New-York tribune., 1921-12-25
Building Evils
Routed; n. Y.
To Get Homes
Builder Gives Great Credit
to Lockwood COMMITTEES
and Mr.. Untermyer for
Destruction of Cliques


Walter kraslow who has been build
ing dwellings in Brooklyn for twenty
years, is of the opinion that the build
ing shortage will rapidly disappear as
the moral status of the local building
industry improves. Union labor OBJ
structionists have done more to retard
the quick relief of the rent situation
than all other evils in the construc-
ticn field.
Mr.. kraslow said recently that the
activities of the Lockwood committee
and the ruthless way Samuel Inter
mycr, the committees special counsel
has attacked the building labor organi-
cations had placed the building craft
en- higher plane than it has been on
Tor long time.
can truthfuly state" said Mr..
hfaSiow, that at no period have 7
oeen confronted with greater Difficult
ties or suffered more dsappointments
ehrougn inefficient and arrogant labor
man have during the postwar years.
These problems have been the expert
ence OF practically all builders in this
deSpared OF change
To-day the building industry is
still far from being purged of it's
evils. Trade practices and abuses con.
tinue, which must be eliminated before
the Industry can possibly get back to
normal. A start has beea made, how.
ever, and only future results will show
how great 4 value to the building in,
dustry has been the work of The Lock
wood committee and it's counsel.
ut has been M experience during the
last few months that building condi-
lions arc better by far than they were
one year ago
The reason why builders have put
up with these intolerable labor condi-
ions is that they have been actually
afraid Of placing the information at
their command before the Investigators
because they feared to antagonze the
unions 10 have the business agents
Or walking delegates Of the unions hos
tile would have bccu, to their minds, far
more costly than the conditions under
winch tncy have bcea forced to opcr-
ate.
Investigation Of the trade union ac.
tv'ties in this city is one of the best
Things that ever happened for .hc con
s'.raction industry. The public, which in
Toe end mast pay, for thp prevailing
kigh building costs u Inflated home
values and cXtortfonate rentals, now
KNOWS just wnere the responsibi,ity
lies for this situation
'ihe rottcnncss NOW disclosed in
;rsdo union managcme,. and activities
has done more 10 rctard building Goa
struetion, MAINTAIN nigh sosts and gen
era'ly disofgan'zc The iliaastyy than
aii the comoinattoss and other evils
among manufacturers dealers and sub.
contractors that previously have been
disc! !oscd b. shc I-oenwood committee
orr,tlg thcze inveytiga cations.
Arrogant, selfish aud arfIicicnt labor
- The keynote o Fhc Unsatisfactory
condtion OF &c lceal alilding industry
lo-'ia%. ilc tN:icnec. brought out at
he hearings, wi.h wlYateycr action is
- iaIleN. u. :.,s AsEsis of prosecuting
rafnariiies. w.ll clsel up The asmcs,
pi'erc IA 'Ils pagtiemas bfang'l OF the
iAsiNnAs.
~Heasiees shSiia bo ccat.cued unit
AL .f",les afl c}eiac,A.s .esponss ssolc for
the present chaotic e5nGitios ste
brought to justice The bs4tinc Iados.
Try is too old sna honorable q calling
(, be stiematlzed ~ the srAft, coiiu-
sion ana Intimidation Six; rave become
historic during the past decade. Finish
ta's tlgation, aNd taen let US al,
cooperate fer the lpbuildng OF tho
it"asSry. Let's get it nac:: speedily 20
- inner honorable plane.