Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-05
ROTATING j. S. Jobs
FORBIDDEN BY LAW,
CONTROLLER RULES
McCarI Sends Decision to
Secretary Mellon TO
Cover Contracts.
SPLIT WEEK CONSIDERED
FOR LABOR EMPLOYMENT
Staggered System Held Illegal
Under Present Acts of Con-
gress, Official Declares.

The Government is forbidden by
law to use the rotary or staggered
system" OF employment ia It's public
building program SO as TO provide more
employment during the Winter months.
Controller General McCarl ruled today.
In n decision to Secretary Of the
Treasury Mellon, McCarl held that
however worthy such proposal might
be 1t could not be adopted under the
present acts Of Congress.
Secretary Mellon. in asking decision,
said IL had been suggested that specih-
cations include the requirement that
contractors must employ the rotary or
staggered system OF labor. This would
provide for the use OF two different
groups Of men. mechanics and laboreTs,
instead Of only one and would thus in
crease employment. These two groups
would be employed. one for the first
three days of the week and the other
for the last three days. or they could
be alternated an entire week at time.
Building contractors here today were
considering the proposal made to them
by the Presidents Organization on IN
employment Relief to rotate their work
ing hours so that employment could be
obtained by the skilled and unskilled
members Of the jobless force in the
National Capital.
Washington was made the starting
point of the campaign to be waged by
the Presidents organization At
meeting yesterday afternoon William A.
Starrett. chairman of the construction
section Of the organization, informed
local contractors he planned to tour the
country preaching employment rota-
ton to the building trades.
Most of the contractors in session
with Starrett expressed their willing
IN al he an
asserted that part-time employment on
Government projects here would be
the only solution for Winter unemploy-
fnent among the trades In this city.
Under the plan proposed by Starrett
q man now working six days a week
would be reduced to four, providing two
days a week for some other man now
unemployed.
Labor Promises Support.
Contractors willing to cooperate in
this spread-work plan were asked by
Starrett to notify the Associated Gen
eral Contractors of their intentions. He
said American Federation of Labor
officials have promised their support.
He also asserted that labor officials
have also indicated they would indorse
a plan to put union workers now en-
ployed eight hours a day on two six
present Straight-time per hour basis,
as an emergency relief measure.
Although the proposal Of the Presi-
dents organization amounts in effect to
a wage cut, Starrett said the question
of actual wage reductions was not and
should not be involved.
Starrett said employment in the build
Ing trades today is only AZ per cent of
normal He asserted that ANY labor
re
blood on its own head"
While Starrett was meeting with con-
tractors at the Washington Hotel,
President Hoover issued statement in
which he estimated 100000 men will
be working by January on public build
ing programs, which now employ
so 900
AT the same time. Frank Bane. ex-
ecutive secretary Of the National AsSo-
citation of Welfare Officials, which is
collaborating with the Presidents or
ganization, said the association is ex-
banding its staff to render intensive
service to number OF States.
Representatives of the association
are going into States and directly as
sisting State authorities not only in
organizing but in operating Statewide
relief programs" he said.
For the time being this service is
being furnished TO Kentucky, Kansas,
Oklahoma and Florida. Within the
next week field workers will be working
in Michigan, Illinois and West Vir-
ginia."
Building Program Progresses.
President Hoover's statement showed
the progress on the public building pro-
gram since September ! II said 8l7
projects were specifically authorized
and 222 firms or architects engaged on
plans.
The President said &c of the I3l
buildings completed at cost of SAL
934569 were finished in the last two
months. that 270 buildings costing
1929, 772. 700 were under contract No
vember l and that Al contracts worth
over s4S,000.000 were let in September
and October.
Construction projects were said to
have been invited On "a projects cost
ing $l9.97c 500. and sites selected for
240 projects estimated at Sal ,e47, e23.
Sites were being acquired for 100 build
ings 70 cost $Sl, ll3, 500. The Govern
ment is holding - projects estimated
AZ S3,l45,000 for amended legislation.