The New York herald., 1922-01-15

y, Although criticisms OF the Lockwood
Legislative Committee and of Its special
counsel. Samuel Untermyer. have been
frequent and caustic. l am confident
that the moral status of the local build
Ing industry is on a higher plane to-day
than it could have been without their
efforts during the past year. The time
will come when every one interested In
the building business will be forced TO
admit that Samuel Untermyer has done
more for the welfare of the industry
and the public than any other individual
in this city. No one else could or would
have attempted to do what he has done
= with an experience of nearly twenty
years in the building business. during
which time / have erected hundreds of
buildings, the majority of which are
dwellings of one type or another. can
truthfully state that at no period nave
I been confronted with greater diff
culties OF suffered more disappontments
through inefficient and arrogant labor
than / have during the postwar years.
These problems have been the experience
of practically all other builders in this
city. and on many occasions we have
despaired of their being changed. There
was seemingly no hope for improve
ment until this legislative committee
and its enterprising counsel undertook
the investigations that have showed
conclusively the internal rottenness OF
the conditions and pointed the way for
their betterment.
To-day the building industry is still
far from being purged of It's evils.
Trade practices and abuses continue
which must be eliminated before the
industry can possibly get back to nor
NAL. IL would be too much to expect
a single individual or even a legislative
committee with police power to accom-
plish more than has already been done.
A start has been made, however. and
only future results will show how great
n boon 70 the building industry has been
the work of the Lockwood committee
and Its counsel.
During the past few days / have at
tended tho sessions OF the Lockwood
Committee hearings and have been
greatly impressed with the evidence
brought out. ] am sure that Mr.. Inter
f1yer is doing q most valuable work for
the community as well as the building
industry, and sincerely hope that
through his efforts conditions Will
change. In fact, it has been my ex-
pericnce during the past few months
that building conditions arc better by
far than they were one year ago.
AS these hearings continue and new
evidence is submitted there Is bound to
he a decided change In the attitude OF
labor leaders, mechanics and firms who
have mulcted the builders to tho last
possible dollar.
The prime reason why builders have
put up with these intolerable labor con-
ditions for such long time Is that they
have been actually afraid of placing the
information at their command before
the Investigators because they feared 20
antagonize the unions. To have the
business agents or walking delegates OF
the unions hostile would have been to
their minds far more costly than the
conditions under which they have been
forced 10 operate. These builders in
many instances have been positively
afraid that IL they made any complaint
these union officials I'm retaliation
would not supply men for their Jobs
This would naturally involve severe
monetary losses.
The Investigation Of the trade union
activities In this city is one OF the best
things that ever happened for the con-
struction Industry. The public, which
In the end must pay for the prevailing
high building costs in inflated home
values ard cxtortionate rentals. now
knows just where the responsibility lies
for this situation.
The rottenness disclosed in trade
union management and activities has
done more 20 retard building construc-
tion, maintain high costs and generally
clsorganize the industry than all the
combinations and other evils among
manufacturers. dealers and subcon-
tractors that previously have been dis
closed by tho Lockwood committee dur
ing these investigations
Arrogant, selfish and inefficient labor
n the keynote Of the unsatisfactory con-
dition of the local building industry to-
day. The evidence brought out In these
hearings during the last few weeks. with
whatever action is TO follow at the
hands of prosecuting authorities. will
clear UP the atmosphere In this particu-
lar branch OF the business
n is frequently difficult 10 get folks
70 give credit where II is due. but I fully