Evening Star Newspaper, June 2, 1923, Page 21

“REAL FEARS CONDITIONS IF BUILDING STOPS S. W. Straus Says High Costs, High Rents and Un- employment Threaten. higher and a Still higher building costs, rents, general unemployment slowing up of all business will result unless necessary building operations are continued, declared §. W. Straus, president of S. W. Straus & Co., yester- ) day. Mr. Straus returned to New York 8 few days ago after an intensive study of building conditions in England and France. Summing up his views on th build- ing situation in this country, Mr. Straus sai i “Above everything else all necessary butiding operations must be kept going on as extensive a scale as the supply of labor in the building crafts will per- it. It building operations generally slacken it will mean a let-down in all other lines of business. It will mean the creation of a s more acute build- ing shortage, high re increased costs of living and general unemploy- ment. : Feels No Alarm Now. ““The situation as it now stands, how- ever, is by no means alarming. The law 'of supply and demand as well as the equally immutable instincts of human nature comprise the entire prob- lem. “All elements of the industry mus work together not only amicably, but patriotic bring about stabiliza- tion of building costs. “Prices generally will not go lower, and the longer stabilization is post- poned the higher wjll bé the eventual stabilized level. Also the higher build- ing costs go the higher every other commodity will go “Ever since the summer of 191§ peo- ple have been talking about lower rents and lower building costs, but prices have continued to go higher. The fundamentals that have caused this up- ward swing are still in existence. Co-operation Is Need. “Stabilization of building costs can be eftected only through fan equalization of demand and supply. This can be ac- complished by postponing operations on ' @ basis of priority in keeping with the situation In each city or community affected. For example, one city may have an adequate supply of commercial buildings, but may be si of resi- dential structures. Cond of prog- ress in another city m impeded , through a shortage of industriz ings or hotels. Still ano i have an alarming lack of s | ties. It is the patriotic duty of labor, ! finance, contractors, material interests and all other elements to concentrate thelr efforts on such types of buildings ! as are most vitally necessary to the general welfare of the respective com- munities, thus giving to the people the buildings now most needed and post- poning for the future benefit of the industry the construction of such structures as can now be delayed i the interest of public welfare. “Such a program will, in my opinion, stabilize prices and assure a long period of prosperity’ building indu ‘business as W will not only in the Ald Labor. labor more money by g steady emplov- ‘ment throughout the year and thus re- move the incentive for a continualiy but also on acco fects on the welfares of in later vears. For it must be borne | in mind that current conditions if not { corrected will grow more acute and | chaotic as time goes on. Labor par- —Mortgage, | 32,000 CAS $10,509, | TEN YEARS—wiil buy the most| beautiful fruit and poultry farm! near Washington, LAUREL, Md. 183 acres, 3 in Wood. 500 bearing fruit trees of all kinds; 400 grap ries, raspherries, etc.: garden a Chicken houses. Cottage worth @sk. Every modern convenlence, electricity, sun parlor, two baths etc. Extra bungaiow and gar ers, e. OSCAR C. OREM, Cecil Apartinent. Metal Porch Columns —will not rot or ecrack. Any lengths. Base and cap in- cluded. Wheeler & Co. 410 Bond Bldg. Telephone Main 3934 r f Sale ' 317 C St. N.W. Second Commercial 4 stories, brick, unusually well built, containing 20 rooms, 2 baths and shower, gas and electricity and hot- water heat. Lot 28x133 to a 30-foot Alley Large Brick Garage Price, $14,0060 Thomas J. Fisher and Company, Inc. 738 15th St. N.W. Main 6830 but in all lines of g ESTATE — ticularly should assume this attitude in lending every help to tide over the delicate situation. It is a matter of simple reasoning and logic that we can- Rot g0 on indefinitely pyramiding bulld- ing costs, thus making it impossible for the builder to estimate with ac- curacy the cost of his operation at completion. “I realize that the means of effect- ing such a program lies to quite an ex- tent in the hands of the banks and other lending institutions, because’ they have it in their power to make only such loans on new construction as shall prove helpful to the situation. “In behalf of S. W. Straus & Co. I can say that it will be our policy to adhere unswervingly to such a course as shall make possible the practical ap- plication of the plans of stabilization and