The New York herald., 1921-12-22
BUILDING EMPLOYER
WORSE THAN UNION
Untermyer Warns Abuses
Within Association Must
Be Corrected.
DISCUSS OFFER OF MEN
Bosses Adjourn Without Ac-
ton on Proposals to
Avoid Strike.
DISCUSS OFFER OF MEN

The board Of governors Of the Building
Trades Employers Association, at a
closed session which lasted all yesterday
afternoon. adjourned until next Wednes-
day without taking action on the coun-
ter proposals submitted by the Building
Trades Council in the negotiations be-
tween the two elements looking toward
the avoidance of a general strike in the
building and allied trades when the exist
ing agreements between the employers
and the union expire on December 81.
Another development yesterday was
revelation that Samuel Unternyer and
members of the Lockwood legislative
committee still regard the Building
Trades Employers Association as even
more responsible than the unions for eX-
sting conditions. In a letter to Christian
G. Norman, chairman of the board of
governors, Mr.. Untermyer said
Bad as | find these conditions in the
labor unions, they are not quite so bad or
so Injurious to the public welfare as are
conditions that still exist III your asso-
citation. to the correction of which tie
committee proposes vigorously to address
itself"
The proposals of the Building Trad rs
Council, which were not made public, en-
brace the reply of approximately 115 ,c3O
workers to the employers suggestion
that an arbitration board of five mem
hers be created TO draft a new agree
nlent between the two sides 10 the con-
troversy. 1t was proposed that the presi-
dent of the American Federation Of
Labor. the Merchants Association. the
Chamber of Commerce Of the State of
Nax,r V4,.Ir -. 1.
American Institute of Architects and
should each appoint one member of the
board
Enough was learned Of yesterdays
deliberations to warrant the statement
that it is upon this feature of the en-
poyers' proposals that the success of
the negotiations hinges. Patrick J.
Crowley. president of the Building
Trades Council. and successor to Robert
2. Brlndell. now in Sing Sing, turned
thumbs down abruptly on the employ
ers' suggestions. put forward through
Chairman Norman. Crowley feels and
in his attitude has the unanimous sup
port of his followers, that Norman s
suggestion means a representation ratio
of four to one, with the unions on the
short end.
No one present at yesterdays meet
ing of the employers at 30 West Thirty
third street would reveal what the
Building Trades Councils counter pro-
posals involved. Neither would Mr..
Crowley make them public. lie said
Mr.. Norman was at liberty to If he
wanted to. but Norman refused on the
ground that he had not heard from the
plasterers'. painters. bricklayers' and
carpenters organizations. which are
outside the Building Trades Council
and are considering the employers
suggestions separately. They represent
approximately 5000 members.
Hugh Frayne, general organizer and
New York representative of the Ameri
can Federation of Labor. declined last
night to make any comment on Mr..
Untermyer's demand for specific re-
forms within the labor organizations.
lie is known, however, to be vigorously
opposed to Mr.. Untermyer's proposal
that the unions be compelled to incor-
porate.
Some of the labor unions outside the
Building Trades Council will hold meet
ings tomorrow night to consider the
employers proposals.