davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The evening world., 1920-12-14
BLACK BREAD NOW
FOR THE REICHSTAG
Members Put on Rations Because
Hotels Are Raided for For
hidden Foods.

BERLIN. Dec. II (AsSociated
Press. 1.-The members OF the Reich
stag went on rations of black bread
without butter and coffee, without
sugar or milk to-day when the man
ayers and employees Of the Reichstag
restaurant refused to serve the for
hidden {, DDS Tin view Of the Govern
merits aptoront intention to continue
raiding hotels to compel them to obey
the rationlng regulations"
The hotel proprietors have closed
the restaurants in virtually all the
principal hostelries as a protest
against the Government insisting on
obedience to these regulations.
The Reichstag restaurant has all
ways served white bread, butter and
milk without being molested. White
rolls and fresh butter were plentiful
to -day in the smaller restaurants.
The evening world., 1920-12-14

the supervision Of the Federal Re-
serve Board. Its capital stock of
800, 900, 900 is to be subscribed by
banks and industrial corporations and
it will be empowered to issue de-
bentures up to Sl,1oo. 100000 against
securities which would be put up by
foreign customers.
The photo shows leaders Of the
proposed corporation in session at the
Congress Hotel Chicago, Front left
to right-William C. Redheld, former
Secretary OF Commerce. and G. +.
Bowerman. Back, left to right-wnl-
lam H. Booth OF the Guaranty Trust
Co. of New York, Julius II. Barnes
and A. G. Bedford OF the Standard
ON Company OF New York
The evening world., 1920-12-14
Figures Revealed by Thomp-
SON. Starrett CO. on Park
Avenue S5,ooO,OoO Job.
FOUGHT THE GRAFTERS
Smaller and Weaker Con-
Germs That Couldn't Fight
Had to Pay More.
Bv Martin Green.

Louis Horowitz, President Of the
Thompson starrett Company. on the
witness stand before the Lockwood
committee the other day. coined
phrase which "a APPLY descriptive OF
the ineECusaa1le profit exacted by the
various building rings during and
after the war. He called 1t Indecent
graft"
How many millions OF dollars in
decent graft" we're piled onto building
costs IN this city during the past
three or four years there Is no way
Of estimating, even with the figures
at hand, which have been dug out by
the Lockwood committee. But an
idea may be gained by figures fur
nlshed by Mr.. Horowitz in connection
with one OF the UNDERTAKINGS Of his
Corporation which show that to a fair
cost OF materials controlled by the
building rings entering into any one
building the Indecent graft" addi-
ton amounted 10 about 80 per cent.
This does not mean that every build
ing constructed during the period IN
question cost 25 por cent more than
II would have cost but for the opera
tionS OF the building rings: It means
that the building rings added to the
cost Of the materials controlled by
them that percentage Of Indecent
graft" The approximately IS per cent.
Indecent graft" extracted for con-
trollOd materials added, OF course. to
the entire cost Of every building and
that percentage ranges from 6 per
cent. in large operations running up
into tho millions to from 10 TO is or
sven 10 per cent. on small apartment
houses and dwellings. The smaller the
Job the larger the percentage OF in
decent graft" tax.
Mr.. Horowitz submitted, at Tho
Evening Worlds request to-day some
comparisons between what 1t Is cost
ing his company TO build the $4,000, 900
apartment house at No. 300 Park
Avenue and what the cost to his COM
pany would have been had It not been
powerful enough and Courageous
enough TO fight the building rings. On
nine kinds OF material entering into
the building and on the excavation
cost, the Thompson Starrett Co, had
It been forced 70 submit 20 the eXac-
lions Of the combination material and
labor mOncpolles, would have been
compelled TO add to its bill to the
owners the sum Of S36S,50O.
Here is a table which shown at
glance what the Thompson starrett
Company saved in the construction
cost Of the No. 500 Park Avenue
building because 1t is so big and its
operations are 30 widespread and its
resources arc so large that 1t could
AFFORD to DE independent when smaller
construction corporations and the en-
tire body OF minor contractors had to
70 10 the material bosses and Brin-
dell, the labor boss, with their hats
In their hands.
M aao pAnR AVENUE
The evening world., 1920-12-14
NO. 800 PARK AVENUE

