The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1921-07-22
" ASTE CAUSES.
HUGE LOSSES.
IN BUILDING
Report From Engineering
Council Shows Half Bill
lion Dollars Lost Yearly
in Building Industry.
UNEMPLOYMENT ONE
OF GREATEST FACTORS
HEPORT COVERS ECONOMIC CON.
DIT1ONS THROUGHOUT OOUN.
TRY; URGES IMPORTANCE
WORKING PROGRAM

WORKING PROGRAM
New York, July 22.-Half a billion
dollars year in wages Is being lost
in the building industry through un-
employment, declared report made
public today by the committee on
elimination of waste in industry OF
the American engineering council.
The committee appointed by Her
bert Hoover when he was president
OF the council. asserted lack OF work
was the outstanding fact in this in
dustry whose critical condition is at
tributed primarily to high cost of
construction.
The report said that waste was
causing huge losses in building. which
including all trades ad common labor,
ranked second among industries and
contributed yearly more than $1,000
000, 600 to the wealth Of the nation.
Customs Of conditions prevailing
throughout the industry are poorly
designed equipment are given as Sec
ondary causes.
The annual economic loss due TO ac.
cdents was estimated as high as
s120,O 900. Application of safety
methods, it was stated. should save
the industry 12.000,o00 days work a
year. A loss through duplication of
estimates and designs and duplication
in bidding, was said to run into mir
lions.
An acute national shortage Of hous'
ing exists. the report stated, because
Of prohibitive construction costs to
householder and banker.
Many Union Rules Wrong
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 indirect
V restriction OF output. Workmen and
contractors. however, are beginning
TO appreciate that reduced output re-
y acts tremendously upon themselves.
Greater cooperation between work
men and employers is an absolute
essential This cooperation must be
attained before we can approach the
elimination OF our 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
of employment for building trade
workmen. declaring they were busy
only on an average of about lyU
days In year. 1t recommended the
following means Of reducing seasonal
unemployment
Allowance OF small margin OF
profit BY both labor and capital dur
.ng winter months; development OF
methods OF conducting the work In
cold weather; arrangement Of work
TO provide indoor operations In colu
and stormy weather. organization oi
clearing house for coordination Of ac-
tivities increasing the usefulness OF
the employment bureau and educa
ton OF the public.
"Idleness is not due entirely TO sea
sonal demands. Strikes and lockouts
are appreciable causes" the report
added.
The strike was declared to be only
one OF the great economic wastes IN
the building Industry.
III the greatest cause the demand
for an increase in wage could be
eliminated. strikes as q factor oi
watse would shrink ito signifi'
canoe. The remedy that suggests IT.
self. is cooperation"
The philadelphia Ian Is en-
dorsed by the report as one OF the
means OF adjusting labor difficulties
and eliminating waste. This plan II
was stated provides for tribunal OF
council for tho building Industry
cornposcd OF an equal number oi
representatives, OF employer and en-
ploysd. Unions are no, alone blamed
Tor restricting output by the report
which said that Contractors and
builders and supply dealers affect tho
situation to US great "a degree directly
! ey maintenance OF high prices, collu
,icn In bidding and unfair practices
H1phaznrd management In planning
and controlling work and lael; o'
standards in the Industry has often
dcceled tho labor costs. stated the
rypcrt. Trade unions are urged &c
make thcir service more valuable 70
tho employer BY developing and train
ing the men in their organization and
esslstlng In the developing OF stand
ardlzatn OF time. method and ma
tcrial.
Never. in he history OF our coun
'ry," concluded the report, was IL
40 important that certain fundament-
ni phases Q, economy should be sc'
ccptcd and established as WORKING
program. Those phases win throw
overheard the fallacy that restricting
PRODUCTION can make work 90 further
and will uapnlant this with the CON
Guiding that ~ get, one must give
that % receive, the equivalent must
@bt given In money or time or effort
trat Increased returns can only b.
attained through increased production
Tho building Investigation was In
charge " Sanford +. Thompson Of
Boston, who directed a large force
Apf field workers who covered the en-
'<tlfe country, special attention. the
report said. belng paid to represent
auve cities. such as New York. Bos
,a, philaaslphia. baltimore. Chicago