New-York tribune., 1922-01-26
Parley
Plan Refused
By Builders
CONTINUED nom pa7o one)

continuance without fair hearing of
all the facts relating thereto would be
unfnir to the public and to the 900
members of the Building Trades EN-
ployers' Association.
Housing is one Of the principal
items Of expenditure considered in
vcstigation conclusivcly shows that the
peak in rental values has been passed
md that the trend is now downwa I'd.
The items Of cost of housing construc-
tion, other than labor, have been
greatly reduced. The prices of all ma
terials have been reduced. and the
wages ct all those employed in the
manufacture Of housing materials nl-
ready have been reduced. You now
propose that the labor employed on
housing construction, which up to tho
present has suffered no reduction from
wartime wages, shall not only be ex-
cmptcd from n reduction during the
whole year of 1922, but that It's wages
for 1923 shall not be reduced unless
additional reductions shall be made in
all of the. other items entering into
the cost of living, which must mean q
still further reduction In wages of all
other items except the building line
1t seems to US that the building trades
unions would not ask for more.
Other Problems Considered
"The solution of other problems al
most as important as the wage ques-
tion is necessary to the making of
agreements with the building trades
unions.
1--WE have not charged that the en-
tire membership of any union has been
guilty of shirking. The consideration
given by the union in return fer the
wages paid IS fair days work by its
members, and to enter into arbitration
before numerous board and upon the
question whether the consideration
has not been or is not being given by
the union would mean continuous arbi-
traton as to the performance of the
contract, which would be a cumber-
some proceeding.
sociation has for seventeen years en-
forced an arbitration policy. The
unions have for all that time assented
to arbitration. We now feel that, in
fairness to our members, the public
should not only be a party to the arbi-
tration, but should sit in all negotia-
tions and participate in the settlement
of all questions.
I'VE have fully advised the unions
Ol our WlSncS.
, Whether the employers will extend
the old 1921 contract with the unions
to February %, as was done from De-
cember 81 to January 81, was not an
nounced, but action on this is expect
cd in the next day or two.
IN arriving at yesterdays decision it
was learned thnt a number of the en-
PIloyers had voiced opposition to Mr..
Untermycr on the ground that he
Inverted to shut out the public and the
finaTial group headed by Walter
Stab@ from participating in any arbi-
tration proceedings" In support of
this charge they referred to the last
paragraph Of letter written to Mr..
Stabler by Charles Burns, secretary Of
the Building Trades Council, in re-
declaring the union intention of back
ing the Untermyer arbitration plan.
Protest by Builders
This paragraph was as follows:
Since writing the above, Patrick ].
Crowley (presdent of the council) has
oeen in touch with Mr.. Untermyer, and
MT. Untermyer has made the following
sugge stion: That the council will have
no objection to a small committee. saw
three, from your associates to be pres
ent while the representatives of the
employers association and the council
are, discussing their differences. But
under no consideration are the mem
bers of this committee to have onv
voice in the discussion or to be con-
sldered as having any right to arbitrate
existing differences. The council ia
thoroughly in accord With this sucgea-
ton"
IT had been the suggestion of Mr.
Stabler's group that it hold prelim-
mary conference with the employers
and the unions to select a committees
composed Of representatives of the three
groups and the public, to conduct the
arbitration proceedings The employ
erS have favored this nlan