The difference between N,S2o,bOO,
which would have been the cost to
the Thompson Starrett Company had
II been compelled TO deal with the
building material combinations. and
81, O21, 900, the cost OF the nine items
entering into the tabulation as they
were bought by or manufactured by
the Thompson Starrett Co.. is $685.
500. But there Is another big item OF
saving which does not appear in the
table for reasons which II Is not
necessary 20 set forth here. The diff
ference between what the Thompson
BtATrstt Company will have to pay for
marble in the No 500 Park Avenue
building and what the marble quar-
rying and cutting ring would have
charged for Il amounts TO approx
mately $4,000. This, added to 1903, 800,
the Indecent graft" missed on the
other nine items, makes a total saving
OF tS68.b
And that 10 the sum that repre-
sents the Indecent graft" which
would have gone into No. 800 Park
Avenue had the building rings been
able 10 impose their prices and exac-
lions upon the contractors.
When No, 800 PARK Avenue 10 com
plsted II will represent q net building
investment OF about 100000. But
II 10 to be a magnlhcently finished
apartment house. and a large proper
ton OF the total cost will go into ma 70
terials and Gppurtenances allied with
luxury and into decorations which
would not be thought OF IN Il building
not already about completely rented
TO persona who can nfford to pay as
muOh a. $4,000 year for an apart
ment, hut even As big job as this
is in an apartment house way, II would
have been materially affected as Il
lts rentals had the building rings
been able 10 plaster their "indecsnt
graft" on II. For tSss, 500 In a shade
less than ~ per cent, on $1,000, 600
The evening world., 1920-12-14

and had the owners been compelled
to shoulder the burden OF indecent
graft" they would have have to add to
their rentals IN per cent. plus a per
centase OF profit on the additional in
Vestment.
The comparative figures shown
above are taken from the estimates
and costs sheets OF No. 800 Park
Avenue prepared by the Thompson
Starrett Company and from the fg.
ures given by many witnesses before
the Lockwood committee showing
what the building rings eXacted
above fair profit in the way of
what Mr. Horowttz calls indecent
graft"
In every case the estimate OF what
the cost would have been under con-
ditions allowing the building ring
combination 10 supply all the mate
rial Is more than reasonable.
Take the excavation, for instance.
That involved going into the right of
way OF the New York Central under
PARK Avenue. The Thompson Star
rett Company did the work. Had
they been unable TO do II they would
have had to throw up their hands
and pay anything asked by the eXca
walton ring, which was pretty strong
about the time the Job was done.
In the matter of brick the contrAc c.
tors buy at the market price a. they
need the brick Since the beginning
OF tho Lockwood investigation the
price OF brick has come down 30 rap
Idly that the No, 800 Park Avenue Jobs
show "A saVing--aA set forth IN tho
table--of $4,000. The saving may he
much larger ms the work progreaAea
because n further decline In the price
OF brick 10 forecast by the develop
ments OF the past few days, since the
cunBplrators have been running ID
cover.
The evening world., 1920-12-14
viii Ignore Resolution Calling
for Extension of Credits
to Farmers.
NO INTERFERENCE
Members May Resign if Re-
serve System Becomes
Football of Politics.
By DdUid Laurence
Especial Correspondent Of The Even.
ina Worldly

ing WoTIusl
WASHINGTON, Dec. IA Copyright,
1920 -Congress would raise false
hopes by the passage OF resolutions
promising financial relief to the far
mer, in the opinion Of oficlals in the
executive branch of the Government.
The Senate has Just passed a resolu-
ton directing the Secretary Of the
Treasury to revive the War Finance
Corporation and expressing o the
Federal Reserve Board the opinion
that liberal credits should be ex-
tended the farmers Of the country.
This action Of the Senate prob
ably will be followed by favorable
vote in the House, and then Con-
gress Will have discharged It's obli-
cation to the farmers who have been
clamoring for help as prices declined.
But the truth is the resolution win
be practically ignored and will not
aid the situation, and the farmer
who relies on it is apt TO be in
worse situation than the one who
does not.
Investigation at the executive end
Of the Government reveals the fact
that Governor Harding OF the Fed
eral Reserve Board will stand pat
and will not regard the opinion ex-
pressed in the Senate resolution as
mandatory. II Congress wants any
thing done, 1t must direct the Fed
eral Reserve Board TO do 1t by
amending the Federal Reserve Act.
And If 1t does that, 1t would not be
surprising to see the Federal Reserve
Board go to pieces altogether by the
prompt designations OF several OF its
members
Either the Federal Reserve Board
will act for the best interests of the
country according to its best banking
judgment or the Federal Reserve Sys-
tenn will become the football OF Con
gressional politics. That's the critical
view OF the situation as 1t has de-
Veloped in executive quarters in the
last few days Some mixing of the
seriousness with which members OF
the Federal Reserve Board regarded
the invasion OF their prerogatives
cached the Senate yesterday for the
proposal to limit the discount rate TO
8 per cent. was voted down after il
feet the action might have had on
the entire banking situation.
so far as the Federal Reserve
Board is concerned, the teeth were
taken out OF the resolution when the
proposal was changed from a "direc-
ton" of the expression of an opinion.
Gov. Harding indicated in his
testimony before Congress exactly
how he views the proposal to extend
further credits to the agricultural in
terests and the action of the SEN
ate has not changed his mind. Mr..
Harding Is TO be Governor of the
Federal Reserve Board until August,
1922, and though he comes from the
South which has been insistent that
cotton growers be protected by the
extension OF credits, he Is acting in
dependently OF any political influ-
ences in the matter.
As for the Secretary of the Treasury
and the War Finance Corporation,
the direction Of Congress that 1t be
revived will be needed II the resolu-
ton passes both Houses. There is OF
course chance that a Presidential
veto may be interposed as Mr. Hous-
toms word with President Wilson is
very potent
The evening world., 1920-12-14
HOSPITAL BUILT
IN N. Y. CITY MAY
BE LEASED BY u. S,
To Cost 100000 and Devoted
to Soldiers Suffering from
Nervous Diseases.

