Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-14
AWARD CONTRACT
FOR ELIOT SCHOOL
0ut-of-ToWn Firm to Erect
Building Despite Local
Protests.

The District Commissioners yester-
day overrode the protests of local labor
and business interests and awarded a
contract for the construction of the
Eliot Junior High School, in the north
east section, to the w. p. Rose Co. of
Goldsboro, N. G.
Although the Rose concern submit
ted the low bid by $4,000, the local in
terests claimed that the award of this
contract to an out-of-town concern
would help to put many local laborers
out of work and would be mere eXpen-
sive to the city in the long run.
In making the award the Commits
case and made 1t clear that they were
acting in accordance with the law.
Commissioners Statement.
1.-THE Commissioners held hearing
on the matter of the award of contract
for this school on May 8, and heard
many arguments against awarding the
contract to an out-of-town contractor,
the statement said. "Under the pro-
visions of law, however, the Commits
sioners must award this contract to the
readvertise the work at the present time
or In the near future. In view of the
delay which would be involved in re-
advertising the work, and the necessity
of providing accommodations for the
children who would attend this school
at the earliest practicable date, the
Commissioners do not feel that they
would be justified In delaying the con-
struction of the school.
while the Commissioners would pre-
fer that local contractors should be sue
II IN Ntro ~
struction work, they have no discretion
to make such a requirement. The law
requires that awards be made to the
lowest responsible bidder who can give
adequate security and show that he has
the business organization and experience
necessary to qualify him to handle the
job.
"Should Congress desire to establish
more restricted policy, that must be
done by legislation. There are certain
bills now pending in Congress which
have this purpose in view, but unless
and until such bills have passed ex-
ecutive officers cannot be guided by the
policies expressed in them"
After the decision of the Commission
ers had been announced the Washing
ton Building Trades Council made pub
lie q letter sent to President Hoover
April IL in which 1t was contended
that granting Of local contracts to OUT
of-toWn concerns must result In lower
living scale here.
Refers to Conference.
The letter called the attention Of the
President to the recent business con-
ference called by him and at which he
recommended stimulation Of municipal
building.
Declaring it to be the understanding
of the council that the Presidents in
tention was that contracts for this work
should be let to concerns in the mu-
nicipality where the work was to be
done, the letter asked Mr.. Hoover ito
intervene in this matter and confer with
the District Commissioners, to the end
that this contract may be given to a
concern who will maintain the standard
rate of wages and who will give pref
erence to legitimate local building trades
mechanics"
The council contended that the firm
to which the contract for the school was
awarded imports its building mechanics
from North Carolina, paying them
from Is to 331a per cent below the
standard rate in this city"
This, it was argued, Is unfair to the
building mechanics here, 5000 Of whom
are at present unemployed.