Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-18
Effort to Gain Speed
In Public Construction
BY HARDEN COLFAX.

Federal and state ofacials, contrac-
tors trade unions and workers are all
making O combined and earnest effort
to iron out the differences which might
tend to hold up construction on public
works programs.
This is strikingly different from
previous efforts, in that bitterness and
animuS are lacking. That fact &C
counts for the volume Of public works
construction which Is being reported to
Federal officials today.
There Is q disposition to give credit
where credit Is due and to recognize
and attempt to help solve the problems
which are besetting the other fellow.
n y
This rs strikingly shown by Thomas
H. Macdonald, head Of the Federal
Bureau Of Public Roads. He gives full
credit to the contractors. declaring that
in the $4,000 projects with which he
personally has come in contact, through
provision Of Federal aid for construc-
ton, all but o very few were satisfac-
torily completed.
with an expenditure Of more than q
billion dollars" he added, I'VE feel we
know something about contractors and
their methods. 1t Is . pleasure to be
able to say there prevails through our
organization an appreciation of the
work and service the contractors have
hearty cooperation, loyalty and spirit
Of public service Of the construction
industry we would not have been able
TO make the progress we have"
a. n
with that feeling uppermost the bu-
reau has started in to find out what
causes delay contractors in fulfilling
obligations. The reports show labor
shortage Is accountable for 5 per cent,
materials, Ia per cent; inadequate
equipment, 80 per cent; inadequate
financing, IL per cent; management,
SAT- per cent; weather conditions. asa
per cent, and legal difficulties, per
cent. The other delays are miscel-
laneous. 1t will be seen that rs per
cent Of the delay Is attributed to man
a8ement and weather. Efforts are being
made to improve management, but no
means has yet been found to eliminate
weather as . factor.
One suggestion made by leaders IN
all branches of the industry Is for pre-
qualification Of contractors to insure
that only those bid who are qualified
financially and managerially to carry
the public officials Of the onus Of turn
ing down q low bid from an ire
Sponsible concern. Under the preQuali-
fication plan the contractor would face
the issue Of responsibility before he
made his bid.
Federal officials deny that prequalifi-
cation limits competition. On Federal
aid jobs in the last two years 1t Is shown
that five contractors on the average bid
on every job after disqualification.
In no instance has the development
Of labor-saving machinery been more
rapid than in public works construc-
ton. Operations are being completed
by one machine which formerly required
hundreds Of men to perform. Yet the
question of managerial efficiency is so
potent that Federal officials estimate
that, on Federal aid roads, bids are based
on not more than so per cent efficiency
on key equipment. That does not mean
the industry is only half eff1cient be-
cause some delays are inevitable. But
studies of more than 100 concrete jobs,
in which the concrete mixer Is the key
equipment, show that due to major de-
lays of more than IS minutes each the
mixer was in operation only 40 per cent
of the time while minor delays account
ed for idleness amounting to another
Is per cent.
r X X
This year the Bureau Of Public Roads
will pick 40 to 80 college engineer grad
yates who will be placed with contract
ing firms to study key equipment effl-
cheney, with a view to reporting condi-
tons and suggesting improvement. There
is no disposition on either side to say
the engineer is always perfect and the
contractor always wrong or that the
engineer In n theorist with no knowl-
contractor always right. Each side il
apparently In earnest in the effort to
help the other. ? The engineers have as
far to go as the1contractors, 1t is agreed
These co-onerativa efforta ara mt noYn