The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-17
SEEK FIXED SCALE
OF BUILDING WAGE
Architects Strive to Stabilize
Labor Costs; Agreement
Reached in Boston.

In view of the sudden revival of
major building operations in many of
he larger municipalities of the country
dforts were made this week by archi-
ects and builders to work out some
,lan for stabillzing wages Of skilled
,uilding labor SO that the present boom
Gay continue uninterrupted" says the
.eelsly review of The American Archi-
cot. 1.-THE narrowing Of the one time
vide discrepancy between the volume OF
,uilding plans fled and actual work
aarted has made II apparent that II the
tousing situation is to be further re-
ieved the uncertainty over the future
rend of wage scales must be remedied
h IL generally believed now that build
ng material prices are holding firmly at
present levels, the only retardance to
construction on a big scale comes
rom the lack Of stabiiization Of labor
wage scales-
.Reports from many sections show
much talk of radical wage increase de-
hands from skilled building artisans
for some time this has deferred builders
rom going ahead with long planned
yrojects. In Boston the situation be-
anne SO serious that the Mayor, realiz-
~ A 1T II the housing situation was
met something must immedi-
done, called a conference of the
and artisans. 1t was pro-
a general wage scale. apply
lines, be fixed and that the
II upon top price hold for a definite
. seriod- This, it was figured. would be
br a time sufficiently long to enable
wners to proceed with their building
operations.
$50 far the Boston plan IL working
mt admirably. and big increase has
lready been shown in the number OF
touses on which construction has start
d. Other communities, It is hoped. will
ry out labor stabilizing plans of their
rwn very shortly, for the Boston May
US practical suggestion has brought
nut the fact that there is real hope for
increased building activity In the fixing
4 O nat wage scale for artisans In
reased need of getting building work
more rapidly under way has been caused
~ the possibility of a stampede for
ruilding materials In view of the light
tocks carried by supply houses. Fear
also expressed that when the wheat
rop begins to move there win be a
hortage of box cars and this will hinder
quick shipment Of materials from the
nilis TO supply houses.
However. II Is the demands OF labor
hat are blocking construction. It is the
ersistent talk throughout the building
rades Of an IS day for all classes of
killed labor that has made the builder
'atise before entering new undertakings
md calculate the increased costs before
loing ahead. Unskilled labor too has
een similarly affected. Laborers are
low demanding So cents and hour for
light hours and time and a half for
wertime. They go 30 far even as to
elect jobs where they are permitted to
york nine hours. so they can get pay
Or nine and a half hours at the rate of
6.1s per day. The present price of
Is cents an hour II from a third to a
ialf moro than before the war.
prom every point II Ia certain that
he extreme demands OF labor cannot bo
pet. The builder had thought that with
he sterilization OF prices at the present
tvel he could go ahead and take a
nance. He found mortgage companies
Killing to lend up TO S55 1000. He figured
hat with material prices up so per cent.
q could proceed IL labor was to be no
igher than $3.50 for laborers, $3.50 for
riclxlayers and plasterers and not over
) for carpenters. painters and others.
Tut even at these levels II was easy TO
ee that the day OF the $40 a room
partment was thing OF the past, and
Mess VIZ per. room was assured he