The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-09-25
Attributes Increase
In Cost To Tendency
To Loaf On the Job

respects is unsuited TO present day
conditions. 1t can and should be 80
amended as to be placed upon a more
scientific basis. Such an amendment
would at the same time noticeaoly re-
duce the cost OF building operations.
"For example, it's plumbing code
is so framed as to make necessary
md unscientific, complicated and
needlessly expensive plumbing in
stallation both in residences and
other buildings.
without question a more modern
plumbing code ought Immediately 10
be enacted by the city of Cleveland
so that plumbing systems which eN-
perts all agree are at once more ef-
ficient and considerably less expen-
sive than those required by the pres
emit code might be installed.
1.-The same is true, but in less
marked degree, with other portions OF
the building code, and we recommend
that steps be taken to redraft the en-
tire building ordinance with the help
of impartial experts, with view TO
securing building systems which are
alike efficient economical and fair
to every group and class.
WORKING DAY CONDEMNED.
2-we should be remiss in our
duty did not we point to a lament
able condition which no doubt has
injured the very group which created
II as much, II not more so than the
public generally.
I'VE refer to the present tendency
upon the part of mechanics, artisans
and laborers of all trades to do less
than a full days work.
The testimony adduced before us
indicates conclusively that ii requires
approximately twice as long, with the
same number of men, to erect house
today, as it did in pre-war times.
Impartial tests show that it takes
twice as many carpenter hours to do
the carpenter work on a building as
1t did FIVE years ago.
"Bricklayers lay less than half the
number of bricks; paperhangers.
painters, and plasterers all do less
than half the work in the same time
that they did FIVE years ago.
Manufacturing Arms which make
and sell lighting materials prove by
their records that while wages have
gone up 200 per cent in some in
stances labor cost has gone up 400
per cent, indicating that their en-
ployes are getting double pay for
one-half the work. as compared with
the period before the war.
"These conditions are not healthy.
They cannot but infiict disaster upon
those who foster them Short-sighted,
indeed, is the man who believes that
he can produce wealth by idling.
''The war has created tremendous
void in materials and commodities of
all kinds and prices are high by
reason OF this scarcity. The law of
supply and demand is as memorable as
any law of nature and prices can
only become lower when the worlds
storehouses has again reached its
normal level. This is true OF build
fngs and building commodities just
as OF any other. commodity.
THE cost of dwellings will de-
preSiate to a marked extent and
rentals will be lower when the men
who build homes will do a full days
work ungrudgingly withpride alike in
the quality and quantity of their
output.
"(Slgned) julius Punker. Barney
HaverdiIl, T. w. O'Connor, J. II. Da-
Wis, John N. Kipp, Kinsy Fife, J. A.
Friend, Phil Eisel, Adolph Steiner,
Abraham Stein, Charles Lyle, A. Nc
MILAN, Simon thinner, Jacob Halter,
John Funk"