The Washington herald., 1920-07-19
New York's New Labor Dictator
Grapples With Housing Problem
As Workmen Better Standard.
F. W. w.

buildings, 269 are stables ard "a
RACES. forty-eight- eff buildings,
twrnty-eight are stores and the rest
Il miscellaneous col ec-rn. n It
dwellings" b ilders ay that Il e
lrti-re Il agitation las u .pped
a" elling-house erection, spectators
refusing to put their money int
" '.rIurc which permits a county
judge to regulate the return upon
the investment
Daily wages rail to New York
rio chanics in some of the LEADING
building trades, exclusive Of doubio
lime fer overtime, follow:
Carpenters. 50: electrical workers.
80: marble carvers, $40: iron work.
ers. SO; plasterers. $3.50: tile layers,
So; hosting engineers, $40: dock
builders, SO: wood lathers. SO: brick
layers, $40; roofers and sheet metal
workers, SO: plumbers and gas fit-
tiers. SO; steam and hot water fit
tors, SO; elevator constructors, So,
and riRgers and machinery movers.
50. All Of these master trades have
helpers the new name given
| '1aborers." for whom the average
wage is 81 a day.
firms in the greater city centering
in the Building Trades Employers.
Association at 80 West Thirty-third
street. One of these employers
said:
Millionaires Blamed.
Our difficulties do not rest with
labor. Aside from the advancing
market in construction materials,
we are faced with the transporta-
tion difficulties of getting it. II
New York had only forests on one
side and stone quarries on the
other. then conditions would be
ideal. Duluth, Mimi, ought TO be
the perfect construction town with
its proximity to steel sources. ce-
ment quarries and timberland."
The Gotham Building Trade En-
ployers have had two stiff tussels
with labor dictators in the past
They still talk with bated breath
OF the long, hard-drawn fight with
Sam Parks, who died in Sing Sing
prison. The second labor king to be
uncrowned was Diamond Phil"
Weinseimer. after another carrying
of troubles into the grand jury
room. P. H. Mccarthy, of San Fran
cisco, is the only big city labor die
tator who has kept his ascendency
for long period. He has been die
tating for twenty years on the Pa
cific slope, and he Is still the auto
crat of the San Francisco building
contract.
I'VE have only ourselves to blame,
as we set labor the example of lux
| ury and display" said one reflective
and philosophical millionaire build
er. They have copied the ways of
the rich. Only they are a few years
behind. for 1t is chiefly the moving
picture magnates. and the war
profiteers who are now filling the
streets with their huge automobiles.
Most Of the really important men
either use the subway or the bus
lines"
A number OF years ago Darcy
OConnor, the veteran advertising
man. VINO ls-now bringing out the
Traveller Magazine, went to Pitts
burs TO take over the management
.of the newspaper properties of the
late Senator Oliver. But let him
tell 1t.
Walked to Business.
was amazed to find George T.
and Augustus. the Senator's sons,
walking daily to their business" he
said. why don't you use your mo
tor cars? l asked. They replied
that they did not think it exactly
tactful to bring their large ma
chimes into the business section of
the city. Their newspapers were
published. they said, to be read by
all classes. and they did not want to
flaunt their wealth in the face Of
those who could i'll afford cars. 1
fancy that sensible attitude has had
something, to do with their personal
popularity and the subsequent sue
cess of their journals.
Think IL oyar"