The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1945-10-11
Advocates Strict
Controls Over All
Building Costs
BY Chas. d. Rowe

1t has been expected that the
need for thousands of new homes
and industrial buildings would be a
strong factor in providing jobs dur
ing the reconversion period follow
ing the war. That expectation has
held out the promise of continued
activity in all lumber producing
districts. Every indication is that
sawmills will hum for many years,
if and when the present labor dis
agreements are settled.
A recent issue of the Saturday
Evening Post has an article by
+ Chester Bowles. OPA chief. under
the heading Lets Have Building
Boom that Won't Bust" In that
article BoWles advocates, as could
be expected. a close control over
all building costs Writing of the
many families that need new homes,
Bowles says
"All these families are home
hungry, Many are desperately so.
A study reports that one family out
of every ten plans to buy or build
right away when material and la
Dor are available Other studies
show that roughly about one fourth
of all families will either repair
their present homes or build or buy
new ones.
BoWles further says THE ma
tional Housing Agency estimates
that as many as 100000 people
can be employed directly or indi-
rectly in new-home construction !
- -
The article quotes history and sta
tistics to prove the point that fol-
lowing World War | a similar
building boom collapsed because Of
rapidly rising costs. To prevent a
similar occurrence now. Bowles ad-
vocates imposition of the following
controls.
ID Price controls on building ma
terials.
90 Wise controls on cost of con-
structlon
(3) Control over real estate prices.
(4) Control over sales prices Of
homes.
(ol Rent controls on present
rented properties and rent ceilings
on homes and apartments that Will
be constructed.
lnasmuch as labor is a large part
of the cost of construction. it is evil
dent that If construction costs are
TO be held down. wages paid labor
must also come under control.
1t is advocated that these vari-
GUS controls be maintained during
the time that there Will be such
heavy demand for new homes and
other buildings. Perhaps this may
be necessary. We certainly do not
want a boom and then a bust But
this matter is tending in a direction
that needs to be watched carefully.
Let's see what is proposed
- -
The proposal would place all
building under the strictest regi-
Controls would be placed
over the cost of the building site,
over all costs of building materials,
over the labor going into the build
ing, over the cost and size Of some
If not all Of the buildings to be
erected, over the price said build
ings could be sold for. over the
rentals that could be charged. From
start to finish the entire operation
would be under the complete regi-
Such a program would
have to be managed with extreme
skill and care or it would end in
construction of many
homes. Thus it would result in de-
feating one of the great needs Of
the hour, the need to provide jobs
and homes. Too many controls fire.
lessen or kill production,
which has been the experience in
more than one instance in late
years.
1T -
Some time ago we were talking
with a working man. He talked flu
entity Of the need Of maintaining the
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