The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-01
INQUIRY SHOWS
GRAFT LEVIED
II IN NEW WAYS
Tribute Exacted on Struc-
tural Steel and Iron
Operations Here.
STRIKE THREAT USED
Painters and Carpenters
Are in Revolt Against
Brindell.
FAKERS AS ARTISANS
Grand Jury Investigation Into
Situation Will Get Under
Headway To-day.

ntduNuy LIZ uoS
Sources OF revenue which must nave
Melted the graft ring tremendous profits,
an shaken from the pockets of builders
and contractors who were the victims OF
ths system, came to light yesterday as
the lockwood Housing Committee linked
up several important pieces of evidence
Il has gathered In the last few days
in ths investigation OF the building in
dustry.
Counsel for the committee were In
conference throughout the day in prepa-
ration for the Grand Jury inquiry which
win be started to-day in the State courts
Samuel Untermyer will begin laying evil
dsnee before the jury as soon as the
routine OF organizing Is completed.
Practically every piece OF structural
steel and iron work done in New York
sn the last year has been levied upon for
tribute TO the system. This form Of
construction amounts to millions.
Always holding the threat of strike
over the heads of builders. the grafters
have demanded that they "be seen" be-
fore permitting the Housesmiths' Union,
Sam Parks's old organization, to go to
work. Having been "seen," the promot-
era Of the Building Trades Council were
quite willing to allow the union. which
the American Federation of Labor does
not recognize. to go ahead.
Revolt Against Brfndell.
Painters and carpenters are in revolt
against Robert p. Brindell, the Labor
King" and president of the Trades Coun-
oil. The Brotherhood Of Painters Dec
orators and Paper Hangers have issued
an ultimatum to members OF their trade,
saying "Brindell L. nearing the end of
his rope either he ceases his scab tao
tics, which threaten the life OF all or
9Anized labor, or he loses his power al
together"
The employer and the housewife who
employed carpenters to put up buildings
or do little patch job around the home
have been equally Disguised by the in
competency of many of the men they
have been forced to hire. Men who have
represented themselves as carpenters
and received $40 for a days work. II
now develops. are In hundreds OF cases
dishwashers or common laborers who
hardly know the difference between a
hammer and a saw They have been
made carpenters overnight by the Brin-
dell council by the simple process OF
paying s26 for privilege card" which
gave them the rank and the right to
work
When 4. b. Levy testified before the
Lockwood committee that he was COM
PEELED to pay $4,000 to call off strike
on the S2.000,000 Textile Building,
Seventh avenue and Thirty-first street
the counsel started the inquiry into the
operation of the steel and iron trade
The Housesmiths' Union. which does
most of this work. Is law unto itself.
The Iron League always has refused to
adopt the closed shop policy and the
national labor leaders do not recognize
tho old Sam Parks outfit.
Situation Helps Ring.
Tho situation has lent itself admir-
ably to the purposes of the ring. The
building code in New York requires that
all buildings OF more than four stories
must have structural steel support
According to the information de-
veloped by the Lockwood committee.
the system permits the work OF erect
ing new building to get we'll started
after the tribute from the wreckers and
excavators has been extracted properly,
and then begins to make trouble The
word Is given that the Trades Council.
advocate of union operation. cannot per-
NIT Its men to work on building where
tho Housesmiths Union. which is out
side OF labor ranks. is employed Then
comes the strike threat. Unless ade-
uuate contribution IL forthcoming i'm
mediately, all other unions than the steel
workers call strike.
Upon the refusal of contractor or
builder to submit to the holdup, the de-
nnand has been backed up with the
further threat that unless the money
was paid over promptly all the work
completed up to the time the levy was
made would have to be torn down and
done over by men recognized by the
system. There is not on record n single
instance of work having been torn down.
No attempt has been made even TO
estimate what graft has been collected
from this source. but 1t is expected that
before the investigation has gone much
further II will be shown TO have been
one OF the big items In the Illicit budget.
New Light IL shed.
New light has been shed on the coun-
CTS method OF dealing with skilled ar
tisans. When carpenters refused 70 join
Brindelrs council he began building I'D
his own organization as an auxiliary Of
the Dock Builders Union. This latter Is
Brindelrs personally conducted organ
ization and it's 5000 members escape by
paying their master nfty cents a month
each.
But the now carpenters and joiners
taken In did not get OFF so easily They
have 70 pay s25 for the privilege Of get
ting into the organization. That pay
rnent does not make them members OF
union or anything else. but merely
gives them the right 20 work when the
dictators assign them. IL does give them
the right to charge $40 day for services
This system of making carpenters and
other skilled workmen is one OF the ex-
plantations OF the high cost OF building.
Men who are not competent 20 serve
even as helpers TO the kind OF carpen-
ters- our fathers knew get their $40 "A
day when they work. But their lot Is
not all easy.
Their payments for their S25 privilege
must be made at the rate Of So week
As soon as the full sum has been paid
in the new carpenter finds that he out OF
Job and must take out another card
FOR the further privilege Of working.
What II amounts TO Is a perpetual So a
week payment TO the system The COM
Ynittea will seek to learn M an carly