The Connecticut labor news., 1921-02-11
MASTER BUILDERS PREPARE RUTHLESS
 SLASH IN WAGES
New Builders Exchange "To Garry Through Program Re gardless of Unions,' Says
 Board.
HARMONY IS THE AIM'
Yet Contractors Plan 20 to % Per Cent. Wage Reduction All
 Over Connecticut.

A wage reduction of from 20 to 25 per cent on all building trades mechan- ics; a builders combination which seems somewhat similar to those com binations recently indicted in New York; an absolute break with Organ ized Labor, and an effort to prohibit strikes of workers no matter what their grievance, are some of the things proposed by the newly organized Build CTS Exchange of Connecticut, accord ing to meeting of its executive board at the Hotel Taft, New Haven, Tues day, and which will be. put up to a general meeting of the Exchange here next Friday. While the Exchange doesn't consider its action a combin- ation in restraint of trade, inasmuch over Connecticut, the ordinary layman cannot see much else in it.
 The combination was organized at Waterbury a week ago with former Senator Harry A. Leonard of New Haven as president. According to the statement given out after the session of the executive board here Tuesday. the new association plans to carry through its program regardless of unions, which 1t expects to oppose the move for lower wages" The combin- ation, 1t was stated, is already composed of about 200 builders about the state, but the roll evidently doesn't include all such firms as cordial invitation is extended to other builders to attend the meeting next Friday whether members or not. In other words they. hope "to let no guilty man escape"
 The meeting of the executive board was ostensibly to adopt constitution and prepare plans for the general meet ing. The constitution adopted, so far as the public has yet been let in on it, speaks for itself. It sets forth as the objects of the Exchange cooperation for mutual advantage of the local ex- changes, which it Is expected will be formed in the. large cities of the state, to prevent strikes and adjust disputes, to maintain harmony, to oppose all un- lawful and unWarranted interference with employers and to establish uni form wage rate for building trades em- ployes in the state"
 In the statement that 1t expected to disregard unions member stated that about 80 per cent. of the men in the building trades about the state are unionized. It therefore becomes noth- ing more than a question apparently of the establishment of the "open shop" The lineup of the officers and execu- tive board, practically all regular op- ponents of Labor, gives an indication of what the action is really all about. It is as follows:
 President, H. A. Leonard, New Ha- ven; vice-president, Thomas c. Smith, Waterbury; treasurer, John Wise, Hartford; secretary, E. P Dunphy, Waterbury; directors, V. L. Murphy, Willimantic; A. w. Sperry, New Ha- ven; Harold Senior, Danbury; Henry E. Preusser, Waterbury; J. Schwartz, Bridgeport; J. E. Cau1kins, Hartford; P. $. OBrien, Middletown; H. A. Pease, Torrington; c. H. Elton, Bris- tol; o. L. Woodwork, New London; o. Peterson, New Britain; Max Dur schmidt, Derby; J. A. Flagg, Meriden; c. Wigg1esworth, Naugatuck; A. F. Taylor, New Milford; M. A. Zahn, Nor wich; C. B. Kunes, Norwalk.