Evening star., 1933-11-11
INDUSTRIAL CODE
DELAY IS SERIOUS
BLOW TOBU|LD|NG
Labor Proposal Seen Likely
to Halt Construction Due
to Uncertainty.
REALTY LEADERS FAVOR
SEPARATE HOME BRANCH
S-~-~-u-----u~S
Difficulty of Small Concerns Con-
forming to Scales of Wages and
Hours, Factor in Issue.
BY VINCENT TUTCHING.


Developments of the last week in the
matter Of codes affecting the construc-
ton industry have forced into the open
the battle between labor and industry
over the adoption of code to place this
field under the Blue Eagle Of the
N r. A.
The long delay over approval OF a
code for the construction industry Is
having the effect of retarding conStruc-
ton everywhere, building leaders de-
clare. The present issue Is seen as
Fastening solution of the problem.
In event of adoption Of either the
code sponsored by labor interests or
that advocated by the Construction
League of the United States, an afflia-
tion of national associations representa-
tive of all of major classihcations Of
the construction industry, cost OF home
building and other construction Is
bound to advance.
But the labor proposal, which con-
templates q wage score based on the
high-level Public Works Administra-
tion pay rates, in the opinion Of OBJ
servers, will have the effect OF halt
ing all construction. AS 1t stands
now, the uncertainty of the situation Is
causing q direct tie-up In construction
fields. Builders hesitate to proceed with
work planned because they are unable
to foresee what labor expenses Lie ahead.
A. II. L. Proposal Feared
william c. Miller, president of the
National Association Of Real Estate
Boards, which itself Is working on
code for the various branches of the
real estate business, including subdivid-
ing and home building, said today that
the American Federation of Labor is
insisting upon q code which will stop
building entirely"
It is generally believed that new con-
struction Is essential If work Is TO be
given the men normally employed in the
Industry. It Is believed that no amount
of shortening of work hours will COM
pletely absorb the necessary number OF
workers, unless the amount Of work
available is increased. To have new
construction, it is imperative that cost
Of building be adjusted to the point
where the industry Is given the mcen-
tive to proceed.
The problem of where the home build
ing branch of the construction industry
should fall In the lining UP Of codes Is
one which remains to be settled. The
Boards has submitted q supplementary
code covering this field, but 1t Is possible
this may be grouped under the general
construction code.
However, it must be borne in mind
that the home building business has
always been largely composed Of small
business units and never conformed
and cannot now conform to the stand
ards which are common to the con-
struction industry as whole Real es-
tate interests feel, therefore, that the
home building business should be in
cluded In code which embraces It's
allied businesses, development OF the
site, subdividing, real estate manage
ment, etc.
voorhees, Doubts Outcome.
Discussing the status of the con-
struction code today, Stephen F. Voor-
heeS Of New York, chairman OF the
Code Committee of the Construction
League of the United States, asserted
the opposition Of the American Fed
Grafton Of Labor may seriously delay
the approval Of the code and the con-
tinuation of the present unsettled con-
dition In the industry Throughout the
country"
The most important part of the code
Of fair competition for the construc-
ton industry deals with self-regulation
Of the industry, according TO Mr. Voor-
hees.
"only a general outline Of the
ed" he said. "It will be necessary to
develop 1t in cooperation with the
divisional and local administrative
committees. This section Of the code
Is most important.
ct am convinced that the underly-
ing principles of the national recovery
act providing for the organization and
government of industry will be contin-
ued, even though the present act may
be greatly changed. Should the act
be hberalized to provide for a greater
measure Of self-government, or should
the Federal enactment in the future be
more restrictive, then the present code
will require the best effort and best
thought Of the industry II 1t Is to con-
tinue effective. It's failure would be a
disaster of the first magnitude to the
industry.
"I want to emphasize the remarkable
cooperative effort which the industry
has exhibited, not only in the prepa-
ratidH Of the basic code, but in the
preparation of some 20 supplemental
codes. The support and approval with
in the industry is overwhelming, with
only q very small minority In oppo-
sition.
Strong Labor Opposition.
Outside of the industry as defined
by the code, there is strong opposition
by the building trades department of
the American Federation of Labor. The
federation makes three major demands
% Separate codes for the divisions OF
the industry; CD the hours and the
wage rates promulgated by the Public
Continued ON Third Page)
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