The sun., 1919-07-20
SAYS LABOR MUST
SPEED PRODUCTION
"American Architect" Attrib-
utes High Prices to De-
creased Output.

While building operators are show
ing great gains throughout the country
architects and builders during the past
week were disturbed by reports from
many sections of an increased scarcity
Of unskilled labor and a growing in
different attitude on the part OF certain
workers in the building trades due to
spirit Of unrest, which has presented a
serious obstacle in the way of erecting
much needed houses and apartments"
says the American Architect's weekly
review. The chief difficulty arose
when architects, particularly those In
the East, found that some OF their i'm
portant Jobs were being held up by n
scarcity of bricklayerS laborers, who
could not be obtained in the numbers de-
sired. Daily many more foreigners who
have been doing this work are returning
to their native lands taking with them
money saved during bountiful period
Of high war labor wages.
1T was also shown that the men
now available while demanding higher
wages are actually performing less work.
The result Is that production has been
tremendously curtailed. 4 few weeks ago
II was possible for a brickluyCr to .ay on
the average OF 1900 bricks a day To-
| day the one mans total is but 800 Fur
| thermore many take advantage OF the
higher wages By working fewer days
each week and laying OF the rest. All
OF which decreases production cOns!d-
erably. In some instances laborers Or
| the Job went on strike for higher wasa
| than the unon scale. This naturally
! added TO the spirit of unrest,essn.ss that
seemed TO prevail among the brIcklaycra
In New York city.
1.-THE granting OF wage of 81 per
hour to brickayers In the Chicago dis
trict makes this scale the highest PAL
to any worker In the building industries
Hod carriers in that section also have
been granted a wage OF 20 cents per
hour, An increase from 57ia cents. It
affects approximately 10000 men This
| has caused the reopeniug OF agreements
| In other building trades for the fixing
OF a new wage scale on basis proper
| tionate TO that Of the brcklayers and
their helpers Many OF the agreements
which the building trades workers insist
must be withdrawn still have two years
to run but the present outbreak Is said
/ to be due to dissatisfaction among work.
srs with agreements signed by their lead
ers.
Want High Living standard.
| There can be no question but that
this In one OF the results OF the war. For
one Of the causes Of this labor unrest is
J tnaL nleneT sldHudrflS OF living arc
| being established everywhere. II is
causing a shortage OF help OF a most de-
/ cided character. But, ultimately. the es-
tablishment OF higher standards of living
! will work out to the benefit of the archi-
tect and builder. for higher standards
OF living mean greater comforts in the
home. In the building trades. where the
majority OF labor is skilled. It is certain
there can be no return TO pre-war wage
scales. no matter how much distress Is
caused In the meantime while conditions
are being adjusted.
! ANY drop in wages must not be ex-
pected. The further one studies the sit
uatlon, the more one Is convinced that
there Is no liability OF any drop in the
cost of living, no chance OF wages COM
| ing down. and consequently no likelihood
OF prices OF building commodities coming
Gown. We shall never go back TO the old
order OF things, 10 the old standards OF
prices or the Old standards OF living. at
least. not IN this generation, Those who
realize this win he able to meet the issue.
| MANY persona have been deluded by
certain ir-advised OPINIONS that with the
| signing OF the Peace Treaty there would
come an immediate restoration OF pre-