Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

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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.