Evening star., 1938-03-19
BUILDING POLICY
HIT BY ARCHITECTS
Indianapolis Group B|ames
Industry's Plight on Lack
of Leadership.

under an "all-American plan" to re.
build the Nations communities is pro.
posed to the Housing Committee O,
the American Institute of Architects
by the indianapolis Chapter of thu
Indiana Society Of Architects.
Indifference and disunity are "the
devastating influences" which are re-
sponSible for the present lamentable
plight Of the groups in industry, it is
declared by the Indianapolis group
appealing for leadership by the insti-
tute, which will consider the whole
problem of reviving building at its
10th convention, to be held in New
Orleans April 19 to %.
Building in America is q job for
the whole building industry--not just
part of it," asserts the Indianapolis
chapter, of which E. D. Pierre is pres
ident. 1T is definitely not a job for
Government. Instead of limping
along as helpless cripples, functioning
only by reason of economic hypo-
dermicS, Government administered, we
should begin to do those things which
will enable the building industry to
stand on its own feet and walk alone.
Blames Weakness.
"Government is in the building
business today, because the groups of
the building industry have shown
themselves unready or reluctant or
tmpotent to assume their joint re-
sponsibilities, and for no other rea-
son. Government will stay in the
building business until qualified and
competent industry shows a united
intention of defending building as its
own legitimate business.
THE trained abilities necessary to
produce good buildings are all within
the interrelated groups of the build
Ing industry, but all of them have
been sitting on the side lines while
the amateur, the incompetent, the
Jerry-builder and the speculator have
been building America for decades.
There has been no authentic building
industry functioning as such. AS a
result neither the processes of build
Ing nor the diversified abilities that
enter into it are clear in the public
mind.
Each Situation Old.
The whole question of building in
America today does not involve a
single new situation. The hue and
cry for building standards, for safe
minimum building codes, for determin-
Ing ways and means to serve the
enormous buying field of the medium
and low cost home, for making good
design available at a price the prop
erty owner can afford to pay. for pro-
Vldlng architectural supervision, for
lowering building costs and discover
Ing loW-cost materials and more eco
nomlcally efficient construction meth
ods, for certifying to proper construc-
tlon-there is nothing new in any of
these.
"The need for them has existed and
persisted while the groups of the build
Ing industry have temporized for solu-
tlons. NOW. because Government seems
determined to do something drastic
10 bring about solution of those
things which all of US know should
be done, we have finally realized that
we cannot temporize any longer. Our
very existence depends either upon
seconding Federal program of ma
tlonal housing or upon offering
better and more practical one"
Under the all-American plan, Gov
ernment and industry are represented
by their existing and recognized agen-
cles. The people, in their respective
communities, including all civic and
service groups, function through To-
cally organized chapters of an all
american civic league" it is explained.
THUS the separate functions of each
OF these groups are respected vet
their activities are interrelated and
mterdependent. assuring both inter-
est and support.
Would Unity Efforts.
Through the unification of the in
dustry and the establishment of
national headquarters of the build
ing industry, it would be possible for
the first time to offer the building
industry to the public as an integrated
industry with unified selling mes
sage.
BY indorsing good construction and
definitely labelling the finished prod
uct with the industry's seal of an
proval, the building industry can 90
lar to remove both the mistrust and
antagonism in the public attitude to-
ward the industry and the groups
! WHICH comprise it, The prestige of
united building industry backing a
policy OF labeled buildings would not
only create new and sound basis of
building values but likewise create a
mucn needed basis by which the pub
nc could recognize good buildings and
buy with confidence.
The seal of the building industry
on home or building could he as
much q warranty of worth As the
word sterling is on silver. Bv the
slenlficant phrase 'all-American'
emolematic Of principles and ideals
"hlcn are good for America and for
all Americans, and for four stars
nenoting the underlying principles of
good design, good construction, good
craftsmanship and good materials
pubic consciousness of the desir-
ability OF good building could be in.
culcated as in no other way.
Lack Of solidarity in the building
industry is the direct result of a mis-
guided policy Of failing to recognize
me interdependence of all the groups
IN the industry"