WARRINGTON, Dec. 1{---Senatcr
Wadsworth, Republican, OF New York,
introduced resolution o-day auth
ordzing the Secretary Of the Treasury
TO lease from New York State a
5000 900 hospital for the care OF
nervous and nsental disease cases
among disabled soldiers, which would
be built in New York City.
The resolution also would give the
Treasury Department authority to
lease any other hospitals built for
hike purposes by other States.
The evening world., 1920-12-14
SUIT AGAINST BRlNDELL.

Suite was started IN the Supreme
Court to-day against Robert p Brln-
dell, President OF the building Trades
Council, and two Of hls walking dole
gates. Richard j. PIKE and Christian
Chapman, by Joseph II, GoldblAtt, a
houBewrsCkker, 60 recover ~, 400 aHeged
10 have heen extorted from him by the
defendants,
In his complaint doidbiatt said that
conditions and hiring union men, Brin-
dell, through his aides, called strike
on "A job In order to illegally ana
feoniOusly eXtort" the ". 600 Men
were not allowed 20 return 10 work, II
was alleged, until the money was paid.
The evening world., 1920-12-14
lRoNWORkERS' BOARD HERE.
COnferH over Alleged Program 2
to cut Wages.

The Executive BOARD OF Structural
Ironworkers Of America, headed by
President Patrick Morris Of 81. Louis
has been in session at the Continental
Hotel for several days member said
to-day the Board had under discussion
what seemed 10 ne a general programme
by big business FOR revision downward
in wages,
He cited tho textile workers whose
wages he said had been reduced praoti-
cally 20 IL per cent, and the iron VIOLA
ers In Cleveland who have been cut
down 81 IL cents an, hour although
their contracts do not expire ill April,
The evening world., 1920-12-14
RYAN'S AFFAIRS ADJUSTED7
Report That verbal Agreement e.
TO Finances Has been Revealed.

II was reported in Wall street to-da
that verbal agreements had been reached
in relation to an adjustment OF the al
fairs OF Allan A. Ryan and that papers
are expected to be signed to-day or to-
morrow. under which the collateral will
be safeEuarded and the indebtedness
funded
The export could not be confirmed.
The evening world., 1920-12-14
Financial Experts Organize
Under Edge Law to Stimu-
late Buyers Lack of Credit.

First steps toward reviving Amer
ica's foreign trade, now almost stag
nant because Of foreign buyers lack
of credit and the adverse exchange
rates, have been taken in Chicago
with the tentative formation of the
so-called $1OO,OOO.OOO foreign trade
corporation. 1t is formed under the
Edge law, an amendment to the Fed
eral Reserve Act. IL will be under
The evening world., 1920-12-14
CRUISER OMAHA LAUNCHED.
First Of Her CIasH Takes ths water
now First at Tacoma.

The TODD shipyards Corporation OF
New York announced to-day that the
United States Nays highest powered
cruiser. Omaha, had been launched
tits morning at the company's Tacoma,
Wash, plant
The Omaha, the iirst Of her class Ia
equipped with four engines which de
velop $4,000 Indicated horse power and
a speed OF 30 knots. She Is $50 feet
Q inches long and hasa beam OF 81 feet
4 inches, She carries twelve inch
rapid Are guns.
The Omaha was launched bow frst
instead OF stern hrst as Is customary.
The evening world., 1920-12-14
TRICK" REFERENDUM DE.
NoUNCED BY DELEGATES.

