Evening star., 1925-03-27
TRADE BOARD BANS PAY BOOST
UNLESS TRADES PROVE NEEDS
Opposes Any fiction That Viii Tend to Raise Rentals.
Backs Bathing Beach ELiminati0n-SherriH
Tells of Observation-Disclosures Speaks

Following close upon the heels of
the formation OF a committee yes
terday of bankers, builders, real es-
tate men and Subcontrac to op-
pose the demands of the eight build
ing trades unions for wage increases
the Washington Board of Trade
unanimously declared opposition to
any or the Increases demanded unless
they were shown to be fully justified
at a meeting at the New Willard
Hotel last night
Iaking the view that building costs
have more than doubled since the
war, and at the same time that every
effort should be made to keep local
rentals down, the board went on rec
ord as deciding to oppose any move
that would result in further rent in
creases.
Cites Increased Costs.
The report read by William T.
Galliher. chairman of the special
committee on Increased building
costs, and adopted by the Board of
Trade, reads, in part:
We know that since 1914 the
cost of building construction in the
District of Columbia has more than
doubled, due to the large increase in
the cost of labor and materials AS
an illustration of this fact, in 1914
the average wage per hour paid to
mechanics in II building trades was
o3 cents, and on March /. 1925, this
average was $I.13. The cost of
ouho1ns materials Increased in about
the same proportion.
While 1t is noted that the cost of
building construction has more than
doubled since 1914, the cost of living,
as SHOWN by the figures of the United
States Bureau of Labor Statistics in
December, 1924, has increased but S. l
per cent over that of December,
1914.
Since the World War. UP to re-
cent date, the Rent Commission has.
In general way. supervised the
rental OF property in the District of
Columbia, with practical cessation
OF houses built for rental purposes
At the present time the Rent Com
mission has practically ceased to
function. The owners of rental prop
erty, however. realize that they are
morally bound to do their utmost to
keep rentals within due bounds.
Effect on Renters.
TT is, of course, recognized that
rentals are fixed by the cost of
building construction and it would,
therefore, be impossible to maintain
existing scale of rentals if there is
further increase in the cost of
building.
Our investigation shows that
rentals in the District of Colum bia
as compared with rentals of similar
property in adjoining cities, are high,
and this is due to the greater cost
of building construction here than in
neighboring cities. We also find that
the wage scales paid in the building
trades here in Washington are high
er than in neighboring cities such as
Baltimore, Philadelphia and Rich
mond
Your committee recognizes that no
doubt there may be inequalities both
in the building trades and also in the
scale of rentals, but we feel that no
general increase in the wages of the
building trades resulting naturally in
an increase in the cost of building
should be accepted, unless the trades
demanding such increase show that
they are justified in their demands.
Therefore, your committee recon-
mends that the Board Of Trade op-
pose any movement which would re-
suit in further increase in the cost
of rentals at this time, which would
result in public hardship to thousands
of salaried employees and wage earn
srs."
Board Hears Jardine.
Secretary of Agriculture Jardine, in
his first address to a group of Wash
ington business men, which followed
an address by Col. Sheriff. on the
memorial bridge and DR.. BaIlou on
the local schools, told the Trade Board
that he was interested in the building
of schools and memorials in the Ma
tional Capital. Secretary Jardine said
that the 36,000.000 farmers of the
country were just as interested in
making the National Capital a place
Of beauty.
THE farmers and their children
wish to go to Washington at least
once, andn when they visit it once,
they want to visit it again and stay"
he declared. reminding his audience
that he lived in Washin gton from 1907
to 1910, and had always been anxious
to get back. He praised the idea of
beautifying Pennsylvania avenue and de-
clared, 'I hope to make d good citizen
here and make some contribution to
this beautiful city, of whic every
one should be proud"
Sheriff. Is Lauded.
The recipient of tributes from
Board of Trade members for the work
he has done for the Nations Capital,
SOl H. ". oHcIlllls oli CSSoi III
buildings and parks in the District
Of Columbia outlined the general
plans for the memorial bridge.
Col. Sheriff. said the bridge would
be one of the most beautiful struc-
lures of it's kind in the world. While
the bridge will cost S14,000,0o0, the
improvements in the landscape and
approaches incident to the bridge, he
said, would cost as much as, If not
more than, that amount.
Work on the bridge commenced a
few days ago, he explained. Praising
the last Congress for it's unusual
generosity to Washington, Col. Sher-
rill outlined some of the plan for the
bridge, including the extension of B
street from Lincoln Memorial to the
Capitol and the driveway and boule-
ward from the Capitol to Arlington
National Cemetery over the bridge,
which, he said, would relieve the traf-
fic conditions on Pennsylvania avenue.
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