Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-05-10
Local Work and Low Bids.

The Commissioners are placed be-
tween the devil and the deep, blue sea
in the matter of awarding the contract
for the new Elliott Junior High School
to an out-of-town bidder, who happens
to be the low bidder, or of withhold
ing the contract and allowing the APP
preparation for the school to lapse.
On the one hand, the Commission
ers' following the law would in effect
send money raised from local taxation
out OF Washington and would add, in
addition, to the unemployment among
local trades unionists, three thousand
81 whom, according to John B. Colpoys
OF the Central Labor Union, are out of
work.
On the other hand, the Commission
ers, by failure to award the contract
to the lowest bidder and make use of
an appropriation authorized by Con-
gress, open themselves to the criticism
OF Congress and despite the need for
new schools would leave a required
school unbuilt. They must follow the
law.
Mr.: Colpoys' able presentation of the
building mems side of the case wins
sympathy for his cause and, while the
suggestion that his organization is op-
posed to junior high schools is irrele-
want his facts and figures as well as
the, logic of his argument present an
issue that cannot be escaped. If con-
tracts for such distinctly local work as
school buildings are to be awarded to
out-of-town contractors who may be
able to underbid Washington contrac-
tors by rather slim margins, what hope
IS there for the thousands of Washing
ton building tradesmen, and for WASH
tngton business houses that cater to the
building trades, if the employment that
lies in local public work is to be denied
them? These men, many of them
property owners and taxpayers of this
community, contribute to the public |
funds that, find their way into public |
building projects. Economically and
equitably they are entitled to the re-
turns that lie in employment at decent |
wage scales on these building projects.
The ability of some cities to lessen
unemployment within their gates by
undertaking public building projects |
and giving work to their own citizens |
has been cited as one of the most |
practical methods to fight the evil of |
unemployment. None of these cities |
would for minute undertake public |
work and supply the labor from outside. |
Some cities confine all local work to |
local contractors, and this practice has
resulted in enc of the best known forms
CT political gravy" that flows from any
municipal activity, for which the tax
payer pays in the end.
Here in Washington, however, the
expenditure of local revenue is re-
stricted by the same tight laws and
regulations that govern the expenditure
Of Federal revenue. The Commissioners
may not be forced to accept the low
bid. But if they do not, they must
substantiate their decision to the salts
faction of the Controller General. Sen
t.ment and civic pride have nothing to
do with the case and it might not be
fair TO the majority of taxpayers,
or in keeping with the Governments
financial system, rigidly to confine bids
On local projects to local builders. i,
But somewhere there should be COM
promise to permit the Commissioners to
use reasonable discretion in the award
of local contracts. The margin Of $25,-
COO on a half-million dollar project
such as the new Elliott Junior High
School is small indeed. Other condi-
tions than the mere size of the bid itself
should govern, and while the Commits
siopers should not be forced arbitrarily
to let the contract to a local bidder,
they should be permitted to weigh the
factors involved, and If the difference in
bids is not extraordinary, decide in
favor of the local man.
Under the law the Commissioners
cannot do this now. The new school
should be built. But the local IN
terests affected should make this in
cident the occasion for extended con-
ferences with the Commissioners, with
the end in view of obtaining the future
insertion in appropriations for local
projects of clause permitting the COM
missioners to exercise a reasonable
amount of discretion in favor of the
community.
-S-94N>-S---
In spite Of the fact that AL Capone
ffoiirishes more than 81 O0f in ready