Evening star., 1938-10-20
ASKS j. s WORKS
MADE PERMANENT
Parker Tells Construction
Unit Program Should
Be Preventive

A permanent program Of Federal
public works should be established as
a preventive, not cure, Of depression,
William Stanley Parker, general chair
man Of the Construction League Of the
United States, said today at the Con-
struction Industry Conference here at
the United States Chamber of Com
merce.
Mr.. Parker urged that every effort"
be used to put the new preventive"
policy into effect. He addressed the
leaders IN the American construction
industry, who this morning opened a
two-day discussion session.
1T offers new hope to the con-
struction industry" Mr.. Parker said
OF permanent public aims. THE f1ex-
lble Federal program must be looked
upon as nomal not as an emergency
program. Its works must be con-
structed under normal conditions of
employment, limiting work-relief or
other welfare relief to the unemploy-
ables and those marginal groups that
the regular program is unable to take
care Of"
Needs Face Lifting.
F. T. Brown chairman of the Better
Housing Committee of the Missouri
State Chamber Of Commerce, Kansas
City. told the conferees that Americas
Main Street" needs its face lifted.
He observed:
Our main streets, like Topsy, have
just grown up. They're filled with
bulging bay windows, heavy overhang-
ing cornices and gingerbread work of
the late Dos and COS. Main Street is
reminiscent of hoopskirts and bustles,
stovepipe hats. long boards and high
hitching racks"
The construction industry Is In a
new recovery cycle that may bring
return to the healthy" business levels
of the postwar recovery period within
the next five years, Thomas S. Holden,
vice president Of the F. w. Dodge
Corp, told the conference.
Mr.. Holden, whose firm complies
construction statistics, foresaw op-
portunities for increased construction
programs in the public utility, resi-
dental building and community i'm
provement fields.
Indications Stressed.
Pointing to indications OF an early
renewal Of construction in the de
pressed" utility field as a result of
better relations between the Govern
ment and utilities, he said:
We are familiar with the highly
controversial reasons for the stalling
of the expansion program of privately
owned utilities. Apparently some of
the. worst phases of the controversy
ares over, and a gradual betterment
of the situation between Government
and the utilities opens up prospect
ot a considerably enlarged program
il this highly important field"
Observing that utility construction
has fallen from a l925-29 average of
1884 100000 year to 100000, 900
a year since 1880. he asserted: Here
would seem to be a case of real de-
flciency to be made up"
The two-day conference. at the first
session Of which Mr.. Holden and Mr..
Parker spoke this morning. is being
sponsored by the Construction and
Civic Development Department of the
United States Chamber of Commerce
in cooperation with the Construction
League Of the United States and trade
associations.
John w. OJeary, chairman of the
chambers Executive Committee, who
opened the conference. stressed the
Importance to employment and re-
covery Of opening up the flow of
private investment fuads into INDUS
trial building and equipment in a
statement explaining the purpose OF
tie meeting.