relief here outlined. Not only must each individual loan comply with all our usual requirements for safety, but the borrower must be able to show that his project ds a vital and immedi- atae necessity In his c that it will not interfere with any other project of perhaps still greater public need. Such a course has in fact been one of the fundamental policies of S. W. Straus & Co. in_making I buildings throughout the 3 our course in the present situation rep- resents no change of attitude on our part excepting an absolute refusal to finance ~any prefect which _ might, through the process of competition, in the slightest degree tend to create un- due advances in building costs in the community affected and thus delay the advent of stabilized conditions." IO FINANCING OF BIG DEALS TOPIC AT REALTORS’ MEET Full Discussion of Prospective De- velopment Will Be Part of Pro- gram at Cleveland Convention. Embarrsassment on the part of individual members or having funds entirely tied up in the financing of a budding subdivision or in putting through some big coup in ind tracts will ) n of travellng expens deterrent to.a 100 dance at conventions since nation- al-convening began. has been solved through the hospitable munificence of the Cleveland convention committee. A bank note for a cool million to be used in transport egates has been sent by the Clev. to the secretary of eve 475 constituent boards within the as- sociation. The note is for a million Russian rubles. and local boards are advised that the amount is equi lent to $510,000 in United States cur- rency ante-bellum exchange reckon- questio es ing. While boards are given the million- ruble transportation fund t their di as a ter of courte: be turned back to committee. the Double and Double Again. From the Boston Transcript. Young Bride—Richard, the b decorating the house have come i and they are twice as much as we expected Husban pected they Bride—But, much a —Don’t worry, dear, would be. Richard, the; that 1 ex- re twice Priced Low $6,550 paved street, sidewalks. MRS. TAYLORTELLS BETTER HOME NEED Says They Are Essential to Improve Race of Americans. “The only way to increase the birth Irate among American-born citizens is to provide better homes” sald Clara Sears Taylor today. Mrs. Tay- lor, who, as director of the Rent Com- mission and member of the Advisory Council of Better Homes in America, which, in co-operation with the Gen- eral Federatfon of Women's Clubs, will formally open “Home, Sweet Home” Monday afternoon, speaks with authority on the subject of housing. “No one knows better than we” Mrs. Taylor, “what this cam- ign for better homes means. More {than lessons in Americanism; more than all the efforts put forth to im- plant patriotism in the hearts of foreigners coming to America, is the need for better homes. For if a man builds himself a better home he will 1s00n take on ald patriotism he needs to make him a good citizen. Condition of Homes. “In the brief time the Rent Commi: sion has been in existence we hav inspected nearly 10,000 homes -in Washington. This means golng from cellar to attic. Every part of the Every looked into. And in going through {the ‘houses and hearing testimony we soon diecover what effect the con- ditions in the house have on the in- dividual and the community. We the: readily understand why €0 many peo- r you have heard the testimony | jand followed the cases up it is all quite plain. “Mych has been said about quan- of homes, littla of the quali has been pointed out that there | alarming shortage, but very little has | been written or spoken before this| about better homes. The prosper! of & nation depends upon its hom life. There can he no sound pro: perity accompanied by a low morale The status of the morale of a coun- try is determined by the life of the people inside the home. Quality of Houses. he quality of the home—that Is to y. the home itself, which is con- | tained in the area bounded by front and back doors lspirit of the family affected by the family budger much of that budget goes fc every department of home life Rent is the fundamental figu budget. While not more than cent of the income, wages or salary should go for rent, as an actual fact it is nearer 50 per cent in the large rs of the countr THE * EVENING ple are driven to suicide and crime. |~ eventually hope to chang A country ar rights 1 ment and get queries from people all over the country who seek infor- mation on r¢ legislation. A num- ber of agenc! are working along similar 1in ith excellent results. But to meet the need for better new homes as well as to better the homes already bullt, the women of the coun- try must do their part in developing the home spirit. “There are many women who. al though they have in thelr hearts a strong desire to have & home, are yet