The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-07-22
BLAME LACK
OF W0RKF0R
HEAVY LOSS
Building Industry Suffers
to Extent of Half Bill
lion of Dollars.

New York. July 22.-Half billion
dollars in wages is being lost in the
building industry through unem.
ployment, according to a report
made public today by the commit
tee on elimination Of waste in in
dustry of the American Engineer
ing council.
The committee appointed by Her
bert Hoover, when he was presi-
dent of the council, asserted lack OF
work was the outstanding fact in
this industry, whose critical condi-
ton is attributed primarily to high
costs of construction.
The report said that waste was
causing huge losses in building,
which, including all trades and
common labor, ranked second
among industries and contributed
more than $3,OOO,OoO,OOO yearly to
the wealth of the nation.
The chief sources If waste in the
industry were, according to the re-
port, irregular employment, inef-
ticient management and wasteful
labor regulations. Customs or con-
ditions prevailing throughout the
industry, and poorly designed equip
ment are given as secondary causes.
The annual economic loss due to
accidents was estimated as high as
$120, 100000. Application of safety
it was stated, should save
the industry 100000 days a year.
Loss through duplication OF esti-
mates and designs. and duplication
in bidding, was said to run into mil
lions.
An acute national shortage OF
housing exists, the report stated,
because of prohibitive construction
costs to householder and banker.
Many union rules were con-
demned as absolutely wrong" and
both employers and employees were
blamed for restriction of output
Greater cooperation between
workmen and employers is an abso-
lutte essential" the report said.
This cooperation must be attained
before we can approach the culmin-
alton of labor difficulties. Such CO.
operation, however, is impossible
the removal of causes of
friction and the working out of
plans to this end
The report deplored the irregu-
larity of employment for building
trade workmen, declaring that they
were busy only on an average of
about one hundred ninety days in a
year. 1t recommended the follow
ing means OF reducing seasonal un-
Allowance of a small margin of
profit for both labor and capital,
during the winter months, develop
ment of methods of conducting the
work in cold weather, arrangement
Of work to provide indoor operation
in cold and stormy weather, organ
Ization of a clearing house for CO.
ordination of activities, increasing
the usefulness of employment bu-
reaus, and educating the public.
"IdleneSs, however, is not due en-
tirely to seasonal demands. strikes
and lockouts are appreciable
causes" the report continued.
The Philadelphia plan is endorsed
BY the report as one of the means of
adjusting labor difficulties and elm
mating waste. This plan, it was
stated, provides for a tribunal or
council of the building industry,
of an equal number of
of employer and
II also proposes establishment of
a central bureau through which,
all construction pro-
grams in the territory should be
including national, state,
and private work
Unfair Practices.
Unions are not alone blamed for
output by the report.
which said contractors and build
ers and supply dealers affect the sit
nation to as great a degree them
selves. by maintenance of high
prices. collusion in bidding and un-
fair practices.
Haphazard management in plan
ming and controlling work and
ack of standards in the industry
,as often doubled tkj labor cost,
he report stated.
ssNever in the history of our
concluded the report.
was it so important that certain
principles of econo-
mics should be accepted and estab-
ished as a working program. These
will throw overheard the
,allacy that restricting production
IAN make work go further, and will |
,upplant this with the knowledge
o get one must give, that to receive
he equivalent must be given in |
money or in time or in effort and
hat increased returns can only be
attained through increased produc-
ion.
The building investigation was in
charge OF Sanford E Thomson of
QoSfop who direCfad O lo~-z - q