Denver labor bulletin., 1917-01-06
By ]. H. MITCHELL
Secretary Denver Building Trades
Council,

Council.
General conditions among the building
trades for the year 1916 have been such
as would indicate q good, wholesome,
healthy growth, and not one controlled
by so-called wild cat or speculative
activities.
The first part of the year naturally
found large per cent of the organiza-
tions' membership unemployed; this
partly due to the weather being too cold
for practical operations.
Part of the cause for inactivity could
be attributed to lack of confidence in
general conditions as they had existed
thruout the United States for a period
OF time previous to this year. How
ever, the steady demand for first-class
real estate has apparently caused this
timidness, on the part of the investors,
to disappear, and substantial growth
developed that has been materially quick
ened by ones ability to secure loans on
first-cl modern property. This demand
has also convinced owners of real estate
that did not bear the stamp of modern
improvements, that the same was de-
cided liability instead OF an asset and
this condition has caused much of the
above described class of property to
change hands, and modern buildings to
ly occupying this property. A large per-
cent of the old buildings that We're lack
ing modern improvements, but with good
substantial superstructures, were remod-
eled and made strictly modern in every
respect
Year Reasonably Satisfactory.
These demands for first-class property,
while they were so great that local labor
har of
material benefit to building tradesmen
to cause working conditions to improve
to the extent that the year as a whole
could be classed as one that was reason
ably satisfactory.
The inclination of the building trades
crafts to work in harmony with one an
other as well as their employers and to
base their acts upon the result of mature
Judgment, has caused a material i'm
provement in working conditions as we'll
as a general increase roughly estimated
at thirty-five to forty per cent in Or
ganiZation.
The percentage of organizations affil-
lated with the Building Trades Council
is much higher at this time than at any
time since 1908, and the attendance rec
ords prove conclusiyely that the dele
gates from the respective organizations
are taking much more active interest
in the improvement of building trades
conditions.
Council in Good Shape.
The past year has been the most sue
cessful year financially that this Council
has experienced and the affiliated organ
izations have not been required to in
crease their per capita remittance in or
der to secure this result.
The Officers of the Council have an
attendance record for the past six
months that will be difficult to surpass,
and is as follows: Seven officers for
twentysiX meetings in the past six
months equals lS2 times of attendance.
At l69 OF these the officers were present,
five they were absent without excuse,
two they were excused, two they were
absent on account of sickness and once
on account of absence from the city Five
of the Councils officers did not miss n
meeting in six months. The percentage
of attendance forpall officers being 92S
per cent for this period. The percentage
of attendance for all delegates for the
same period was 759
Interested in Labor Temple.
One of the many things that has come
to the attention of the Council during
the past term and one which is causing
considerable thought is the proposal to
erect building which will be in reality
as well as in name, ''The Denver Labor
Temple" 1t is apparent from the inter
est taken to date that the building
tradesmen realize the Importance OF the
move and the effect the establishment
of home for organized labor will have
on consolidation of the movement, both
in the city and state.
From the sentiment expressed by varf
Gus members of the building trades or
CARNATIONS it is apparent that sugges-
tions along the lines enumerated will be
presented to the Labor Temple Commit
tee:
l. That all moneys collected should
be placed in the bank, as trustee, and to
be held in trust for period OF one year.