Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-29

Determined to fight off the dole sys-
tenn of unemployment relief so far as
possible and to bring relief to the mil
lions of unemployed by providing work,
the principal nations Of the world now
are engaged upon the hugest building
program which the world probably has
ever known. Not even the period Of
the building Of the pyramids OF Egypt
nor the construction Of the Roman
aqueducts, bridges and roads can COM
pare with the present undertakings. Not
even the Great Wall of China was so
tremendous an enterprise. All of those
works were spread over a long term Of
years. A century, for example, was not
Tar from the average time spent In the
building of the cathedrals.
Contrasted with these periods is the
great construction year of 1881, in
which the principal nations are plan
ming to expend $l1 .000, 900 900 on vari-
Gus public works. Large ediflces,
thousands of miles of highways, scores
of bridges, waterworks and a wide va
riety OF other projects have been set on
foot, will be diligently prosecuted and
many completed all in the span Of a
twelvemonth.
The worldwide decline in prices, the
widespread depression in trade and
industry and the general unemploy-
ment have combined to evoke this bust
ling activity. Some governments,
notably Great Britain, have been COM
PEELED to resort to the dole on large
scale. Seeing how this charge on the
public revenues has mounted year by
year, other governments have taken
alarm and SHE'D from the scheme.
Nevertheless, 1t has been realized that
some measure Of relief must be brought
to the able bodied heads of families and
others unable to find employment in the
natural course Of business development
at private hands.
So these many governments have
rubbed an Aladdin's lamp and the Jim
OF Construction has appeared. If public
money is to be spent, it has been de-
cided. it might as we'll be spent for
something enduring and not merely be
doled out in starvation stipends, bring
ing no productive effort in return.
Highway Construction General.
The construction of highways is prob
ably the most important single under
taking common to all the nations which
have been stirred to action by the fail
ure Of private employers to provide
work. A world survey reveals that
during 1881 budget commitments cal
for the expenditure Of some $4,000 .000,-
900 on the construction of new high
ways and the improvement and repair
Of old ones. Two-thirds of this world
total will be expended in the United
States
The Federal Government will take q
large part through the medium of the
Federal aid road act whereunder the
National Government appropriates a
given sum of money for road improve
ment provided the State will match the
amount Then, too, counties have
bonded themselves to expand their pro-
grams Of highway improvement. Cities
too, are budgeted for the building Of
new roads and the improvement Of old
ones in their suburban areas. Compre-
henSive street improvements. including
repaving, street widening and the like
add to the total.
In the United States private enter
prise normally is responsible for ap-
proximately two-thirds Of the construc-
ton of buildings. The other third is
the work of the Federal, State and local
governments. The adjustment is sirni-
lar in Canada. In nearly all other