Evening star., 1934-06-26
SPEEDED HOUSING
WORK IS URGED
0. O. Kuhn Says Building
and Repairs Would Stim-
uIate Recovery.

should be utilized by private enter
prise as "springboard" whereby pri-
vate initiative and effort may be set
in motion to the fullest extent rather
than permit these activities to stultify
private capital, Oliver Owen Kuhn,
managing editor of The Star, told
members of the Advertising Club of
Washington at its meeting today.
Discussing home betterment in all
its ramifcations, Mr.. Kuhn declared
advertising clubs of the country are
in position to act as the spear
head in co-ordinated, concerted
effort ito sell the idea that home
ownership and home improvement is
not a sink-hole and a trap for hard
earned efforts and savings. but a
shrine the sanctity of which will be
respected by one and ALL"
Sees Newspaper Aid.
EnviSioning the newspapers of the
country cooperating and co-ordinating
their efforts in movement to pro-
ment, the speaker added:
Back of you I can envision many
great industries which have to do with
this question of home betterment,
marShaling their forces not alone from
the standpoint of dollars and cents,
but from the standpoint of a keen
willingness to lend individual aid to
the great campaign to idealize and to
sustain the American home.
Results cannot be achieved by q
few popgun spurts. 1t is not sufficient
to let this organization or that
organization or this group of citizens
or that group of citizens marshal the
burden in a campaign of this sort
If there is to be success, and If a
new confidence be created in the
minds of the average American citi-
zen, there must be a prolonged cam
paign of re-education in the ideals
and in the advantages that come with
home ownership and home improve
ment."
Mr.. Kuhn declared it is not suffi-
cient that industry lean upon the
Government and utilize every avenue
opened up to relieve financial re-
sponsibilities, and Ito make it a bit
easier for business to do business"
That, he said, is the easiest way, but
it may prove to be the most ex-
pensive.
Credits Government.
while private enterprise and timid
capital have hidden their heads in
the sand, we at least must give the
Government credit for recognizing the
vital necessity of moving forward, the
vital necessity of not only protecting
those homes which already may be
established, but later giving an op-
portunity to those who would better
them" he said.
Pointing to the Governments actiy-
tiles, Mr.. Kuhn stressed the impor-
tance of the almost limitless reservoir
of credit for property reconditioning
which is about to be tapped through
the administration housing bill. This
act, although it contemplates no di-
rect Government loans to owners for
home improvements, still makes pos
sible the borrowing of funds from
private sources that mean the life
blood of the building industry. Gov
ernment guarantee of 20 per cent of
total loans up to 5000, ,000, 900. with in
dividual loans limited to $4,000, is the
basis of the plan.
The volume of modernization work
throughout the country that might
result from this program, Mr.. Kuhn
said, has been variouSly estimated up
to billion and a half dollars. THE
extent will depend entirely on how
well the home owner is educated to
the wisdom of the work" he added.
Another field of credit now open
for home reconditioning is the s400.-
600, 900 of earmarked money in the
Home Owners Loan Corporation for
reconditioning homes on which il
holds mortgages
That there is deep-rooted interest
in the betterment of home environ
ment, desire to increase the comfort
and INABILITY of the place we live in,
has been clearly demonstrated in this
area, at least, by the results accom-
plShed by The Star in its Better
Homes Contest" Mr. Kuhn said.
"Motivated by a desire to stimulate
home improvements and moderniza-
tion as a means of aiding the emaci-
ated building industry. increasing en-
ployment and improving community
appearance, The Star started this drive
before the Government launched its
plan. with $1,000 in prizes as an addi-
tiopa incentive
5000 Forms Distributed.
Humble as this effort is, since the
start of the movement no less than
8 900 entry forms have been distributed
in the Washington metropolitan area
through citizens associations, which
are cooperating almost 100 per cent
in the movement. and directly through
application to The Star"
The speaker stressed that although
the fullest utilization of the vast Gov
eminent funds for home protection
and improvement is very important
this time, it must remain but a tempo
rary expedient. He emphasized that
the wise course is to help set in mo-
ton all the latent, stored-up private
energies and resources, the release of
which will revive a torrent of business
activity
Leading real estate men, construc-
tion and house furnishing authorities,
as well as representatives of Govern
ment agencies having to do with hous-
ing, were guests of the Advertising
Club at the luncheon meeting.