The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-03-25
PUNCH IN
WORkMAN'S
TALK WINS
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general committee Of six-two en-
pIoyers. two laborers and two from
the profession or clergy to repre-
sent the public. The representa-
tiyes Of the public are to be chosen
BY the employer and labor commit
tees members.
Says Electrical Costs Down.
Quoting from his own statistics,
], T. Marion Of this city said that
there had been q drop Of q per
cent in outside electrical work
over last year, but It il still S. per
cent higher than in 1914, while
there had been q fall Of 81 per cent
on inside work over 1920, which is
AZ per cent higher than In 1914.
From the peak Of 1920 prices, Mr..
Marion said, plumbing has dropped
30 per cent.
The talk Of the morning was
made by George NJ. Cummins, traffic
commissioner Of Davenport. who
said there were three routes by
which to- relieve the railroad sit
uation, by enforcing higher rates.
increasing the volume Of traffic, and
by lowering operating expenses.
The first two are impossible, Mr..
Cummins said, but in the third lies
the solution Of the problem If call
ing a pump man an electrician and
someone else something else were
eliminated" Mr.. Cummins stated
that the high railroad costs lie in
the fact that wages were paid to
unskilled laborers who classify
themselves as skilled laborers. The
railroad situation, he said. had con-
tributed largely to high overhead
costs.
w. o. Woodward, manager Of the
T. w. McClelland company Of DAY.
export, gave quotations on milling
which showed prices 100 per cent
higher than in 1914. The remedy
for the condition, Mr.. Woodward
said, was in devising a method Of
convincing the people that they
are getting their moneys worth.
r. C. Andrews of the Pittsburgh
Glass company, speaking for the
paint manufacturers, produced fig
ures on prices of painting materials
showing a slight reduction over a
year ago.
Plea for Coal Men.
Retailers costs are enormous,
Frank Rockwell of the Rockwell
Fuel and Ice company of this city,
said in listing the costs of various
expenditures connected with the
handling of coal, showing only a
profit of Is cents a ton on coal.
Considerable discussion was
raised when H. D. Smith OF the
electrical union asked ARE the
union men efficient?" and what is
normal?" He produced facts show
ing that where men were inefficient
the union permits discharging the
laborer and kept on quoting other
sections of the union regulations
until halted by ]. Frank Nebergall,
chairman of the conference. His
attacks were answered by Chester
Robbins, electrical contractor OF
Moline.
Who Lays Most Bricks7
A question raised by C. A. Moses,
q bricklayer Of Davenport, upon
statements attributed to ]. H.
Ploehn. which was made at q
Davenport Rotary club meeting re-
Gently, was the center of arguments
which livened proceedings in the
afternoon. Mr.. Moses accredited
Mr.. Ploehn with saying that the
number Of bricks laid today is be-
low the number laid daily several
years ago. and Tin defense of him
self offered facts" Mr.. Ploehn at
lacking the arguments with "other
facts" The question was referred
to the committee on bricks to re-
port next Thursday.
Labor made a second attack in
the afternoon upon the statement
of K. l. Willis that there had been
a 400 per cent increase in wages,
based on figures that he paid rs
cents an hour for labor in 1914 and
is now paying 81 an hour. H. D.
Smith of the electrical mems union
called for further explanation from
Mr.. Willis, but the question stood
without more consideration.
Each Must Take BURDEN
John Benedict Of Davenport quot
ed figures on building materials,
comparing prices of 1914 and 1921,
showing the decrease in that time,
Before entering upon the pages OF
figures which he had obtained for
| the meeting. Mr.. BENEDICT said that