The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-08-15


evils Of restricted Industrial produc-
ton. according to the findings Of
the committee on the elimination OF
vase On industry Of the Federated
ni"-ican Engineering Societies pre-
scented in their report recently Is
sued.
In the building trades. contrae-
tors. builders, and, supply dealers
have restricted production by main
tanning high prices. collision In
bidding and unfair prices" says the ,
report at times there has been
collision between employers and
lHso- tending 10 raise prices un-
duly"
But the waste caused by these
practices OF owners and managers
could not be measured in the study
MADE, although IL was found that
I the restrictions Of individual output
for which the workers are respon-
; sible are susceptible OF measure
ment.
There are two kinds Of such re-
strictions Of individual output" the
engineers say. On the one hand,
where workers are scarce the less
q nscientious workers become Inde-
pendent and slacken speed, whereas
when workers are plentiful. they
, work with greater diligence and
care for fear Of Unemployment On
the other hand, the dread Of unem-
Tloyment Is SO pronounced that en-
ployes engaged in seasonal enter
prises frequently restrict produc-
ton In order to make employment
last longer; some workers. more
over. through consideration OF their
fellow employees. limit production q
provide work for them. a practice
W hich ultimately results in an eco.
{ nnmic loss
Important restrictions Of outpyt
by employees can only result from
collective action. In the building
! trades. for instance. some painter-'
unions do not permit Of the use Of,
a. brush wider than -. inch for oil
paint although for certain classes.
: Of work a wider brush is more ecaS
! nomical. Plumbers and steamht-
ters' unions prohibit the use OF BIZ
cycles and vehicles OF all sorts
during working hours. Members
I OF those unions in some sections Of
the country demand that all pipe
up TO inches shall be cut and
threaded on the job.
The tools OF the engineer are
standard weights and measures
scientifically established. He can
not serve industry unless he can
set standards for production and
can measure work performed Many
I unions now oppose the use Of such
standards. Practically all Of the
printing unions oppose these de-
vices. The rules Of the craft
unions in the building trades also
object TO many labor saving de-
vices and thus contribute TO waste
in that industry.
The restriction Of the number OF
apprentices is a common rule. The
engineer in the building trade notes
that restriction OF apprentices in
many cases seems extreme and un-
fair
Unions are charged with re-
stricting the use OF machinery.
Painters unions refuse 70 allow
their men TO work on a Job wher<
spraying machine is being used.
making the claim that the use OF
the machine is injurious to the
health OF the workman. Some labor
ORGANIZATIONS 81 minor importance.
such as windowglass and stonecut-
ters' unions. may also be mentioned
as opposed to the introduction Of
machinery
"All such restrictions, 80 far as
they prohibit the use or the hes,
., and most efficient machines. consti-
tute limitations Of output. The &C
tiOns OF most unions. however. are
confined 20 the restriction Of the
use OF machinery rather than its
prohibition.
The rule requiring that mem
bers OF one craft union shall not
encrOSch upon the work Of another
results in large waste and little
benefits. Unions frequently require
three or four skilled employees a.
perform various operations on y
plain job which a single worker
could satisfactorily do by himself
a union rule in newspaper print
ing requires that all advertisihc
matter coming INTO the plant Nm
electrotype form must be reset BY
the compositors. This useless work
is sometimes done weeks after the
advertisement has appeared.
In as SIMPLE matter as print
ing the names OF individual firms
on cataIoE covers. where the i'm
prints are all set up in slugs, after
each imprint is run off. the press
room workers have been known 90
insist that a compositor be brought
from the composing room to make
the change TO the next imprint, while
they stand idly by. In a case Of
this kind. whore the runs are short.
it amounts practically 90 requiring
two persons to do the work Of one.
Similarly with paper handlers. sheet
straiGhteners, feeders and rressmen,
/ The following instances further
illustrate restriction Of output
through divisions Of labor:
carpenters helpers are prohtb-
iii"d from using carpenter tools. re-
quirinC carpenters 70 do such work
as stripping forms from concrete
Experience shows that helpers can
do this more economically and as
well.
Z Brick masons insist on washing
down and pointing brick work when
; laborers could do # more econom-
/ ically.
structural steel workers under
certain rules must bring the sUel
from the unloading point TO the
[ building site. thus doing laborers'
I work at high cost
Structural steel men place rein
I forcing steel for concrete. wherea.
4 experience has proved conclusiveiy
| that properly trained lsborers can
do Il to as good advantage. and az
at greatly lowered cost.
structural steel men claim the
/ rigging on a Job. In operating a