Evening Star Newspaper, April 24, 1937, Page 31

REAL AID T0 BUILDING 1S SOUGHT BY LAW Legislative Reforms Would Increase Construction, Director Says. Btimulation of construction, both public and private, through release of funds which would in normal times be devoted to construction, will con- stitute one of the main subjects for discussion at the Spring meeting of | the governing boards of the Associated General Contractors of America, | which will be held April 30 and May 1 in Washington. Pointing out that construction, while it has made great strides toward recovery during the last year and a half, has not nearly approximated its normal volume of the pre-depression era, the association during the last year has been advocat- ing certain legislative reforms which it believes will bring about further iIncreases. In the field of private construction, industrial building has been held back by the undistributed-profits provisions of the 1936 revenue act, E. J. Harding, managing director of the association, points out. Commercial building has not made a satisfactory recovery because of lack of confidence on the part of banks and lending institutions. “Both these types of building form important markets in the private con- struction fleld,” Harding pointed out, | “and all statistics show that they have lagged far behind residential construc- tion in the resumption of activity. In order to determine the reason for this lag, we made many contacts with bankers and industrialists. Speculation Undermines Confidence. “We found that the demand was present but that there still remained a lack of confidence where there existed any degree of speculation. This, coupled with the provisions of the 1936 revenue act, which levies heavy taxes on undistributed earnings, which include expenditures made for improvements to industrial plants when made from earnings, appeared to be holding back the advance. It is | the belief of the Associated General | Contractors that proposed remedial legislation which it is sponsoring will to a great extent remove these obstructions to the upward climb of construction.” The proposed legislation advocated | by the association calls for an amend- ment to the revenue act to permit in- dustrial concerns to deduct from their tax returns expenditures made for plant extensions and improvements. To overcome the reluctance of lend- ing institutions to make loans for com- mercial building, the association has proposed an extension of the authority of the Federal Housing Administration | A €0 that it may insure loans for this | type of construction as it now insures loans for residential construction. With respect to public construction Harding pointed out that resumption | of construction programs by the States and political subdivisions is highly | necessary to bring back the public | works construction market to its nor- | mal volume. State Aid Desired. “While the Federal Government financed a vast program of public | works construction during the de- pression, the States failed almost en- tirely to appropriate funds for such work, with the result that the volume of public works during that period | amounted to only 50 per cent of the | volume in normal times,” Harding stated. “If public works construc- tion is to resume its normal volume the States must resume their con- struction programs, and Federal aid should be devoted to supplementing the States’ expenditures instead of being used in substitution for them. “The meeting of the association's governing boards will considc - rec- ommendations to make this principle | effective and to discourage proposals which would, in effect, merely substi- t Federal funds for local funds, thereby adding nothing to the volume of construction, and consequently furnishing no additional employ- | ment.” The sessions of the meeting will hear reports on legislative develop- ments in the present Congress of in- terest to general contractors, and will consider many problem affecting the industry at the present time, such | s labor supply, gas tax diversion, insurance matters and the like. W. A. Klinger of Sioux City, Iowa, presi- dent of the association, will preside at the sessions. New Type Shower. A new type of shower may be in- ktalled over any bathtub without marring or cutting of the walls, says the Plumbing and Heating Industries Bureau. ESTHAVEN ESTATE. BY J. W. WELLINGTON. ECOGNIZED generally as one of the most desirable Summer flowers, the gladiolus has fallen from grace during the last few years, not for any fault of its own but because of an epidemic of an insect, the thrips, which seems to have spread like wildfire through= out the whole country. Apparently the thrips have been distributed on the corms or bulbs, hidden under the outer covering and in the crevices of the corm itself. Fortunately this fact is now well recognized and most commercial growers treat their corms with mercury compounds before ship- ment to customers. In the garden, reasonable control of the thrips is assured by spraying with a sweetened poison solution made up as follows: Three gallons of water, one pound of brown sugar and one tablespoon of paris green. Three treatments at 10- day intervals, beginning when the plants are 8 to 10 inches tall, are suggested. This means that one can- not wait until the plants are in bloom because that would be too late and would injure the appearance of the blooms Any soil that is sufficiently fertile for vegetables will grow fine gladiolus. Large sized corms may be planted 5 or 6 inches deep so that the soil may assist in holding the plant erect. For fertilizer, any good mixed material, such as ordinarily used on the lawn and garden, will give good results. The arrangement will differ with the garden and gardener but culture such as given the vegetables permits easy tillage