Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-02-09


can hit this target. We must I'M
less we are to fail in our duty to
the veterans.
1t will take time, under any pro-
gram, to produce materials and to
build houses in quantity. Because
the program will start slowly and
will speed up as materials and man
power become available in greater
quantity. Each months delay in
getting under way in 1916 will mean
a loss Of about $4,000 units, num-
Der equal to almost one-third of the
1945 production of homes.
During the past few weeks have
heard the fear expressed that gear
ing our building industry to meet
the present emergency will result
In an over-expanded industry. The
facts contradict this fear. The figure
of some 100000 homes needed by
the end of 1947 does not take into
account the more than 10.5 million
homes which are sub-standard and
which must and can be replaced in
a healthy, full production econo-
my.
THE PROBLEM OF MATERIALS
-" Requirements OF all materials
and supplies-lunber, brick, wall
board, lath, cast iron soil pipe, cleo
trical, plumbing, and heating sup
plies roofing materials, and others
far exceed forseeable production I'M
less emergency action is taken.
To achieve the necessary expan-
sion, both of conventional and OF
new-type materials, three funda-
mental steps are called for:
Cd All existing plants must be
brought to capacity operation as
speedily as possible.
Cd Unused war plants and facili-
ties must be converted for the pro-
duction of new as we'll as conven-
tional materials.
go Beyond this, new capacity
must be built to the degree necessary
to meet the requirements of the
program.
The additional cost and risk of
expansion, whether through in
creaSeS in output, or additions to
existing plants, conversion of old
ones, or construction of new ones
|must-when clearly necessary-be
shared by the Government, just as
it was during the war. This re-
quires more rapid than usual amor
tization of the plant for tax pur-
poses; Government underwriting of
sales of new-type materials at prices
sufficient to cover developmental
costs. adequate short and long term
Government credit, where private
capital is not available, and premi-
UNI payments in selected cases for
increased production of conven-
tional and new-type materials
achieved over and above carefully
selected base period Premium pay
ments will also be necessary in cases
where production costs rise due to
the payment of overtime, or the ad-
dition Of another shift. ..
THE PROBLEM OF MANPOWER
Vigorous action will be
aASSoSo w avn dSk GIL l.
500, 900 workers. Recruiting pro.
grams pointing up the long tern
prospects Of a reyitalized industr,
will have to be started at once. Vet.
Grams should be given every induce.
ment to participate. A large-scals
apprentice program should be un.
dertaken promptly to produce tht
skills that are necessary. ..
CONSTRUCTION TO MEET THI
NEEDS.
While we must depend TO,
the bulk Of our homes on buldin,
by conventional methods, we vii
also need to stimulate large pro
gram of factory fabrication O.
homes. Increased emphasis on fac.
tory fabrication is also importan,
from the point Of view of manpowel
since this method requires a smalle,
percentage of highly skilled work.
men.
A factory prefabrIcation program
lends itself to the use of surplu.
plants, as well as assuring the full
utilization of the existing prefabri.
I,catlon industry. The program i,