New-York tribune., 1922-03-01
Balk as
Building Pact
Goes In Force
Request of Marble Cutters
and Brickayers to Defer
Concurrence Granted. but
Decree Is Held Binding
r.. S. leaders Challenged
New York Workers Hit by
Agreement of Leaders on
The Purchase Of Materials

rho consent decree by which mem
,ors of the Bricklayers', Masons' and
plas,crers' International Union agreed
:, +bc Office OF Attorney General
naugberty at Washington to eliminate
lour main groups Of practices deemed
objectionable by the government and
- The Lockwood committee became op-
.-st;ve Yesterday, when it was signed
NJ Federal Judge Learned Hand
surprise was sprung in connection
9TH the proceedings when tho spokes-
,er for Locals 4, "a and 81, all of New
York City, requested tho court to climi-
ro.c the three organizations from the
r,ovisions Of the decree, pending fur
,ho- investigation OF the document,
setc~ an unsuccessful attempt to obtain
q stav Of operation.
Tbs request was granted. Judge
Wand givin the locals a week in which
"a decide whether they desire to
e.omc in or stay out Local a is a
marble cutters organization. having
700 members, and both Locals 81 and
q are composed of bricklayers, the
former having q membership of 1900
members in Manhattan and the latter
100 in the Bronx.
Saws Rules Remain Binding
It was made clear by United States
Attorney William Hayward and two
~ his assistants, Messrs. L'Espcrance
ard podell, that The refusal of the
three locals to become parties to the
oecree for the time being does not in
anv wav exempt them from operation
of its provisions T. also was brought
out by the governnl MT attorneys that
.te International officers who signed
the decree possessed full powers under
the union bylaws to do so, binding all
locals to observance Of It,
This point however. was contested
bv Charles Maitland Beattie, attorney
for the two bricNayers' locals, who de
clared that the president Of "volun-
tary organization, in which class he
placed the union. had no power 70 act
for u to the extent that the interna-
tional officers acted. This was looked
upon as beginning test to decide the
autonomous powers Of the locals. How
49,. : was apparent from the argu
reiits advanced and the comments and
questions injected by the court that
the latter sustained the view Of the
government attorneys.
1t was learned that the government
attorneys have two other powerful
weapons for use II the event that the
three locals continue IN their refusal to
become recorded parties TO the decree.
One of these is the possible pressing
of the bill OF equity which WAS filed
by the government colucident with the
drawing up of the decree The other
Is possible criminal proceedings as the
result Of the Department. Of Justice
v'stlgation OF the building trades
unions. But 1T was ndfcatod that the
COVE rnment attorneys DO not care eS-
pecislly whether the three locals for
maly become parties to the decree or
not, iuasmuch as they are held to be
completely Affected BY it anyway.
Alters Marble Purchases
The four basic principles LAID down
BY the decree. each of which eliminates
group o. alleged Objectionable prac-
tees, arc IS follows:
J. There Is 10 pe no limit to the pro-
ductiTe capacity OF the individual work
man within the working day or amy
other given time.
2. There is 10 be no limit upon the
night Of the employers TO purchase his
4 materlai wherever and whenever and
I lIom WhoweVer he may cnose. whether
those materials be uuion-made or
otherwise.
3. There IS 70 be no favo4itism shown
ny organized labor toward employers
o. trade associations or contractors
ASSOCIATIONS and no determinations
are to be INDUCED I'm against the inde-
psnaept employer Who may not be q
mcmber ~ such an organization.
4 Inc labor organization is not to
Or used or permit itself to be used by
| material men or contractors or sub
/ CONTRACTORS as an instrument for the
collection OF debts or enforcement Of
'"e payment of alleged claims.
Judge Calls 1t Admirable
The marble cutters local is said to
ne a'ecled principally by Section , OF
'Ne sooYe, lnasmuch as it was brought
, out III ederal and Lockwood committee
! ln'estlgations that the marble cutters
MADE practice of requiring that stone
ana marble be brought into New York
.h lhe rough and finished here by
4 1nion Workers, procedure said to
! na'e greatly Increased the cost OF all
| Nnbortations Of this class.
y Al the close Of the proceedings Judge
| hanq spoke Of the decree as most
! sso"irabie document and expressed
n.'mself as "gratidod that the interna-
uoNai officers have so willingly met the
ssprvernment s'r on its proposals and in so
"i!tnoly spirit os operation"
he said. N'''''N opp ''''
Appearing for the international
| union, Thomas r. preccc, its vice-pres-
iaeMt, thanked Judge Hand for his part
d IN 'ne proceedings. -ater he said that
! ne old not believe the present attitude
VI tne three locals would cause any
o'scord IN the organization, which has
total OF 100000 members.
! Muncie Publisher to Act