and spraying. Varieties differ markedly in the num- ber of days required to attain full bloom, with 80 to 85 days as the average. In some catalogues, the num- ber of days is stated and this would permit planning for exhibitions and to secure a succession of bloom over a long period The gladiolus is treated as an an- nual, although occasionally bulbs do Winter over in the garden. With the advent of thrips, care should be taken to dig up all stock in the Autumn so that it may be treated with naptha- lene flakes or mercury compounds to be certain that no insects survive the Winter. In the final analysis, garden- ers should not give up the growing of gladiolus on account of thrips, for there is considerable chance of grow- ing fine blooms despite this insect, if control methods are followed. There appears also to be considerable va- riation from season to season in the prevalence of the insect. Dahlia Division. T THIS season the gardener may easily divide his dahlia clumps into several parts because the new buds are appearing. It will be noted that these are not on the tubers as in the case of the white potato but are on the base of the old stem. Simply breaking off the tubers would THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 1937. result in no plants but instead one should take a strong xnife and split the stem so 8s to leave a piece of this attached to the tuber. There is no question but that the tuber is use- ful to the young plant for it contains stored food to supply the new plant in its early development. Certain skilled growers divide their dahlia clumps in late Autumn just following digging, but this requires unusual skill and is not necessary for the home gardener. In fact, under or- dinary cellar conditions, such as pre- vail in the home, the clumps Winter better than single divisions as they do not dry out so readily. June 1 is conceded a better date for dahlia planting in this region than earlier because the late set plants do not make their full growth until the onset of Autumn when moisture and temperature are more favorable than in Midsummer. The dahlia is a native of the high elevations in old Mexico and as such enjoys cool nights and short days. It is a fine flower for the home garden with a full exposure to the sun and with ample space. There are few diseases and insects to contend with and no par- ticular difficulties in culture beyond the need of ample fertility and water. Primroses. MANY a local garden is now color- ful with hardy primroses, or primulas, as they are more correctly known. Brilliant in shades of red and yellow and blended colors, the prim- roses are notable additions to the early Spring garden. They are of the sim- (Continued on Page C-10.) The heating system that air-conditions as it heats Let us give you the facts! NORGE ENGINEERING CO. 1223 Eye St. N.W. Dlstrict 5505 "7019 HAMPDEN LANE GENUINE BARGAIN 2 BEAUTIFUL EDGEMOOR, MD. ON LOT 90x183 PRICE ONLY $11,750 Drive out Wi ot consin Ave. Bank of Edgemoor Hampden Lane to house. to turn right Open Sunday 10:30 to 6 P.M. 1417 K st. BOSS & REALTORS Right In midst of beautiful, costly, smafl estates. rieties, ideal setting for t Contains seven rooms, room, 2 baths, open fireplace, gas heat. People who love refinement and desire exclusive should property fot for fine londscoping Wonderful trees of many va- including dogwood, create an s comfortable home. including maid’s and chorming surroundings immedictely see this interesting Ample opportunity on the big PHELPS NAt. 9300 Built by the developers of Westmoral 925 15th ST. N. W. On a corner lot at the entrance to Westhaven . .. Three bedrooms, two baths . Living room with fireplace, re- cessed bookshelves . . . Colonial dining room with built- in china cupboard . . . Modern gas kitchen . .. Paneled clubroom with wood-burning fireplace . . . Attached garage with overhead door . . . Heated by automatic gas burner. ‘Drive out Massachusetts Avenue half mile past Westmoreland Circle to Westhaven. INSPECTORS HELP PROPER BUILDING Workmanship and Choice of Materials Influenced Under F. H. A. Plan. Activity of architectural inspectors who make periodic checks on new construction projects financed under terms of the insured mortgage system have a definite influence in encourag- ing better workmanship and the use of proper materials, according to Miles Colean, director of the Techni- cal Division, Federal Housing Ad- ministration. Citing several specific construction details that have been encouraged by the work of the architectural in- spectors, Mr. Colean pointed out that these requirements on builders are not such as to materially increase the cost of construction. “It has been our observation,” he said, “that workmanship in general has shown a definite improvement | under our inspection system. Our ob- Jective is to make every effort to 6345 31st Pl N.W. Open 12 to 8 P.M. Saturday and Sunday Dream home, English Cottage, Brick and Stone, Back yard a flower garden. wooded section. Surrounded by _ beautiful “homes. Strictly modern in all its appointment Owner leaving city, MUST _SEl Central entrance. Price $9. C. McCune, Woodward Bldx; Dis. 0162, Res. Pot. 1900. 2908 5th St. S.E. Open Sunday and Daily until 9 P.M. NEW SUBDIVISION TO REACH—Cross 11th Street Bridge S. E. to Nichols Ave.. continue south Nichols Ave. to Mellon St. rioht Mellon to 5th St., and left to homes. insure a sound structure that will stand up and meet all mortgage eligi- bility requirements. We are constantly on the lookout for little details that do not cost much money but have a great importance in relation to the durability of the structure. “We are also making an effort to help operative builders co-ordinate their activities. It is a general con- dition in the building business that some builders will devote much time to determining how to save a 2 by 4 here, or a pound of nails there, wher he could realize better resulls and greater profit by improving work ef- ficiency and reducing idle hours on construction jobs by paying more attention to the delivery of materials and similar details. “Our method is, to a large extent, an effort to place emphasis where it Reposses;;d E Corner Chevy Chase, Md. 6319 Conn. Ave. | 4 Bedrooms—2 Baths Garage—Lot 70x100 Bubstantially constructed with liv- ing room. dining room, sun room and kitchen on first floor: 3 large bed rooms. 