Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-12
MASTER BUILDERS, LICENSE.
Mr.. James Z. Parsons Advocates Pas
sage Of a. Law.


II noted In your issue of the 10th instant
a protest from Mr.. VIM. C. Dodge, and
from a local carpenters union against the
enactment Of the proposed bill to license
master builders. Mr.. Dodge claiming 1t
would be unfair to small builders and
might secure monopoly on construction
work, and the local carpenters union
claiming the law would be unfair said
Mr.. James L. Parsons to Star reporter
today.
Undoubtedly these gentlemen have not
read the bill, or have misconstrued its ef-
feet. The bill as drafted by the corpora
ton counsel of the District, and recon-
mended to Congress by the District Com
missioners, provides for the examination OF
persons undertaking to engage in the busi-
ness Of building and reconstruction OF
buildings as to their competency to per-
form such work, the board provided to
examine such persons to consist Of two
architects who are in active practice in
their profession, two competent master
builders and the Inspector of buildings OF
the District of Columbia or one of his as
sistants With such board unquestion-
ably persons with the requisite knowledge
for such work would be licensed, there
fore there could be nothing unfair to the
small builder: on the other hand. it could
not be unfair to the investor in buildings
to protect him against incompetent per-
sons who would seek to enter into an un-
dertaking who have not the requisite
Il believe any person reading the bill
and properly constituting it must admit that
there is nothing unfair in it. On the other
hand 1t may prevent loss of life and
money. There are numerous cases where,
through the incompetency of the builder,
such losses have occurred. If the under
pining in the Ford's Theater, this city,
had been done properly the disaster which
caused the loss of about twenty-seven lives
and hundreds of thousands of dollars to the
government would not have happened, and
SO in many other disasters of like char
acter. There are some undesirable build
ings in this city which would not exist If
the builders had been competent. There
are many violations of the building regula-
tons that would not occur if the builders
were Competent. The building regulations
are designed to protect the investing pub
lie: If they are observed they do protect
the investor. Under the present system Of
issuing permits to build and reconstruct
buildings to persons regardless of their
competency for such work I'm many cases
prevent the beneficial protection designed
thereby, and when violations are detected,
and when cases occur where defects to
such an extent as to cause considerable
loss, the plea Of ignorance is made, and
the claim that the building inspector
should have prevented the causes which
resulted in the trouble. Many of these
evils will be dispensed with If such a bill
Is enacted, and no one will be loser from
it's effects.
'"rhere could not possibly be a monopoly
of builders under such law, as any one
qualified could obtain a license to carry
on the business, Mr.. Dodge himself, II
qualified and DESTROYS of such an occupa-
ton. 1t cannot be denied that the in
competent builder is not success himself,
and the investor loses whenever he en-
ploys him.
1.-The Commissioners no doubt have thor
ouehly considered all of the effects of said
bill, and I believe, if it is passed, that it
will be of great benefit to the city Of
Washington and the District. and will be
a precedent, which will be followed by
many of the cities in the United States"