not willing to make sacrifices to attain it. Until the American ®irl of today realizes that the character of the men and women of the futuro is largely shaped by the methods em- ployed in homemaking we are not going to crystallize into ths race that our forefgthers envisaged. % Duty of Girls. “Unless the American girl realizes this and sets out to establish a home, create proper home conditions, give birth to children and surround them by a good, healthy environment, then the race of which we are so proud will be polyglot. “We have come to the tims when we must decide who the people are who are to make the country. The Amierican race is being born again. It was conceived in '76. It i3 only now coming to be, but it must be born of the right substance. “We are right now at the period of adjustment into a clvilized order of things. We are in reality just developing our person- ality.” Nothing .wlill build up a ccn- sclousness of race pride like good homes. And the only way t> increase the birth rate is to create the desire for better homes and then meet the need.” BEGIN HOME BUILDING ON NORTHEAST TRACT Development of a section of the northeast on 4th street, north of Rhode Island avenue, known as Cory Manor, into a residential tract of bungalows and detached homes has been started by Morgan E. Morgan & Co. Nine homes already have been erected. There are,about 100 build- ing lots in the operation. A Bargain For Sale By Owner Unusually attractive, practically new, detached residence of 7 rooms, 2 porches, garage. All con- veniences. Desirable cor- ner lot. Reasonable Terms $15,500 Must be sold by June 15 1300 Jefferson St. N.W. Col. 3202 Already the people of the awakened to know their Easy Terms $750—$65 per month AT NEW EASTERN HIGH SCHOOL Drive out East Capitol Street to 18th Street. Six good sized rooms, one bath, full basement. Deep back yard, All modern improvements. Con- venient to schools, churches and car lines. 26-36 18th Street Southeast tMezin: Sale 3744 Kanawha St. c.C,D.C. New, detached, attractively designed, exceptionally weil built. Nine rooms, three baths, gas and electricity and hot- water heats Lot Is 90x80 Feet One-Car Garage By compcr;':on, the best $20,500 Thomas J. Fisher & Company, Inc. U 738 15th Street N.W. Main 6830 MKEEvER e £ Six Rooms; Tiled Bath; Laundry Tubs; Deep Lot; Extra Convenient to Stores, Schools, Churches and Beautiful Soldiers’ Home Open and Lighted Daily Until 9 P.M. Take “Grant Circle Bus” or 9th St. Car Marked “Soldicrs’ Home" D. J. DUNIGAN 1321 New York Ave. Open Sunday for you Also open week days and 0 1415 Eye St. BEST BUY In the City Are the Ever-Popular DUNIGAN HOMES Our Léteat Grf)ups of 20-Foot Houses in Our New Petworth Sub-Division Will Please You Exhibit 4205 4th St. (Near Upshur.) . Electric Lights; Hot-Water Heat Large P 'STAR, | WASmNGTOfi ‘. [ SAMDAY NATIONAL REALTY SURVEY IN PROCESS Results to Be Announced at Cleveland Meeting Next Month. One of the outstanding and definite results expected of the annual conven- tion of the National Assogiation of Real Estate Boards, to be held in Cleveland, June 27-30, is the analysis and distribu- tion of a national real estate survey. The national assoclation is at present tabulating the reports received from its member boards in response to a ques- % 7227 77277 2 7 % NO MYSTERY ABOUT IT There's nothing occult or mysterious about the growth of Lyon Park. Just a case of picking out an admirable location on a dandy trolley line, and only a few minutes from town. Those were the first requisites. Then it was a case of putting in the modern improvements that people have to have nowa- days. Not just promising them But PUTTING THEM IN. Improvements in Lyon Park are running up into six figures. But THEY'RE IN. That’s much better than prom- ises. A suburb built up in this manner, with wise restrictions and public-spirited purchasers, cannot very well avoid succeed- ing. Come out and see us tomorrow. Or any week day. & M. Virginia Real Estate 722 NN, 1. 2. 2 House Phone Main 1267 - 2 D % off at Lyon Park Station. tionnaire recently sent out. This ? tionnaire covers the condition of the arket in respect to all state and the bullding construction now golng on_throughout the country. This, together with a study of real estate financing, ayallable sources of mortgage money and in rates, comprises the main factors that are being investigated by the means of this survey. The results of this tabulation of in- formation and statistics will be analyzed by Melvin L. Morse of Babson's statisti- cal organization and shown to the dele- gates in convention by graphic charts. After the convention the survey in printed form will be distributed among the member~ boards throughout the country. In the fall of 1922 a similar survey was made and reports from 