Building Construction in 1941

By E. W. MORRIIJ. Vice-preaident qnd General Scrles Mcrnrrger, Tbe Insulite Conpcrny

The year 1941, according to latest authoritative opinion, will undbubtedly be one of the biggest buildi,ng years in A,merican history. fn fact, it may turn out to be the largest building year of all.

The sharp rise in building activity now under way will vastly benefit not only the entire building industry but all other industries as well. It will not only tend to push up production in many closely-associated industries in the important heavy industries field but will result in a considerable increase in the sale of all kinds of consumers' goods, such as foods, clothing, home furnishings and other such items.

For over a decade the building industry has operated far below capacity, and large numbers of men in the building trades have been irregularly emp,loyed, or, in some instances, not employed at all. This situation is changing rapidly. So many skilled and unskilled men long out of work are being given steady jobs at good wages on public and private projects of one kind or another that the wage incomes of many communities have risen spectacularly in recent weeks.

Most of the increased building activity during 1941 will be provided by projects both directly and indirectly associated with the national defense program. This program, though launched only a few months ago, is now well on its way on a gigantic scale in every part of the United States. Canada has been carrying on a somewhat similar national defense program ever since its declaration of war against Germany over a year ag'o.

Uncle Sam is determined to assemble a million or more men for training in all essential branches of the nation's military service between now and the middle of. 1941. However, these men can be called into service only as fast as the best of accommodations can be provided. As a result, contracts for the construction of needed accommodations are being awarded as rapidly as plans can be drawn and approved, and contracts already awarded are being rushed to completion as fast as materials can be delivered, and hundreds of thousands of men can do the work.

Defense appropriations for construction already exceed $2,000,000,000. Most of 1941's public engineering and building work will be for navy, army, and air corps defense industrieg and for defense housing. In fact, so much of this type of construction is contemplated that defense construction will largely replace the civilian public works program of the last few years. Confirmation of this change in administration policy was announced publicly by president Roosevelt late in November.

The term "national defense program,' is more inclusive, by far, than many suppose, and provides for the construction of a rvide range of projects whichdew persons associate with military undertakings of this kind. Thus, appropria, tions for the establishment of the huge new military camp at Tullahoma, Tenn., provide for the erection of not only military barracks, hospitals, armories and warehouses but of thousands of homes for workmen, a post office, theaters, streets and highways, clubs and lodges, sewerag:e and water supply systems, an electric light plant, mechanical and processing manufacturing plants, and many other such structures.

Similar camps are being cons,tructed in many other parts of the countr5r, particularly in the southern states. Each project requires as many thousands of laborers and as many trainloads of materials for its construction as would be needed if any American city of 25,W to 5O,0@ inhabitants should suddenly decide to pull up stakes and move to a new and unoccupied site in the open country. Building construction of this !rpe, and on this gigantic scale, cannot help but have a tremendous effect on all types of industry throughout the United States.

It has been estimated that 1940 construction figures will show that fully ten per cent more homes were erected in 194O than in 1939, largely as a result of extraordinary activity in the small home field. According to latest estimates, (Continued on Page 21)