The New York herald., 1921-12-07
Plaza. Commodore and Am
bassador Forced by EXac-
tiOns to Alter Plans.
HOLSTERS PUT UP PRICES
Lockwood Inquirers Amazed
by Restrictions On and An
n0yances Of Architects.


GUS labor organizations has aided
through the imposition of burdensome
restrictions disguised as measures to
safeguard each particular industry in
making labor less and less efficient
and thus adding to the prohibitive
cost of building in New York was
gone into for the first time yesterday
by the Lockwood legislative commit
tee.
Some of the practices resorted to
by the unions, as related by Christian
G. Norman, chairman Of the board of
governors of the Building Trades EN-
ployers Association. surprised even the
committee members and supplemented
Snformation disclosed in private in
vestigation. Mr. Norman's citation OF
abuses under which he said the build
ing industry was laboring. with his
remedial suggestions, constituted the
testimony.
The rest of the time was spent in an
effort, only partly successful, TO get
al the facts concerning the collection
and disbursement of funds of Local
No. g. Internatio Brotherhood of
Electrical Workers, of which William,
A Hogan is financial secretary and
Joseph LawIor treasurer.
Further examination OF Mr.. Hogan,
who on Monday admitted receiving death
benefits for four deceased members Of
the Organization, in one case at least
whera a widow was left i'm straitened
circumstances. was discontinued when he
withdrew his waiver and claimed inn
raunity as result OF any further testi-
rnony he should give.
Unions Treasurer Grilled.
Treasurer Law!or spent a bad two
hours on the stand attempting 70 explain
some OF the organizations financial
operations. particularly with regard to
the collection OF permit fees from the
large number of electrical workers who
could not get into the union and were
forced to pay $3.50 week for the privi-
lege of working, and also to the pay
nlent of death benefits. He complained
bitterly toward the end of his examina-
tion that Samuel Untermyer, counsel to
the committee. had 'imade him look
ridiculous in his own estimation" He
handles 100000 a year and gets 5000
salary.
Mr.. Norman admitted that consid-
cradle Of the alleged malpractice con-
nected with the building industry. sucl,
as rugged bidding. had been eliminated
az result of the committees crusade
There are several remaining, however,
and he enumerated some OF them.
With the exception of the briclSlayers
and carpenters organizations. he said
the other unions, members of the Build
ing Trades Council, required thst fore
men on all Jobs should be members OF
The union concerned. This had q bad
effect in most instances, he said, and
tended to make the foreman think more
or the interests of the men than CT his
employer, for the simple reason that II
re pushed his men too hard he was likely
20 be yanied up before his own organi-
cation on charges of being "slayt
driver"
$50 II you hire foreman he can be
disciplined for urging mis- men TO worle?'
AR. Untermyer asked.
Yes" replied the witness.
"And that you congider great de-
Aerrent to efficiency"
absolutely one OF the worst"
would ii be your suggestion ther
that tho foreman in each trade selected
b. the employer may or may not be g
,renber OF the union. as the employer
may choose?'
'ks the man may choose. That would
eure good deal of the abuse
Emciency standard Drops.
Mr.. Norman thought there were many
shnses. nevertheless, in the bricklayina
Industry, although the standard OF ef-
ficiency, which stood at about 1900 to
! 400 brick day before the war ano
which dropped TO between 200 to 500
js again up TO about l,loO. The orick'
LAYERS organization. however. has "a
regulation that requires bricklayers a.
bricllayers, pay to wash down job
ssyhen Il is completed. This work. Mr.
Norman SAYS, could be just as well per
formed by laborers at SO or So day
less.
In addition. where wooden blocks are
used. or a paving brick in construction
work. It must be laid by briclSlayers
rbecause Il is the shape or brick.
and the regulation costs the builder $;
day more than he would have 70 pay
paver who would lay twice or three
times as much material as the brick
layer.
The cement masons. Mr.. Norman said
have a very effective regulation---tha
every Job must have foreman. Thi,
means that if the Job only calls for on,
man he must get foremans wages, or 4
two men. one must get foreman's pay