Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-07-19
BUILDERS CURB"
MOVE EXPLAINED
Question of Giving Contracts
to Local Agencies Is
Raised by Bill.
Continued From First Page.l

Continued From First Page)
the American Federation Of Labor. 1t
also has been Endorsed in principle by
some contractors and employing organ
also have heartily Endorsed the plan
and are expected by labor leaders to
champion adoption of the measure at
the next general session of Congress.
The bill. it is explained, would not
require the employment OF union work
men. In fact, it Is said, it would not
require the employment of local labor
1t would, it is declared, prevent an out
of-town contractor from obtaining the
successful low bid, and the contract,
merely by figuring lower labor wage
scales he could obtain from mechanics
from other sections where the standard
wage scales are lower than here.
The contractor, if he wished. could
bring labor from out of town, but TO
comply with the law he would have to
pay them as much as the lowest scale
in current effect here for various lines
of work
The measure would impose penalties
for violation of the proposed law.
Say Time Would Be Saved.
In answer to the question raised by
some as to whether the proposed law
would tend to increase to some extent
the cost Of Government construction,
the contention is made by some labor
leaders here that the local tradesmen,
If paid higher wage than out-of-town
labor, would do the work better and in
less time than the cheaper itinerant
mechanic, thus effecting economies that
would benefit the local taxpayers.
The main argument for the plan
appears to be, however, that the cur
rent practice which permits out-of-
town contractor employing out-of-toWn
labor to compete with local contractors
and labor weakens the economic struc-
ture of the locality.
This is held to be true because local
tax funds spent for Government Office
buildings, schools and other public
works, to some unknown extent. are sent
out of the city. 1t is claimed that such
foreign" concerns have encouraged
their laborers to send all their wages
back home, except for the necessary
amounts for maintenance while en-
ployed here.
Supporters of the measure contend
that local tax funds should be spent in
this city, so as to give employment to
local labor, local employers of labor,
and thus to keep such tax funds in cir
culation here, rather than to permit
them to go out of the city.
Labor Spokesman Protest.
Labor spokesman, building trades en-
ployers and some business leaders of
Washington in May made protest to the
District Commissioners over the award of
contracts for local school building con-
etruction to the low bidder, North
Carolina contractor, who was reported
to have been able to underbid local con-
tractors because he could import out
of-town labor on lower wage scales than
prevail here.
The District Commissioners OVERRIDE
these protests. however, because they
found they we're bound by law to award
such contracts to the lowest bidder, pro-
vided he was found to be responsible
and could give adequate security and
show he had business organization
and the experience necessary to qualify
the bidder to handle the job.
The protest was carried even to the
White House over the award of one con-
tract to concern foreign" to WASH
ington, but President Hoover declined
to take any action in the matter.