Evening star., 1931-12-19
Large Operations Studied.

longer considering the building Of a
house, or even the building Of many
houses, as being the housing problem.
Large Operations Studied.
Architects are now studing this sub
sect from the point of view of large
scale operations, rental VS.. ownership,
the variable economic conditions of the
classes of society to be housed the eff
feet of obsolescence and blighted areas
on taxation, etc. The problem is being
studied now as 1t never has been before,
with all of the old prejudices and as
sumptionS thrown aside. The coming
years work will surely result in more
light being thrown on these complex
subjects.
During 1891 we have heard a great
deal about governmental architecture,
Federal, state and municipal. Archi-
tects have urged that We ought to Sc
cure for public works the skill, the taste
and the technical methods which have
distinguished the great private build
that governmental architecture should
be freed from the Journalism OF official
architectural bureaus.
While architects m private practice
are undoubtedly interested in getting
this work for themselves, they urge
change from bureaucratic control pri-
marilyl because of a conviction that
thereby better architecture will result;
designs more consistent with local needs
and climatic conditions.
Architects Ideas Supported.
The building industry as a whole has
supported the architects in this con-
tention, believing that if a larger share
OF this work is in hands of architects in
private practice better contractors are
likely to be employed, men familiar with
the various localities, men who will
have better relations with local labor
and a more general knowledge of local
materials. The coming year ought to
show definite results from this agita-
ton.
Perhaps the most promising moves of
the year 1881 have been those that led
toward better coordination of the ef-
forts OF the various functional elements
Of the building industry. Since 1921 the
movement to establish local building
congresses in various communities has
made real progress. This year Con-
gresses in Detroit and Northern Cali
fornia were organized. Three or four
other cities are just starting similar
movements. Perhaps IS cities are now
50 organized.
Now a still broader plan of action
has been started, the beginnings Of a
national movement to provide a center
OF cooperation for all of the national
organizations within the building in
dustry. 1t is called the Construction
League of the United States. 1t is in
tended to be a conference body only
each constituent organization learning
through this medium what the others
are doing, and then deciding for itself
whether or not it will help to further
such measures as tend to improve the
quality of the public service of the
building industry.
Movement Encouraged.
The architects of the country have
encouraged the formation of this Con-
struction League, as they promoted the
Building Congress movement, in order
that the industry might move towarc
better understanding of its powers
the functional relationship of it's parts
and the interdependence of each ele-
nent upon the others. If we are ever
to attempt planned production in this
country, or an economic council to guide
industry, our building industry in this
year, 1881, through the Construction
League, has put itself in the way of get
ting ready to do its part.
l leave to the prophets to say Wheth-
er the outlook for 1882 is good or bad as
far as actual work of construction Is
concerned. I can see no great upward
turn in the volume of construction for
1882 even at present price levels. since
new buildings can only be financed
when they show the customary Cor even
an extra ordinary profit on investment.
Something might have been accom-
plished for the upbuilding of the con-
struction industry in 1882 had we been
ready with plan to raise special relief
funds to be used as secondary financing
for low cost housing, slum removal and
reconstruction, and similar now i'm
possible ventures in betterment.
But as it is, the architects are de-
voting their share to keep the wheels
moving, and to make of the building
industry a conscious unity with COM
mon purpose, despite the diversity of
its functions. The professional men are
and must continue to be, the leaders in
this movement.