Evening star., 1932-08-05
62 Cities Guarantee Huge
Sums in Property Improve
ment and Labor.
COSTS FOR CHARITY
UNDERGO REDUCTION
Commerce Department Declares Re-
markable Cooperation Shown
in Putting Over Program.

approximately $44,6OO, 900 on property
improvement and labor has been pledged
by citizens in 81 cities. a check-up by
the Home Modernizing Committee of
the Commerce Department revealed to-
day.
The committee said 72 other cities
have been engaged in campaigns, but
have not yet submitted reports on the
amounts spent for materials and labor,
and about so, other cities were reported
to be contemplating campaigns.
Ten cities have reported campaigns,
according to the survey, that have run
into millions of dollars subscribed for
repair and remodeling work on reSiden-
provement work in 26 other cities
have equaled 100000 to $1,000,o00.
Portland in Lead.
The survey, which was made under
the supervision of the departments Bu-
reau Of Standards, showed Portland,
Oreg leading with a total of $10,548,-
900, and in addition to this property
improvement figure $2,826,0 900 was re-
ported expended in public works.
Cincinnati, according to the commit
tee, had campaign in which pledges
have been secured for the expenditure
Of $4;5OO 900 in rebuilding remodeling
and repairing.
other cities where campaigns have iaN
run into millions are: Spokane, 81, l00,-
900; Duluth, $3,700,O00; Richmond, ST.
$4,000; Rochester, $3.500,000: Sacra-
mento, $4,000, 900: Buffalo $4,000, 900;
Lincoln. $l,800.000, and Galesburg, Ill,
ST, ,005,OO0. Birmingham pledged an
even $1,0O0,0OO.
Pledge Under Million.
Some of the cities where campaigns
have run into hundreds Of thousands of
dollars are: Wheeling, s569. COO; Evanston
Omaha, 100000; Huntington Long
Island, S35O,OO0; Muncie. 1888 1888;
Taunton, Mass. s3270OO; Sharon, Pa,
$780, 600: Kingston, N. Y, $780, 900: Su-
perior, Wis, 100000; Asheville, N. c.,
1856, 900: Danville, Ill. $3.50, 900; Orange,
N. j., 5000, 800, and Trenton, 100000.
In Oshkosh, Wis, plans have been
made to spend Sl75,000; in Salem,
Greg, $l65, 600 has been subscribed; in
Montciair, N j., $138,000 has been ex
pended, and in each of the cities
Riverside, Calf; Carlisle. Pa; Streator
and Urbana, Ill; Keokuk, Iowa; Jack
son, Miss; Carthage Mo, and Columbus
and Dayton. Ohio, pledges have run to
100000 and over.
The committee said the cost of con-
Quoting a campaign in any one city of
a given population cannot be accurately
estimated. Thousands of jobs, the
committee said. have been created in
many other cities.
Charity Costs Cut.
Where successful modernizing cam
paigns have been conducted" the re-
port said, calls on The Community
Chest and other charitable organiZa-
tions have been reduced as much as SO
per cent"
1t was brought out that two general
plans had been followed in organizing
campaigns in different cities-the home
improvement plan and the mama
block
In conclusion the report said:
"One OF the encouraging aspects
noted in all these campaigns, whatever
plan was followed, was that naturally
unrelated groups Of people showed
remarkable spirit of cooperation in
pushing their special campaign through
to success. The local and State gov
ernments, American Legion, chambers
Of commerce, mems and womenS clubs,
churches, schools, Boy and Girl Scouts,
commercial organizations, trade asso-
-lations, manufacturers, architects. en-
gineerS, building trades groups, lumber
and building supply dealers, and local
financing establishments have all united
to help in an effort to promote employ
ment and bring about practical re-
vival Of business"