2 baths, finished sleeping porches on second floor; storage attic and maid's room: hot- water heat, electricity, screens, weather strips snd built-in garage. | Less Than 1st Trust Price Only $9,500 Open Today & Sunday L. T. Gravatte 729 15th Realtor NA. 0753 beautiful new brick home containing two bed rooms, living room, dining room, tiled bath, modern kitchen with elec- tric refrigeration and Oxford cabi- nets, hot- water heat and laundry trays in basement. This home has furred walls, in- sulated with rock wool, corked and weather-stripped. on on ‘A SMART BRICK HOM in the New Wooded Subdivisioi “Bannockburn Heights” see this lovely home. fireplace and side porch, library room. PHILLIPS & National 4600 Individually built and artisticolly planned. all to be found in modern home construction. Large living room with $14.450 Over an acre (48,000 sq. ft.) of land in e beautifully wooded subdivision—a profusion of vines, dogwood and wild flowers. i love nature and want to “get away” from city noises, come out to | If you This home offers or bedroom and lavatory, dining THIS IS A MODERN ELECTRIC HEALTH KITCHEN HOME. 3 lorge bedrooms, 2 baths, spacious closets, rock wool insulation, oil || heat, 2-car built-in garage, maid's room and bath. It Drive out River Road 1 1-5 miles beyond Kenwood Club House i CANBY, Inc. 1012 15th St. N.W. ARG 914 Forest One of a Group of 6 2 of Which Have $6,950 TO $7,950 TO REACH From trafic_licht on Georgia Avenue at Silver Spring. con- tinue east on Colesville Pike 1% miles 2o our sign at Forest Glen Road, ovposite Indian Spring Country Club. Drive fo left three blocks fo property. Open Daily to 6 P.M. Owners LE CROWDER CONSTRUCTION CO., Inc. Architects SHEPHERD 1304 PARK Glen Road New All-Brick Homes Already Been Sold Large living room with fireplace Spacious dining room Tile bath Large bedrooms Slate roof Automatic heat Full basement Furred walls | Insulated, caulked Modern gas appliances belongs. In recent years, merchan- dising of residential property has placed too much stress on gadgets and novel appliances and too little on the actual house itself. It is a part of our task to see that builders pay more attention to those elements ‘behind the plaster and shingles’—things that & prospective purchaser cannot in- spect. Results since this system began REAL ESTATE. have been very. gratifying.” Technical details insisted upon by Housing Administration architectural inspectors include the following: Bracing of frames by diagonal sheath- ing or let-in corner braces (heretofore horizontal sheathing was frequently used with no braces); encouragement of the use of better grades of lumber and other materials; rejection of in- * C7 ferior materials; insistence upon ade- quate ventilation for unexcavated areas to prevent dry rot and termite infestation; better mortar and con- crete; encouragement of water proof- ing and damp proofing in basements; strict compliance with local building codes; wiring, plumbing and heating must meet standards created by local authorities. equipment, fixtures approaches perfection. sures economy of In its setting of giant oaks the beauty of this 7-room modern center- hall plan brick home is very striking. Within, to the smallest detail of and finish Solid construction, complete and thorough insulation with Rock Wool, weather-stripipng, caulking, etc., as- the and built-in it luxurious automatic gas-heating insulation. Open fireplace in living room and recreation room, large living porch second floor, first floor lavatory. Green slate roof, copper spouting, etc. Two houses already completed and sold, another nearing completion and two more lots to be built upon, com- prises this little development. Carefree Comfort With Modern Gas Appliances TO REACH—Out Piney Branch through undergrade, and pass Bliss Electric School, one block to property. arely E. L. MILLER o~ rremises OR CALL NORTH 7239 PHILADELPHIA AVE. *11,500 garage. Two baths on See th ation r Values in Town 7,450 Monthly Terms to Suit | (= The Most Remarkable New Home 210-240 Gallatin St. Exhibit Home—238 Gallatin St. rooms—bath—recre- p—qas heat—modern Remarkable Low Price IsTRicT-2724 A Brown Bros. Product At This BROWN BROS. 9Q7 15th STREET the **Monticello” Builders 'y the “Warrenton” $13.950 the “Warrenton Group”—three new homes in BARNABY WOODS the ‘"Middleburg” Claude G. Johnson, Builder 6631 Western Ave., Chevy Chase, D. C. A white-pillared portico adapted from Jefferson’s Monti- cello offers the “hospitality of the old South” right here in Barnaby Woods . . . the long white fence to emphasize a broad greensward brings thoughts of the vast estates of the Warrenton hunt country . . . and the Georgian interior is finished in the colorful elegance of the aristocratic Southern manor homes. Seven rooms, den, breakfast bar, large two-story porch in this stimulating new-home community adjoining Rock Creek Park, one block from transportation. This is an Electric Kitchen Health Home Open Daily and Sundoy—10:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Furnished by Horace Dulin, Inc., 1307 G St. N.W. HOMAS 738 15th St. INCORPORATED N.W. JFiSHER & OMPANY™ DI. 6830 Use the New Entrance to BARNABY WOODS At Chevy Chase Circle turn right on Western Ave. and drive direct to 6631 Western Ave. &