129 cities were tabulated and presented to the board of directors of the national asso- clation at its meeting in New York city. This survey, which was printed and widely distributed, was taken up by the Babson statistical organization and commented on_throughout its publi- cations. The present survey is being made at the direct suggestion of the Babson organization and its co-opera- tion is expected in properly analyzing the results produced. DESIRABLE LOCATIONS FOR BEDROOM CLOSETS Every bedroom should have clothes closets with hooks and & rod for hangers, a shelf for hats and a bot- tom shelf for shoes. A tall closet may have near the ceiling an addl- tional rod for hangers for less often used clothes and a long rod lifter to reach them. A cupboard for bed linen should be in’ the upstairs hall, or in a cen- | Co~t IT’S WONDERFUL trally located room. On the ground floor a coat closet is desirable; also a tool cupboard or chest, large china cupboard, low enough for all china to be in reach, and there should be a cold closet, with open wire screen cabinets i basement. WANTED We have clients for 6 to 10 room homes, modern, good con- dition, in all sections of city. A listing of such properties with us will prove of mutual benefit. Terrell & Little, Inc. Realtors 1206 18th Street N.W. HOW LYON PARK HAS GROWN Few communities in normal, conservative times have experienced the almost spectacular growth of Lyon Park. It has not seemed so rapid to those of us who-have been working there every day these last two years. But purchasers of land in Lyon Park who come out occasionally to see their property are struck by what has happened in the intervals between their visits. A new section has been opened up. New hom peared on the landscape. Imagine, then, the amazement of those who have not visited the prop- erty for a year or two. es have suddenly ap- They are the ones whom we hear exclaim so often: “I’'s Wonderful How Lyon Park Has Grown” Come out to Lyon Park tomorrow and see what we are ‘doing, and have done. We still assist in financing homes, a service which has contributed much in the upbuilding of Lyon Park. And for the benefit of those who do not intend to build at once, we have a schedule of easy terms which will permit one with only a modest income to buy and pay by the month. FREE IMPROVEMENTS The guaranteed improvements—gas, electricity, sewers, streets—are in- stalled without additional expense to the purchaser. Come Out Tomorrow HOW TO REACH LYON PARK RUBY 1440 New York Ave. Take Falls Church line trolley at Mount Vernon Railway Station, 12th and Pennsylvania Avenue. Commutation fare, 1 Drive over Highway Bridge and Military Road, over concrete road south of Hatfield, and thence parallel twplley to Lyon Park. 3. Phone Main 1145 for salesman to drive you to property. $20 A MONTH 03¢, LEE MINAR Sales Manager Telephone M. 412 Evans Bldg. Come in the forenoon if you can, when we’re not so busy. A visit will make you understand the amazing growth of this community. Get s Arlington Cemetery to 1145 777770077777 In Cheby Chase, Haryland WASHINGTON'S FINEST SUBURB Homes of Charm and Character in a NO. 16 OXFORD STREET Nos. 16 and 18 OXFORD ‘STREET, CHEVY CHASE, MD. Open Every Sunday and Afternoon Until Sold In one of the most attractive portions of Chevy Chase, Md., we are offering for sale for the first time three com- ple usual values for the money. tely ‘detached residences that, in our opinion, represent un- Oxford Street is immediately in front of the Chevy Chase- Club, so_that the location of these houses could not be more ideal, being convenient to cars, schools, churches and stores. The quality of construction tecture is attractive and the Nos. 16-18 Oxford Stre architecture, located well bacl is beyong question. The archi- finish is of the highest class. et are of the colonial type of k on terraced lot, 60 feet wide by 125 feet in depth. Large trees add to the beauty of the setting. 4 BULLT Living rooms are 14 feet wid, tractive open fireplaces; dining room is 14x17. Delightful Environment e by 20 feet long, with at- Between the dining room and kitchen is a good sized breakfast room con- taining built-in dresser and breakfast room tremely large kitchen with special the general attractiveness of the-h first floor are a toilet and lavatory On the second floor are four la furniture. Ex- | equipment, which adds to ouse. Other features of the and a large cloak closet. rge bedrooms, three of them being practically 14 feet square and one containing open fire- place; two complete baths; good sized closets and two linen closets in the hall. taining ei floor. E A completely finished sleeping porch, con- ght wmdc\\ws, adds to the roominess of the second 2 SOLD V. T. H. BIEN Builder ,,f,,MCKEEVERfiGOSSm;“ 1415 Eye Street Main 4752