The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-22
Annual Wage Loss in q. S.
Building Industry Enormous.
American Engineering Council
Committee Makes Report.
STRIKE EVIL is DEPLORED
Accidents Cause Economic Loss
of $12O,OO0,OOO Yearly.
Suggests Means of Reducing
Seasonal Unemployment.

New York, July 22.-Half a billion
dollars a year in wages is being lost
in the building industry thru unem-
ployment, declared a report today by
the committee on elimination of waste
in industry of the American engineer
ing council. 1
The committee appointed by Her
bert Hoover, when he was president of
the council, asserted lack of work was
the outstanding fact in this industry.
whose critical condition is attributed
primarily to high costs of construc-
ton. The report said that waste was
causing huge losses in building which,
including all trades and common la
Dor, ranked second among industries
and contributed more than three bill
lion dollars yearly to the wealth of
the nation.
The chief sources of waste in the
industry were, according to the re-
port, irregular employment, inefficient
management and wasteful labor regu-
lations. Customs or condition prevail
ing thruout the industry and poorly
designed equipment are given as sec
ondary causes.
The annual economic loss due to
accidents was estimated as high as
100000. Application of safety
methods, it was stated. should save
the industry twelve million days work
a year. Loss thru duplication of esti-
mates and designs and duplication in
bidding was said TO run into millions.
An acute national shortage of hous-
ing exists. the report stated, because
of prohibitive construction costs to
householder and banker.
Condemn Union Rules.
Many union rules were condemned
as absolutely wrong" and both en-
ployers and employees were blamed for
restriction of output. Union reguIa-
in 11a 81
nous losses" said the report, thru
direct or indirect restriction of output.
Workmen and contractors, however,
are beginning to appreciate that re-
duced output reacts in tremendous
fashion upon themselves
| Greater cooperation between work.
men and employers is an absolute es-
sentiaI. This cooperation must be at
| tanned before We can approach the
| elimination of labor difficulties. Such
corporation, however, is impossible
without the removal of causes of fric-
| tion and the working out of plans to
this end"
Work Only 100 Days a Year.
! The report deplored the irregularity
| of employment for building trade
workmen, declaring that they were
busy only on an average of about 19O
| days in a year. 1t recommended the
! following means of reducing seasonal
unemployment:
! allowance of a small margin of
profit for both labor and capital dur
| ing winter months, development of
methods of conducting the work in
cold weather, arrangement of work to
provide indoor operations in cold and
stormy weather, organization of
| clearing house for coordination of ac-
tivities, increasing the usefulness of
employment bureaus and educating
t, public.
| 'Idleness, however, is not due en-
! tirely to seasonal demands. Strikes
| and lockouts are appreciable causes"
the report added.
Strikes Cause Waste.
| The strike was declared to be only
one of the great economic wastes in
the building industry.
! THE waste to the men engaged.
the contractor, and the public is hard
to estimate" it was asserted.
IF the greatest cause. the demand
for an increase in wages, could be
| eliminated. strikes as a factor of waste
would shrink into insignificance. The
remedy that suggests itself is CO.
operation. Management and labor
must forget the sore spots of past con-
flicts and thru whoIe-hearted CO.
operation, fix by proper studies a min
imum wage to correspond with a
standard amount of production with
additional compensation for additional
output. This would furnish an incen-
tive to the men and would give rec
ognition to deserving mechanics"