The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-10-08
SENATOR KNUTE mel SON BEL 0NCS
PERIOD that HAS LONG PAST

What did Senator Knute Nelson OF
Minnesota say in the senate last Sat-
urday? Only garbled account of
his speech was given in the daily pa
pers. Here is the full speech as it
appears in the Congressional Record.
Read it, know what the aged senator
Is thinking about and how his mind
runs.
senator from New Jersey has referred
to the lack of housing facilities and
to the cessation in great measure OF
building operations. We II know that
that situation prevails throughout the
country; but what is retarding build
ing operations today? Nothing in the
world to so great an extent as the la
Dor situation. Union labor insists on
wartime wages. with the Result that
the only people who build in these
times of high cost of labor are those
who are actually driven as a matter
Of necessity to do SO.
If the men engaged in the building
trades-the carpenters, the bricklay-
ers, the masons, and the plasterers-
would come down to reasonable and
fair wages we would see the create
est building boom that has ever been
experienced in this country and there
would not be an idle mechanic in the
building trades today.
The fact is, however, that the brick
layers, masons, painters, and other ar
tisans are asking for 81 to $3.50 an
hour, and then in many instances re-
fuse to do the maximum work they
ought to do. That condition more
than anything else is retarding build
ing operations in this country.
My opinion is, Mr.. President, that
nothing so retards industrial revival
in this country today as the attitude
of organized labor in refusing to come
down to reasonable wages and a rea-
sonable basis of employment. All
over the United States we are suffer-
ins; because of that situation.
In the case of transportation, the
railroads are unable to reduce the
rates because of the high cost of oper-
alton arising from excessive wages
which their operatives demand, and
which they were accustomed to re-
ceive during the war under the adj
administration of Mr.. McAdoo as direc-
WI oSllS1ol VI IlAC Gill OduS.
Until there is reduction in that
high scale Of wages and a change in
the demand as to limited hours and
other peculiar conditions, including
the bonuses which were provided in
the days of tie war, the outlook for
the people of this country securing
cheaper transportation rates and bet
ter facilities is hopeless. and without
cheaper transportation rates there
will not only be a failure of industry
to revive as it ought to revive but,
more than that, the farmers of this
country will labor under a severe
handicap.
Aside from the railroads. I can not
conceive Of any industry, Mr.. Presi-
dent. where there is a greater oppor-
tunlty for revival, for an increase of
activity in all directions, than in the
building trades. We all admit that
there is scarcity of buildings
throughout the country, but the high
cost Of labor and the high cost of ma
terial-and labor is a factor in that
high cost, in fact labor is what makes
building material high-deter build
ing opera tons.
AAet' DNCil IoiO Wy tlt JuIlOi Sell"
attor from New York (Mr. Calderl
that bricklayers in the city of New
York are asking $14 a day for eight
hours work. We all know that the
unions do not allow their members
to do the maximum amount of work
but they are only allowed to lay sc
many bricks day, for instance, or
TO do so much work along other lines
day, and no more.
If we could get labor in the building
trades at fair and reasonable wages
and II men would exert themselves Al
they did in the old times, you would
see the greatest building boom thai
you have ever seen in this country.
am a friend Of the laboring man, but
am sorry to say that we are threat.
ened with idleness and lack of EN-:
ployment in this country; but these
men are themselves to blame if there
is any lack of employment
have no doubt, Mr.. President, that
II instead of charging from $40 to Sill
day in the building trades the,
would come down to 81 or IS a day
there would be such a revival in the