Evening star., 1935-08-04
S8,ODO,O(0 IS SPENT
FOR HOME REPAIRS
IN CAPITAL AREA
Campaign Chairman Re-
ports 2,100 Loans Made by
Banks Total ST 1860, 900.
1,250,o00 PROVIDED
BY LOAN ASSOCIATIONS
Improvement Drive Cost Only
$1,000, Which Was Donated
by Business Men.

Since the better housing cam
paign began last February, Washing
ton property owners have spent
So 600, 900 toward home Improvements
and repairs, E. J. Murphy, Campaign
Committee treasurer, estimated yes
terday.
He reported 2,100 loans made by
banks for these purposes, amounting
to 81 $50 900, in addition to loans Of
81 $50 900 made by building and loan
associations since the civic campaign
was launched.
According to recorG3 implied on a
national basis, 81 cash is spent for
every dollar Of credit expended and,
on this basis Of calculation, the total
of business in home Improvements
here amounts to $4,000, 900, Mr.. Muir
ply said.
In the beginning the Federal
Housing Administration set a quota
Of Sc, ,000, 900 for the District in home
improvement operations. Mr.. Muir
ply said the calculation showed the
District had exceeded that quota by
81, ,000, 900.
Campaign Costs Low.
For all this boost in housing better
mentS, he said, the net campaign cost
has been only 1900, donated by busi-
ness men here. An equal sum, used
to defray costs of telephones, trans
portation Of canvasSers and printing
and other incidentak, was met out Of
fees paid by contractors who have re-
ceived work directly from campaign
headquarters.
CanVaSsers furnished the committee
through the Federal Emergency Re-
lief Administration, in "a weeks fol-
lowing February l, made more than
$4,000 calls on residents OF the Dis
trict and brought in 5,719 moderniza-
tion jobs, Mr.. Murphy reported.
In other words" he said, "5,719
residences of the District have been
modernized, improved or repaired,
through the instigation of the better
housing program. This has meant
work for the painters, carpenters.
! plumbers, the electrical workers and
bricklayers.
Put People Back to Work.
"It has taken persons on the relief
rolls and put them back to private oc-
cupations. The dollar put into build
| ing helps all trades and all callings,
for it is busy dollar. 1t has the
velocity which economists say money
must have if good times are to
return.
"Out of every dollar that goes into
the building trades, "a per cent goes
to labor. This money is not hidden in
a bush but is put into circulation. 1t
goes to pay the butcher, the baker,
the clothier, the dentist and doctor.
I'VE have no record of all the work
that might have been started through
community enterprise. We do not
know how many homes may have been
repaired or modernized by his neigh
bors, because John Jones was fixing
up his house" He figured that If 10
per cent of the So, ,o0O.0 expenditures
were added on this account, the total
Of Improvements would amount to
nearly 100000.
Praises Board Of Trade.
The Board of Trade, which gave
support to the campaign, was praised
by Mr.. Murphy for its help. He
lauded services rendered by the Fed
eral Housing Administration and by
Thomas P. Lttlepage. chairman. and
Claude Owen, head Of a subcommittee,
and other workers. The Chesapeake
& Potomac Telephone Co. and the
Washington and Georgetown Gas
Light Cos. were commended for thNir
support.
Mr.. Murphy discussed results Of the
campaign in a statement over Station
WJSV yesterday morning.