Evening star., 1933-02-22
5DAY WORK WEEK
ON D. c. PROJECTS
BEING CONSIDERED
GotwaIs Favors Specification
in Contracts, Seeking
Job Relief.
ACCOUNTING EFFECT
OF CHANGE STUDIED
Endorsement Given Plan by Project
Board-Would Apply to Streets
and Sewers.

A proposal that contractors on Dis
trict construction work be required to
operate on five-day work week plan is
being considered by officials of the local
government, it was learned today.
Mai. John c. Gotwals. Engineer Com
missioner, today voiced approval of q
plan under which contracts let for erec-
tion Of buildings and other construction
work for the District government would
carry a specification limiting work to
five days a week.
Final decision on the proposal has
been deferred pending further study and
reports by Corporation Counsel w. w.
Bride and the District auditor, Maj.
Daniel j. Donovan. These two officials
were asked to review the proposal to de-
termine If there would be any legal or
accounting difficulties which might pre-
vent employment Of the plan.
Degree of Job Relief.
The proposal carries the objective OF
relieving unemployment to some degree,
the belief being that operation OF the
plan by contractors engaged on the
District construction operations would
tend to spread employment.
Mai Gotwals indicated today he felt
such a plan, If found feasible, would
serve either to increase the length OF
time workmen would be employed on
construction operation. or to increase
somewhat the men employed.
The proposal. Maj. Gotwals said, has
been indorsed by members OF the Dis
trict Project Board. Members of this
group are the three assistant District
engineer commissioners, Maj. Paul A.
Hodgson, Capt. Howard F. Clark and
Lieut.. Robert E. York; Harold w.
Baker, director of construction; Capt.
H. c. Whitehurst, director OF high
ways; Hugh P. Dram, director OF in
spection, and Roland M. Brennan,
chief clerk of the District Engineering
Department.
The plan, as now under consider
alton, would be applied to contracts for
construction Of District streets and ssw-
ers, let to private contractors, as well
as to erection of buildings for the Dis
trict. Under the plan contracts would
specify that no work would be per-
mitted on Saturdays, Sundays and legal
holidays.
Difference in System.
Per diem workmen of the District
now work five days week, under re-
Vi tllC dCI Ol ldoG
year. Under that system they are paid
for five days work. This, therefore,
differs from the proposals of union
labor. for adoption of flve-day work.
week, under which workmen would get
pay for a full week, though working
but five days.
District workmen now limited to five
days work week, under the economy
act. are those engaged on the per diem
basis by the District Refuse Depart
ment, Water Department and the Dis
trict Repair Shop.
Even though expenditures for Dis
trict capital improvements are less in
volume than in former years, the pro-
posal, II adopted, would have consid-
cradle influence, officials believe. The
estimates for the next fiscal year. as
approved by the House, carry an item
Of approximately s869,000 for school
construction, for instance. Also there
will be the street and sewer projects
which would be subject to the proposed
plan.