44 
THE HOUSING QUESTION 
stories are regarded by men of practical building experience as 
demonstrating little more than the lack of real knowledge on the 
part of those who give currency to them.” 
To-day the output of labour is practically at pre-war 
standard, but the Government continue to refuse to 
authorise the building of more houses. 
An important reason for the lesser output of building 
operatives in 1919 and 1920, but one which has never 
properly been allowed for, is the inadequate production 
of materials in those years. If stacks of materials are 
not to be had on the ground, it is useless to expect a 
high output. 
But let us get to the real cause of the lack of progress 
of the Housing Schemes of Local Authorities. That 
cause was the private demand for building labour after 
the war. Two main factors brought about this 
demand:— 
(1) The fact that for five years no repair or decoration 
work had been done throughout the country. 
(2) The desire of business firms to extend and 
beautify their premises, very largely to escape paying 
to the Treasury Excess Profits Tax. 
So powerful were these influences that, so late as 
the end of 1920, only 10 per cent, of the building 
labour in the country was employed on working-class 
houses. Even last year, after the slump and the 
removal of the Excess Profits Tax, only about 150,000 
out of 900,000 were so employed; to-day many less. 
Very early in the life of the scheme the Government 
were warned by their own officials that the erection of