The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1935-09-17
NEWSPAPERS OPINION
WHAT KIND OF BIG PUSH" is IT TO BE?

Declaring against government subsidies TO IN
crease residential construction, American Bullde:
for September asks the Washington administration
to give home building fair chance to revive itself,
by terminating all unnecessary spending and other
policies that increase building costs. Summarizing
the present Situation this prominent business Jour-
nal states that the National Housing Act is con-
structive measure because it is stimulating invest
ment of private capital
+"rhe administration deserves credit" this build
ing publication continues, ''for having supported
and helped make it effective. Recent reports from
Washington arc that the next big push will be 20
increase residential construction. Subsidies are
limited at.
"The building industry should oppose any push
that would involve increased use of the taxpayers
money That would be the best way to demorahTe
the industry and hinder the revival of construction
now under way.
"Since May, 1888, almost every important we
covery' policy of the government, excepting the
National Housing Act, has retarded recovery. Its
vast expenditures to prime the pump of business
have cogged, not 'primed,' the pump, and piled M
billions of rational debt, most of which readers OF
the American Builder and other members of the
supreme court killed it, NRA hindered revival of
all the durable goods industries, including home
building.
at would be to the interest of every industry,
and every employed or unemployed person, for the
government drastically to reduce its insane spend
ing, and quit interfering in everybody's business
ostensiby to benefit at the expense of others
-ostensbly, because the plain principal purpose of
almost every measure passed at the recent session
of congress was to influence votes.
Building and buying of homes are done by the
intelligent, thrifty, taxpayng part of the people.
They can be sold only by making the cost Of
building buying a good investment. In every
instance that the government has nterfered in any
industry-excepting with the National Housing
Act-it has increased the cost of production. This
has been DONE ostensibly in the interest of labor,
by increasing hourly wages. 1t has injured every
class, and especially labor, by preventing the large
increase of production and employment in the dur
able goods industries that otherwise would have
occurred. But Tor this retarding influence the de-
preston would be virtually over in the United
States-as it is in England and many other coun-
tries"
The outlook for an immediate healthy and sub
stania home building revival under private initia-
tive is revealed at the conclusion Of this American
Builder editorial: Contracts for residential con-
struction in the first half of 1885 were 70 per cent
larger than in 1884, and 100 per cent larger than
in 1888. In July they were 100 per cent larger
than in 1884, and $50 per cent larger than in 1888
When the home building industry is making such
progress, it may we'll regard with suspicion and ap-
prehension any proposal for big push emanat-
ing from Washington, whose experiments, re
forms and gigantic spending already have need
lessly prolonged the depression two ars."-Amer-
lean Builder.