Many OF the delegates roundly de-
nounced the trick" referendum sud
denly imposed on the patrolmen YES
terday by order of the Commi ssi oner.
From the testimony of these delegates
II is quite apparent that the refer
endum, which on it's face shows a
majority Of the patrolmen favorable
TO the Enrght scheme. is actually
worthless as as expression Of senti-
ment. They were either openly
coerced by some Jealous captains and
sergeants or they considered mas
much as they were compelled to sign
their names and give their shield
numbers that a vote against the
project would put them on the bad
books at Headq
In nearly every station house the
patrolmen protested against the form
of the referendum and asked for
secret ballot. In some station houses
the Captains lined Up the patrolmen
at midnight and. with alist OF
men at hand, called each name. In
other station houses patrolmen were
required to sign under the eyes Of the
desk sergeant.
It was reported at the meeting that
in one precinct. in which 1872 men
voted mo" in the midnight referen-
DUN sergeants were sent out during
the night and talked with many Of
the men into changing their votes
to yes" at the o'clock roll call this
morning.
The power OF the commissioner over
the uniformed members of the de-
pa Rmcnt is absolute, The sentiment
Of the meeting of patrolmen's dele
gates was that the Commissioner was
guilty OF coercion In his referendum
and II any body is disciplined there
proba bly, will he instituted test case
which will bring the whole hospital
situation into the courts.
The evening world., 1920-12-14
TELEGRAPHnRs ELECT THOMAS g.

The election Of Percy Thomas as
President of New York District Council
No. l6 Of the Commercial Telegraphers
OF America yesterday was announced
by President j. A. Hickey OF the coun-
Gil other officers elected for the year
1921 are Isidore SchwadrOn. First Vice
President; Bud r. Ripple, Secretary
Treasurer.
The evening world., 1920-12-14

ron COLDS. DRIP on INFLUENZA
Take Groves LAXATIVE bnOMO QtI-
NINE tabltta Tho genuine bears the SIX
nature OF E. W. Grove, B0e,--AdNL
The evening world., 1920-12-14
COPS TURN DOWN
ENRIGHT'S HOSPITAL
BY A HUGE VOTE
Continued From First Page)
small returns to solicitations for

small returns to solicitations for
financial aid, is against the plan.
Besides the 173 delegates who are
excused by the rules of the department
from patrol duty for eight hours on
the day Of the monthly meeting, 300
patrolmen from all parts Of the city
took enough interest in the matter to
attend the meeting on their own time
as spectators. These 800 unanimously
expressed themselves as against the
Enright hospital plan.
The evening world., 1920-12-14
sTEEL BUILDING IN MIX SINCE
PARkS'S DAY.

o. "A IL stands now, IL II possible
10 have a union foreman in charge OF
A eteea erection job A. really don't
know. Steel construction has been IN
A chaotic state since the days or
Sam Parks. Gaughter)
q. And we are now In the days OF
Bftndell7 A. Yes, sir.
Mr.. StArrett was encused to get
more definite figures Of comparative
cSsts OF the union and open shop"
construction
Louis HorowitE, President OF the
Thompson BtaITstt Co. took his place
20 answer a similar line Of inquiry,
Mr.. Horow1tE said his company had
laet been able TO use Ia 500. 900 steel
erection plant At Park Avenue and
SEA street. oct. 1919. They had
erected their own steel for twenty
years.
The Thompson 6tarrett concern, he
SAID. had received bids for steel TO be
furnished AT the mills, but the dates
when delivery could he made were all
10 late that 1t could not be used I'M
der the contract.
This was done by the American
8ridge Company, which Informed him
that its owners were booked 80 far
ahead that It could not supply earlier.
Mr.. HerowitZ said he got the steel
through Post e. MOCord, who erected
~ amer drawing on the Amer
icAn Bridge Company for a supply
which thew had under contract for an.
other builder who was not ready.
O. Did YOU ever bear OF union
IN. Your industry called the open
shop Tnion?" A. Yes
Q. DIDN'T you warn the men e
stay out Of it2 A. No, said, (rais-
inc his voice. Go on into II II YOU
Nnnt to-
q. on daughter Did you zee thi,
circular? A Yes, It was put into
every mans pay envelope
Mr. T'ntermyer read the circular. II
advised the men 10 stay out OF tho
omen shop local when was about e
STIR W new strike. The men wer'
warned that the local was disguised
branch OF the 1rOnworkers' Union
o. You nit these In the envslopef
and then told them to 30 In n they
would llke7 A. had no right 60 tell
then anything different
Q. Didn't YOn mean eco in n you
iite-.and get hrec?" A. No, dld
not
The evening world., 1920-12-14

