Evening star., 1949-02-21
Carr Suggests Survey
ia Deseflnine Funds
Available for BuiIdino
By Robert J. Lewis
Star Staff Correspondent,

NSbSIt - @CWtS
Star Staff Correspondent,
CHICAGO. Feb. 21.-Edward r
Carr Of Washington, in the key.
note address opening formal ses.
sions Of the National Association
of Home Builders here today
called for a "top-level" conference
of representatives of the Nation.
financial community and builder.
to smooth the way for Residential,
construction this year.
Mr.. Carr. a builder and forme,
president of the association. sale
the problem of mortgage financing
has grown serious in many areas
and that conference such as he
proposed could achieve a bette,
distribution of available credit
throughout the country"
A conference of this type should
include representation of CONNER
cial and savings banks, building
associations and insurance Arms
he said.
Must Determine Funds Available.
There is a crying need to de-
termine what funds will be avail
able for home building, and
whether any new legislative ma
chinery would be necessary to OBJ
tain free flow of housing funds" "
he declared.
Such a conference could, like
wise, examine the methods en-
ployed to govern payments during
construction, and deal with the
matter of providing as liberal
terms to the ultimate purchaser
as sound banking practice will
permit"
Discussing the associations pro-
gram to encourage production of
economy houses" Mr.. Carr
warned builders not to eliminate
too many features sought by home
buyers.
"Our economy house must not
become a shabby strip-tease model
which will live to haunt us later.
It must be kept to sound basic
construction standards. and we
must build for all the income
brackets if we are to serve all the
people" he said.
"Gestapo Tactics" Charged.
Charges by builders that the
National Housing Expediters Of
fee is using "Gestapo taictics" in
It's current widespread investiga-
ton of overcharges on veterans
housing have been filed with the
convention. it was learned today.
9 Protests have been lodged with
the conventions resolutions COM
mittee by a number of local as
sociations of builders. including
those from Denver. Dallas and
Des Moines. according to Allen
e. Brockbank. committee chair
man.
More than 10 Washington area
delegates are attending the con-
vention, which opened yesterday
with the unveling of an, expo
sition of 1949 home building ma
terial and appliances. So
Few Will Aid Econsny..4
While the display was fhk 1argr
est and most diversified IN the
five-year history <of the national
association. few items were calcu-
lated to aid in. production Of
economy houses" because of high
prices, builders pointed out.
On the basis Of prices Of items
in the ,ahew,~it-sppearedst sthe going
would be just~as rough--this year
for the. association IS effort TO push
production of lower-priced houses
as it was last year. - '..- -.
Buyers Want Extras.
From the standpoint of public
acceptance, also, it appeared that
the economy house program
would run into trouble.
At today's session Mrs. Maude
M. Butler, a Tulsa (Okla) builder.
reported she had polled 5000
housewives to find out what kind
of home they wanted.
"Ninety-nine per cent wanted
separate dining rooms" she told
q meeting of women builders.
Likewise, she said. the house
wives voted overwhelmingly for a
breakfast nook, laundry equip
ment, garbage disposal unit, dish
washers, woodworking fireplace
and automatic kitchen ranges.
Many women also called for
larger bedrooms and more closet
space, she said. and quite a few
asked for q separate shower stall
In the bathroom.
Economy House" Defended.
Most all wanted attic fans and
air conditioning for summer" she
added.
LAS against this evidence of
housewives wishes, builders these
days are trying to figure out how
to eliminate expensive gadgets,
reduce room sizes and otherwise
strip down the houses so that they
can get into the economy house
price field.
All association official defined
the economy house" yesterday.
Frank w. Cortright. executive
vice president of the Home Build
ers' Association, said the typical
house would be a frame dwelling
of four to five rooms and would
range in price from $4,000 to
$4,000"
Yesterday. James w. Pearson.
executive secretary of the Wash
ington association, spoke before
the secretaries council on the
functioning of the Washington
organization. Mr.. Pearson came
to the convention here after
visiting the ST Louis home show,