Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-01-25
Tuesday, January IS, 1921.
Another Why


ips?" This question, asked in the
Boston Herald by Nashua build
90. who si-ns. "E. f. Bartlett"
under date of the Goth inst, he an
svsers in less than a column OF
compact sense, more effective than
all the Investigations and learned
dispositions that have come to our
notice.
Speaking out OF his experience as
q contractor he recalls that:
Ten years ago one did not have
any trouble in getting brick masons
who would lay at least 1900 bricks a
day on IL plain wall 1t cost of SO
cents per hour. Last summer very
large plain brick building was erect
ed in Nashua, n. H.. and the average
number of bricks laid per day among
the 40 masons employed was about
400, or one third of the days work
ten years ago. while the wages had
increased to- $1.25 per hour. In 9TH
81 words, if the men had maintained
their production of 1910 and taken
the 1920 cost of laying bricks their
wages would have been 1915 per
hour or $50 per day of eight hours.
This rate of increase in cost is
true in all other branches OF the
building trades. A friend, who con-
templated building a house, called in
. company with the writer upon a car
penter who had worked at carpenter
ing some 80 years, and who besides
being a good workman has an excel
lent memory, and at one time now
long past took much pride in his
ability to do a good days work.
from this carpenter We learned
that today 500 shingles is considered
= days work, which at 81 per hour
makes the cost of laying shingles 81
per hundred. This man remembers
that 10 years ago a man could not
keep his job If he did not lay $500
shingles per day, for which he re-
ceived 81 for eight hours, or 16 cents
per 100 shingles. An increase in cost
OF laying shingles in 10 years of 625
per cent. This is good example of
what is called restriction of out
put"
Six hundred and twenty-five per
rent is somewhat of an increase in
ten years. Think of what it would
mean if an increase of six hundred
and twenty-five per cent had &C.
cured in the salaries of the school
teachers, in the wages of book keep
ers and clerks. doctors, lawyers,
seamstresses, the price of potatoes,
wheat and corn. Apd yet it appears
more is demanded by the Allied
building Trades Council.
Such a condition brought about by
collision between employers or in
business would be termed restraint Of
trade and be arlenable to the law, but
being brought about by collision be-
tween labor unions is not amenable
to the law. And yet some would
have us think that the laws are alto
gether made in behalf of the capital
lists.
This result Of inefficiency and
profiteering thus accomplished has
stopped building. Presumably the
leaders think the people eventually
will be forced to come to terms, al
though they must realize this cannot
be until prices in other lines of BUSH
ness go up. They overlook the fact
that the public is becoming accus-
toned to the congestion, is adapting
itself to narrower limitations, is
realizing the saving possible in that
way, and for every inconvenience it
undergoes receives a fresh reminder
of that six hundred and twenty five
per cent,
No, this does not mean that ma
sons and carpenters are more selfish
than the rest of us: on the contrary
1t appears they are very human, in
that they do not know when they get
enough, or if they do know are I'M
willing or incapable Of acting on the
knowledge. In this connection Mr..
Bartlett recalls that at one time
when Henry White, then secretary of
the Garment Workers Union, was
asked when strikes would stop and
the union be satisfied. he replied:
When we strike and are beaten,
then we know we are getting our full
share, but as long as we win the
strike. we are not sure that We are
getting all that should come to u.s."
What a comment this is, on not
only the union but on all parties con-
cerned! Until there is better un-
Outstanding between them and a dis
position to fair play all around there
is little to expect other than con-
tinuous fighting. with the advantage
at one time in favor OF the employer
and at another time in favor of the
employee, and the public to pay the
war debt, however. it goes. The
employer many times is situated
better to realize the working of sup
ply and demand: his selfishness is
more enlightened. Usually he has
to depend for his success on his abil-
ity to equal or excel his competitors.
The unionized workman. on the 9TH
err hand works on the theory that the
poorest workman in the class usual
~ sets the pace, that success does