Hammill excused. there we're but
sight members 70 draw a quorum Of
six. Messengers we're sent for sena-
tors Dunnigan, Abeles and Assembly
man Petite. The Assemblyman was
the FIRST 70 respond.
Otto NJ EdlltE, President Of the
Hhilding Trades Employers Associs-
tion was called. He did not respond
Paul Starrett, President OF the
George A. Fuller Company, capital So
100000. subsidiary Of the United
states Realty Company. which has
$1,000, 900 in bonds and $4,000, 900 IN
stock was then called.
The Fuller Company, he said, built
for other corporations only; 1t had
thtee methods: l, Cost and a fixed fee;
2, cost aud a percentage fee; B. for q
lump sum submitted on n forced BID
based on estimate. The Materials De
litasry Company, was organized be-
cahHe Of the exorbitant prices OF sand
and gravel to furnish those materials
to the Fuller Company and outsiders
1t reasonably profitable price.
Q. Have you any other Independent
operating plants? A. Yards, tools and
Structural steel apparatus.
Q. How much Is your steel erecting
plant WORTH A. About $4,000
q. How long did you do your own
steel erecting? A. think the Com
modore Hotel, begun before the war,
was the last
q. You had a permanent fOrosY A.
We had acknowledgements fotemen
About twelve; tho worlrmen noated
from JOB to job. though all were union
men.
The evening world., 1920-12-14
HAD TO oct OUT or sTEEL
n, ERECTING.

fnom sob to job though AL "ere union
men.
HAD TO GET OUT or sTEEL
.it ERECTING.
o. Something happened which put
YOU out of business as steel erectors.
How long ago was IL? A. About year
Of q year and n half ago.
q. Was Il because OF the Iron
League? A. II was when the Iron
League became militant
q. How did you formerly buy steelf
4. We asked for bids at the mills and
for bids on steel erected in places IN
the buildings.
o. Can you do that n0w7 A. We
can. But we have not had any avao-
able bids on steel at the mills.
q. Gould you 80. II at the mills
A. 1 don't know. 1 will tell you what
] mean. We asked for bids In both
ways f0r the Metropolitan Life An
mex. After we had lot the contract
70 q Arm which was = member of the
Iron League we got = bid from the
Amorican Bridge Company for steel
10 be furnished at the mills. do not
know whether that bid was deliber-
ateiy late. do know we actually
have not been able To buy steel for
erection.
20. What do you do with your sroc-
tion plan? A. Sold some OF II and
shipped the rest to other parts Of the
country where we were not restricted
a. TO erecting steel.
q. So there are parts Of the coun-
Try where your business " not slEb-
leo. TO this burdenSOme restriction.
A. Oh, yes,
% Q. What 10 the Differences in
cost between erecting your own
- steel and having il erected by
n the steel nSrohantS7 4. II 10 .
:; burden on the business Of
bhulIdInp not 10 be allowed 70
erect our own steel.
e. You used union labor on erecung
for yourself? What 10 the difference
In eficiency between union and non
union Jaea workers? A. should say
erection with a good gang Of union
men IL from Is TO % per cent. choaUer.
q. New you did the Commodore
Hotel Stesl work with your own plant
and With union labor and you built
the PennDy1vanla Hotel with steel
work under contract through Post
b MoCord. How aid the costs com
rare? A. / should say thu Pennsyl-
Vania work cost about 80 a ton more.
~ q. Did you have talk With
q Mr.. MoCord shout seven montha
= ano on this SubJSet7 A. NOs, he
= said he had uS fixed no." 80 we
couldn't erect any more steel In
New York.
"a. Did you ever hear OF tho re-
fusal OF union steel workers to
handle steel from nom union mills 7
A Not on structural steel, no.
q. Did you have a talk with MI.
Grace and Mr.. Schwab OF Bethie-
hem steel about a year ago7 A. !
vent TO their office TO talk over a
proposal that we put up a shop near
Bethlehem TO fabrtoate our own steel
Is be erected by w in our own way.
o. What was said TO you about
your not being permitted TO erect
YOUR own steel? A. Mr.. Grace said
I'VE are not going 20 let you fellows
Saild up a union organization which
WIN, in tho end, refuse 70 handle our