Evening star., 1921-07-22
S5|)D,OD0O|)OLO
IN BUILDING TRADE
Cost Through Unemployment
in Industry Reported
to Council.
MANY SOURCES OF WASTE
American Engineers Told $780,
100000 Due to Ac-
cidents.
MANY SOURCES OF WASTE
By the Assoria ted Press.

BY the AssOfia ted Press.
NEW YORK. July 22.-Half a billion
dollars a year in wages is being lost in
the building industry through unem-
ployment, declared a report made pub
lie today by the committee on elimina-
ton Of waste In industry of the Ameri-
can Engineering Council.
The committee appointed by Herbert
Hoover when he was president Of the
council asserted lack Of work was the
outstanding factor in this industry.
whose critical condition is attributed
primarily to high costs OF construction.
The report said that waste was caus-
ing huge losses in building. which. in
Guiding all trades and common labor.
ranked second among industries and
contributed more than $4,000. 900. 900
yearly b the wealth Of the nation.
Sources of Waste.
The chief sources of waste in the in
dustry were. according to the report,
irregular employment. inefficient man
agement and wasteful labor regulations.
Customs or conditions prevailing
signed equipment are given as secondary
causes.
The annual economic loss, due to
accidents. was estimated as high as
$120.OOO.0O0. Application of safety
methods, it was stated. would save
the industry 100000 days work a
year. Loss through duplication OF
estimates and designs and duplica
ton 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.
Union Rules Condemned.
Many union rules were condemned
as absolutely wrong" and both en-
ployers and employees were blamed
for restriction of output.
Union regulations in the past
have produced enormous losses" said
the report, through direct or indi-
rect restriction of output. Workmen
and contractors. however. are begin
ming to appreciate that reduced out
put reacts in tremendous fashion
upon themselves.
Greater cooperation between
workmen and employers is an abso-
lutte essential. This cooperation must
be attained before we can approach
the elimination Of labor difficulties
Such cooperation. however. Is i'm.
possible without the removal of
causes of friction and the working
out of plans to this end"
The report deplored the irregularity
equal number of representatives of
men, declaring that they were busy
only on an average of about 100 days
in year. 1t recommended the fol-
lowing means of reducing seasonal
unemployment:
Allowance of a small margin bf
profit for both labor and capital dur
ing winter months. development of
methods of conducting the work in
cold weather, ,rearrangement of work
to provide indoor operations in cold
and stormy weather. organization of a
clearing house for co-ordinalk,n of
activities. increasing the usefulness of
employment bureaus and educatfne
the public
'Idleness. however, is not due en-
tirely to seasonal demands; strikes
the report added.
The strike was declared to be one
of the great economic wastes in the
suilding industry.
'The waste to the men engaged the
contractor and the public is hard to
estimate" it was asserted.
Wage Demands Ii Cause. -
III the greatest cause, the demand
tor an increase in wages, could he
eliminated, strikes as factor OF
waste. would shrink into insignifi-
canoe. The remedy that suggests it.
self is cooperation. Management and
labor must forget the sore spots of
past conflicts and through whole
hearted. corporation fix by proper
studies q minimum wage to CORE
spond with q standard amount of pro
duction. with additional compensation
for additional output. This would
furnish.an incentive to the men and
would give recognition to deserving
mechanics" y.
The 'Philadelphia plan" is indorsed
by the report as one Of the means of
adjusting labor difficulties and elimi-
mating waste. This plan, it was stated,
provides for a tribunal or council of
the building industry, composed Of an
equal number Of representatives of
employer and employed. Il also pro-
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