REAL    ESTATE

D







LDERS







AND







Vor. cii.





NEW YORK, NOVEMBER 23, 1918





No. 21





AU Restrictions to Building Are Now Removed

Federal Government Opens Way   to   Ihe  Normal  Resumption  of
Construction Work Throughout   the   Country





THE telegram received by the Mayor's Committee
on National Defense Thursday from D. R. Mc-
Lennan, chief of the non-war cdnstruction section
of the War Industries Board requesting defĩnite infor-
mation as to the local conditions and asking for reconi-
mendations and news as to a continuance of the restric-
tions on building. foreshadowed a more generous policy
on the part of the Washington authorities. George
MacDonald, chairman of the special committee on
building and construction of the Mayor's Committee
on National Defense, after a meeting of his organiza-
tion, wired the War Industries Board, in which he
stated tha*; the committee considered it most desirable
to withdraw all restrictions as soon as possible and that
the intere3ts of New York City would best be served
by pronipt action,

This telegraphic correspondence has crystallized into
immediate tangible results on the part of the War
Industries Board which has now removed restrictions
of every character from building construction and
allows the industry every latitude in its attempt to
return to its former pre-eminent position in the indus-
trial economy of the nation.                                        ,

The order removing all restrictions on building was
received by the Mayor's Committee by telegraph   Fri-
day morning and is as follows:
Mayor's Committee on National Defense,
Hall of Records, New York City.

In view of the favorable replies to our telegram of
the eighteenth, received from practically all of the State
Councils of Defense, the War Industries Board re-
moves, efîective today, all restrictions now in force on
construction projects of every kind. This information
will be released to the press for publication Friday
morning the twenty-second instant, and we suggest
the advisability of your giving this wide publicity
throughout your State so that the public may quickly
get this information. Please hurry forward reports on
form forty-eight of projects deferred to cover period
from Septeniber fourth to November twelfth.

D. R. McLENNAN,
Chief Non-Wa.- Construction Section,

War Industries Board,

Washington, D. C.

The Mayor's Comniittee on National Defense re-
ceived on Tuesday a telegram that was sent to all
Councils of National Defense and to the heads of build-
ing material manufacturing companies, asking what in
their judgment would be the efifect of inimediately
dropping all bans on distribution or manufacture. A
telegram also was sent to thc heads of railway and
lighterage companies inquiring what the supply of
transptirtation facilities was and whethcr they could
handle a general movement of building materials.

Immediately  there  was  a flood of  telegrams  from





manufacturers who were anxious to have all the war
restrictions removed immediately. There were also
many telegrams of protest, especially from those who
believed there was danger of a general stampede for the
low siipply of materials, with the result that prices
would be forced to such levels as to make an uneven
distribution of supplies.

The majority, however, according to Washington
reports, were in favor of dropping restrictions at once.
So insistent was the demand for relief from this part
of the country that it was practically agreed that no
action would be taken by the War Industries Board
until the opinion of the Mayor's Committee on National
Defense at New York was obtained. This was the tele-
gram received by George MacDonald. the chairman,
from the Washington authorities:

Mayor's Committee, National Defense,
Hall of Records, New York.
From the best information available here, we believe
that there is now available sufĩfĩcient labor, fuel, trans-
portation, and building materials to warrant the with-
drawal of all restrictions on building projects. We
feel it the duty of this board to aid the public and the
industries to return to normal conditions as quickly
as possible ,and unless there be sound objections to
this course by the State Councils of National Defense
it is our purpose to take immediate action along this
line. Will you kindly wire promptly your views and
recommendations, having in mind particularly the con-
ditions in your section of the country?

D. H. McLENNAN,
Chief Non-War Construction Section,

War Industries Board.

Here is the reply sent last evening after the regular
meeting of the committee :

D. R. McLennan, Chief Non-War Construction Section,
War Industries Board, Washington.

Our committee thinks it most desirable to withdraw
all restrictions as soon as possible. In view of your
statement as to the sufĩficiency of labor, fuel, transpor-
tation, and building material, we can see no sound
reason for retaining restrictions further. All owners
and builders here have cheerfully conformed to your
orders regarding building construction. We feel, how-
ever, that their interests and those of the City of New
York will be best served by promptly withdrawing all
restrictions so that the development of the city may
be resumed and the business producing such develop-
ment iiiav be transacted unrestricted.

GEORGE M.VCDONALD,
Chairni.in, Committee on Building and Construction,
Mayor's Committee on National Defense.

A s])eedy return to normal conditions was predicted
l(jllowing the exchange of the telegrams.