
$38,000,000 has been appropriated for
road building, with an additional So
100000 for bridges. Great Britain has
housing act under which loans are
made on favorable terms to persons de-
string to erect houses for homes. The
sums available for these loans have
been expanded.
No such sensational drop in private
! construction has occurred in the United
States as IN England. One reason is
| that Americans know they are not 60
/ ing to get any Government aid in build
Ing dwellings, so do not postpone nee
essary, although they do postpone spec
ulative, construction.
| The Dominion of Canada has Just
added 100000 to her normal road
building budget France has added
| 100, 900, 900 francs to hers. In Italy
1000 additional men are to be set to
work on highways during aths year.
Japan now is considering a large emer-
gency appropriation for road and other
public construction. In Greece. Ser
bia, Hungary, Austria, Bulgaria, Ru-
mania, Szechoslovakia, Germany, Po-
| land, Turkey and Australia sums have
been appropriated, in addition TO those
normally set aside, for stimulated
construction program.
Sweden is extending her State rail-
ways, India has appropriated substan-
| tial sums to improve drainage systems
| at public expense, Brazil has seized this
! time to build new custom houses, pub
lie hospitals and port works. Great
| Britain's total expenditures on stiInu-
| lated public works Will exceed $780,"
! 900, 900 in 1881.
In many cases work is going forward
without the use of modern labor-sav-
| inc machinery. This is done dehber-
ateIy in order to provide work for more
men.
1t is doubtful whether ever before IN
| the history of the world governments
have been supporting SO many people
| in time of peace. But, in this instance,
| the nations will have enduring works
to show for the money they have paid
NIT