The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-13
BUILDERS TURN
TO OPEN SHOP
Employers Will Give Answer
to 10000 UniOnized Work
ers Wednesday.
LABOR LEADER DEFIANT
Prepared to Resist Aggres-
sions. Says Resolution Passed
by Central Council.
LABOR LEADER DEFIANT

The principle OF open shop labor will
be declared by the Building Trade En-
ployers of this city at meeting next
Wednesday unless their 10000 union
lied workmen back down on their de-
mands for a fiat increase of 81 day.
terday by Ronald Taylor. president of
the employers association, in an ad-
dress before the New York State As
soCiation of Architects at the Fine
Arts Building. 2l5 West Fifty seventh
street.
THE employers have gone as far as
they can 60" Mr.. Taylor said. Next
Wednesday we are going to vote down
the 81 raise. We are facing the propo-
sition OF whether we shall go to the
American Federation of Labor and
insist on an honest contract which we
can rely upon or whether we shall
state plainly that hereafter the build
Ing trade employers OF New York will
pay the present wage scale irrespec-
tive of unionism or non -unionism, race,
creed or nationality"
The union scale was adjusted January
1 last at SO day for mechanics and 81
q day for helpers, briclllayers and plas-
terers receiving q slightly higher pay.
On May !. due to the increase In the
cost of living. the executive committees
of the employers and the Building
Trades Council agreed that the men
should receive an additional increase OF
81 day, effective Immediately.
Fnvors Autonomy of Unions.
Mr.. Taylor added that the time has
come when the employers viii have to
cease dealing with the trades collec-
lively and the Trades Council must re-
store autonomy 10 the thirty-three
trades engaged IN the building industry
The Building Trades Union is one OF the
closest labor organization in the city.
Heretofore it's leaders have generally
made their own terms and got them.
During the six months elapsed since
the men got their last raise the business
reported by the members of the em-
ployers' association has been the largest
to Albert y. Chambers, second vice.
president OF the association.
The Central Trades and Labor Coun-
ell at it's weekly meeting last night
adopted O. resolution offered by Ernest
Bohm, it, secretary, Ito resist the ag-
gressions OF big business in it's effort
to reduce wages and introduce the open
shop" Mr. Bohm said after the meet
ing that the statement of Mr.. Taylor
was in line with what he had expected
from the employers.
"It simply bears out what ] said,
they're looking for a fight. And they
viii get II, too. Well go the limit.
Mr.. Bohm said. There will be a fight
II they refuse TO grant these demands.
We have the money to carry IT through -
What Is the Matter With the Build
ing Industry" was the subject dis
cussed at Yesterdays meeting OF the
architects. Mr.. Taylor spoke on behalf
of the employers; Hugh Fraync, or
ganizer for the American Federation
OF Labor, was to have represented the
employees side. but was called sud
denly 10 Washington.
AlleO II. l1ealNs Oh DOtL lCtpCttSs ~
building trade publication, compared the
building situation to a shell shocked
soldier, the symptoms being nervous
ness. chllls and fever and paralysis OF
will power. lie blamed the shortage OF
building materials on the Washington
Administration for It's failure TO provide
an efficient policy OF after war recon-
struction of industry.
No Decline I'm Building Prices.
Unlike shoes clothing. automobiles
and other manufactured commodities,
Mr.. Bea!s said. building materials will
not decline in price. because while the
former exceed demand in supply on
hand. the steel. lumber. brick. cement
and other requisites OF the building trade
are far behind In production. lie warned
about n hundred architects at the meet
ing that prices will not be lower than
to-day. and they may expect To see
somo OF their clients shut out OF the
market altogether.
He said In reference 60 the building
investigation that IL was "A splendid
thing" that all honest men In the busi-
AAtHc AAhh NdHAfu ~ WIS AAiANs ANVo-
ert u. Kohn. vice-presldent OF the Archi-
tects Association. said Il would be ab-
surd to think tho graft which ia being
exposed by the Lockwood committee has
been responsible for the stagnation OF
business.
William r. Bannistor. representing
the Brooklyn Chapter OF tho American
Institute of Architects. said. I'm effect,
he sympathized with Mayor Hylan.
The Mayor fell for what many archi-
tects have fallen for" ne said.
ornan II. waltz. president Of the as
sociation. presIded at the meeting.
which was tho regular autumn con-
ventlon. other speakers were j. Riley
Gordon. president OF the New York
Society OF Architects; W. q. Luce,
representing the view taken by the gem
eral contractor: Louis Comstock. rep
resentInE tho subcontractor. and Rob-
ert Glenn. who told his experiences as
superintendent Of the construction OF
the new Cunard Building.
The convention will close to-day with
a visit to several large buildings under
construction.
rhlisdelphis sunday Excursion Nov. II