Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-04
NE LAW FRAMED
TO PROTECT LIENS
Result Of Five-Year Study to
Come Up Wednesday at
Joint Conference.

The results Of a five-year study, IN
the form Of q tentative. Anal draft OF
proposed uniform state mechanics lien
act for FORMULATION throughout the
United States including the District OF
Columbia. will be considered next Wed
nesday at q joint meeting Of repre-
ser1tatives Of Department OF COM
rnerce committee on the subject and the
National Conference Of Commissioners
on Uniform State Laws.
II the provisions of the proposed UNI
form act are agreed upon at this meet
ing, the draft then will be submitted 10
the National Conference Of Commission
ers on Uniform State Laws, at chicago
IA August, for Endorsement, ana tnen
will be PROMULGATED throughout the
country for adoption, 1t was pointed out
yesterday by Charles v. INLAY, WASH
inpton lawyer, who Is member OF DOLL
tine national conference commltCee Aiiu
the Department of Commerce group oii
the subject.
Protection for Owner.
The proposed uniform code, ~ Is eHI
~ieined Is designed to set up adoltional
nrotection for the owner OF pulioins
proiect. as well as sublienors, ncluolng
fahor building material concerns anu
s,,hcontractors, from the possible m
solvencv of the general contractor.
while the subject Of more orasCCi
laws to this end has not been WloeIy
sritated In the District, puoilc aVVe 81 =
tion has been drawn seriously 10 'ii tt
matter in a number Of States where. ~
a. ssid protests have been raised over
So,,hle navments assessed against tne
gamers Of new building projecS necauSe
Of defaults by contractors -.,, he
1She Y,ronose6 uniform act WILL Ue
...ssd mon bv representatives OF VaIl-
ols fields Of endeavor af1ecteo Oy 'ii'
subject.
Members Of COMMITTEES.
Members Of the Department OF C e1ar
vnerce cornnitte are Dan n; ne ~ =
division Of building and housing o. 'tle
Commerce Department, v Wtlat Of
ths National Association OF bu1os..e
ExchanSes: r. Highlands Burns; Balti-
.-.ora y,resident of the Maryland CaS9-
nitv c6 representative OF the pulio-
iny trades department Of the American
federation Of Labor, Mr.: Inlay. repLe.
senting the National Con1erencs on.
Uniform State Laws; G. Cnnton osi nc
Of washington, former president OF Ca1e
TT,,its5 states building & Loan League !,
Stawart A. Jellett Philadelphia, former
,1resident of the Heating ana Piping
Enntractors' National Association; VIZ
1jsro q King. washington attorney ;
Herhardt F. Meyne, Chicago, OF the AS
sociated General Contractors; VlcLor
Mindeled, Washington, representing .L.e
American Institute OF ATcnl'ee tss
Charles H. Paul, Dayton. .Uil9 d, 't y
American Engineering Council; w; =.
Pnssiter. Cleveland. former president
National Builders Supply Association T;
r W Shepard, New York, National AS
sociation of Credit Men, and FRANK Day
Smith. Detroit, National Lumber Manu-
facturers' Association.
The new draft of the proposed uni
form law would require that the con-
tractor give a sworn statement OF me
debts on project to the owner osior .,.
final payment. by the owner lot Work
done under the general contractor
Under this, system the owner Woulo
make payments, If any due, to the SUD-
lienors on the property, instead OF 70
the contractor, as a means OF project
ing himself against a possible double
payment, In case the contractor prove
1nsolvent.
would be required II the sublienors gave
notice to the owner. The owner would
be empowered to withhold from the
contractor amounts euff1cient to cover
the payments due sublienors.
Definite Relief.
Other provisions of the proposed uni
form code, it is explained by Mr.. INLAY,
would follow generally the provisions OF
the present District law. Labor would
have priority over other claimants In
lien suits. It would be possible for the
owner to make bond for the payment OF
Just costs for the construction OF Q
building as means of relieving himself
of any possible double payments grow
ing out of the insolvency Of 0 contrac-
tor.
The District, Mr. INLAY points out
now has four uniform acts which have
been sponsored by the National Confer
ence of Commissioners on Uniform
State Laws. These are the negotiable
instruments law, the uniform warehouse
receipts act, the uniform bill Of ladine
act and the uniform fiduciary act.