Evening star., 1934-04-30
Service of Labor Depart
ment May Take Steps
Against WaIkout.
HEADS N0N-COMMITTA
ON MATTER OF PLANS
Carrenters Plan to Meet Tonight
to Discuss Their De-
mands.

Reports were current in reliably
informed quarters today that the
Cancellation Service, Department of
Labor, might step into the carpenters
wage scale battle in efforts to pre-
vent a city-wide strike tomorrow
morning.
officials Of the Department of
Labor were non-ccmmittal in the
matter. however, saying that nothing
had been brought officially to the at
tention OF the department early today.
The tact that strike is threatened,
however, is known to the department,
and it was thought very likely that
before nightfall some action might be
forthcoming.
Firm in Demands.
Meantime carpenters planned to
meet tonight at Carpenters Hall to
take up the matter Of a strike. to
enforce their demands. They still
were firm today in their demands for
an increase in the wage scale from
the present 81 per hour to $l371a.
The cid scale, at 81 per hour, expires
tonight, and unless agreement can be
reached between carpenters and con-
tractors before tomorrow morning on
a new scale, the carpenters seem de-
termined TO strike.
Officials Of the District Council of
Carpenters have received the last off,
cial communication from the Master
Builders Association, indicating that
the association Will wait for further
information from the N. R. A. before
resuming wage negotiations. The
temporary offer for 80 days at S1l0.
put forward by the Master Builders
Association, was fatty rejected by the
carpenters. There was no indication
of any new move By the Master Build
erS today.
Meantime a further drive by the
carpenters against the contractors, to
collect what the carpenters have deS-
ignated as a wage grab" assumed
more serious aspect as 1t developed
the carpenters have retained counsel
to represent them in their wage diff
flculties. They have obtained Nugent
Dodds, former Assistant Attorney
General; Neil Burkinshaw, former
special assistant to the Attorney Cen
eral, and William C. Grace. general
director of the Democratic League.
Wage Grab" Seen.
The wage grab" was taken by con-
tractors. according to the carpenters,
when the wage scale was reduced
from $ll a day to SO a day. The
Master Builders Association here COL
lected contributions from certain con-
tractors here both inside and outside
their association in connection with
the pay reduction. carpenters charge.
Insisting that the wage scale of So
was officially negotiated and operated
during the entire past year, the Mas
ter Builders Association is indignant
at charges that there was anything
but propriety in the action of the as
Sociation in raising funds for its work.
During negotiations in connection
with the So contract, builders ex-
planned, committee from the Mas
ter Builders Association was author
lied to contact various out-of-town
contractors and solicit contributions
from them on the ground that,
though they could not join this asso-
citation, they were receiving and
would receive the benefit of any lower
wage scale that might be established
by reason of the negotiations. Sew
eral such contributions were received,
according to c. Wohlgemuth, jr,
president of the Master Builders
Association, and the total contribu-
tions of $4,000 went into the treas
ury Of the builders association. 1t
was used to "defray its usual and
proper expenses" he said.
Dues Explained.
Dues of members of the association,
it was explained, are based on volume
of work done by the members. Owing
to the diminished volume of business
obtained by local contractors, the
funds of the association treasury were
depleted. Our directors saw no i'm
propriety,' said Mr.. Wohlgemuth, Gin
the association receiving contribu-
tions from out-of-town contractors
who received the benefits of its efforts
without paying dues as members"
Meantime. Representative Louis T.
McFadden, Republican, of Pennsyl-
vania, requested Chairman Bankhead
OF the Rules COMMITTEE to report
out the McFadden resolution asking
for House Investigation of charges
a gains st contractors. McFadden
charged the Bacon-Davis law "is
being violated wherever Government
buildings are in the course of erec-
tion, and particularly in the District
of Columbia"