The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-08-16
SEEKING WAGE STERILIZATION
IN THE BUILDING INDUSTRY

! In view of tho sudden revival OF ma
! inr building oprralions IN many "l
! larErr municipalities Uf tn" country
| efforts were made this week ny ar'h'-
| tccIs and builders To work out some p'hh
I for Stabrl!ZnE wages OF Sklil'd pu''"-
! inL labor 50 that the present hh"m may
/ continue uninterrupted. says IN" "''h-
, " review OF Tho American Archil'Ct.
; The narrowing of tn" at ono '!th' WIN,
! discrepancy between the N"lu'hc "
/ building plans filed and actual work
! started has made il apparent that IL
; the housing situation Is /" b" further
, relieved that the uncertainty over IN"
! futur. trend Of waS" scales must be
. remedies. 1t is generally believed that
| now build; = material prices mr." nora
! Ing firmly at present levels that the
! only rriardancr to construction on
! b,g scnl., comes from tn" lack of sahlIl-
! cation of Labor war" scales.
Reports from many sections SHOW
! much talk Of radical wage increase de-
! mnnds from skilled building artisans.
, For some time This has deferred build
! rrs from going ahead with l"nE-plann"d
, PROTECTS In Boston IN" situation he
! c3ur So serious that the mayer. rrnliZ-
| iag that if III housing SITUATION was
. "v,r /. y" m"'. something must nm
mcd:al..iy 10 done. called i conference
/ # the employers and artisans. II was
! prnrus'i that Il L, neral waT" scale. APP
| plying l., all !in"s. lac !iX"d ana that 'hc
n2r"vd-urUr top pre-" hold for drhn-
! il" period. This ii WAS figured. would
BE- for 4 i'm, vuf!i' entity long - en-
! nlr.c owners ~ proceed with Their build
| ing operations.
| So far ia" BHrton Plan t. working out
admirably and l big increase has
! already beer shown ~ III" upmhcr OF
! houses on which construction has
I started Other E .rur!Ln:ll"s. Il il hopcd.
! will try out lrhnr StnIilizin- plans ~
J th"..' own very shortly. for IN" Boston
/ mayors prarricai suggestion has
! brought out tn" :nct that thcr" is real
hope for Increased building activity in
! thr fixing of II flat wage seal" FOR ar
! ttsaus. Increased need If getting build
! ing work more rapidly under way has
! been cnus,d by ia" possibility Of
1 stampede for building materials in Nlcm
of the Ugh; stocks carried hy supply
! houses FEAR is also expressed that
when the wheat crop begins tn m"N"
! there Will h. Il shortage nf box cars and
! this will hinder quick shipments or ma
! trriulS from the mills 20 supply houses
However, il is The demands of labor
! that are blocking construction. II IS
tn" persistent talk throughout III"
building trades OF an IS day for all
classes of skilled Labor that has maj"
the builder pause before entering new
undertakings ana Cal"ulai" tn" inCr"aS-
I'd costs hctur'. going ahead. lnSklII-
ID labor. too. has been similarly affect
Cd l.ahurrrS are now demanding G5
cents IN hour for eight liuurS and time
and n half for overtime. Thy so so
far oven rs 10 select jrhS where They
rc permitted L. work nine hours. :"
they can get pay for min" and a hall
hours at thc rat" Of $6.lS per day. Thc
present price Of 81 cents an hour is from
II third To Il half more than before inc
war.
From every point it is certain thFt
the rNlrcrh" demands Of labor cannot
lc met. TIL" builder had thought tina!
with tho stahilizatl"r Of prices at the
present level h" could go ahead and
,okc n chance lie found mortEag" COM
rauics willing to lend up to Sa3.hh". b"
Injured that with material prices mp ~
r.r conf u" could proceed II labor was
to i, no higher than $3.50 for lah"r"rS
$3.50 for hr.cklay"rS and piastercrs ana
roi over 500 fuT carpenters. painters
and Others Eat even at th"S" levels IL
! WAS easy 10 50" that the day Of IN" w
- room apartment MAS thing OF Inc
,a.r and unless $li per room vas asSur-
Z
.I his rate per room present costs pre-
3 Guided building on any hut tho cheap
: cst lots. Land alon" Of all IN" essen
,,ols of cons, ruCtIun can b" had IN lnca-
lions nj prices which compar" faNoT-
,hIy from tn" builders viewpoint win
nr"-war prices.
There is no question bat that labor
g IA hIa,nc f,r IN" Development or VA"
>pir;t that h : leu tU cNr"SSlN" H'hnth"H
. for comp"n satiuu. 1t has not h'"n con-
si,rrrd that ir lahorcrs were |" receive
s. for n full days work they could nave
. ne ground for complaint about IN" hlEh
.rs, of living. Also builders would l"cl
they could proceed without SuSh DIE
odds against them Of going into dept.
. Labor SHOULD TAX" int" consideration
2 Tint tho innyilahl" reaction from me
condition that is bound /" d"N""p II
labor wage s:ahilizine plan is not soon
I,r,cd Will first h. felt by IN" labor
i'm, classes S,ill higher rents and nv
! Ing costs will hit tn" working man IN"
b,rdor Thor suffering VIII n" IN"
= ,rnrc severe hcca"~" they VIII t." I'M
! ,,Lc to withstand tn" rr'vAi."nS 'hAl
/ c.,r,r from iGlcncSS. II affects not only
! tho lohorrr of Ia" job hut III" man IN IN"
! factories and plants wh"r" building MA