The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-09-22
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ported lower interest rates and more
liberal Federal insurance of housing
mortgages.
The text of Mr.. Inerney's Labor Day
statement follows:
Thirty Years of Progress
February 10, 1888, marked an inn
portant milestone in the progress of
building trades unions. 1t was on
February 10, 1908, that the Building
Trades Department was formed. SO
this year National and International
Unions in the construction industry,
their local unions, and the building
trades councils throughout the country,
proudly noted the elimination of thirty
years of progress and achievement for
the building mechanics and laborers
organized into unions.
The past year was a difficult one
for the building trades. The volume
of construction declined sharply in Au-
gust, 1887, and continued to fall, reach
ing a low in February and March Of
1898. Although residential building
began a substantial revival early in
the year, the effect on the total con-
struction volume was small, and as the
result unemployment persisted among
the large mass of building workers.
This situation presented an exacting
test to the building trades unions-a
test of their vitality, strength and ef-
fectiveness.
Fifty-Six New Building Trades
Councils Formed
Not only did the unions withstand
this test unhinchingly but, despite the
pressure of unemployment, they made
a record showing of growth in MEM
bership and of improvement in labor
standards and working conditions.
From the outset the officers of the
Building Trades Department were de-
termined to mobilize the entire re-
sources of the building trades unions in
a fight against unemployment and
against lowering the existing wage
standards. The effectiveness of the
Departments leadership was shown
not only by the overwhelmingly unani-
NOUS response of the member unions
but also by the unprecedented number
of new unions which joined the ranks
of organized building labor. New To-
Gals were formed by National and In
ternational unions in every trade and
new building trades councils were es-
tablished in many communities. In the
past nine months alone 56 new local
building trades councils have been
formed.
Enlarged Public Works Program For
Unemployment Relief
The foremost objective of building
labor was to bring about revival in
building construction in order to re-
duce and ultimately stamp out unem-
ployment among building workers. To
this end Labor pressed for the revival
and expansion of Federal Public
Works program.
AS early as January the. views OF
the Building and Construction Trades
Department were presented to the
special Senate Committee investigating
unemployment and relief, stating that
"it is imperative that a variegated pro.
gram of public works be continued
not on a diminished scale but on al
extended scale"
At this hearing organized Labor de
manded that Immediate steps b'
taken to revitaliZe our public work.
program and to approach the con
struction of public works in terms o
carefully developed long term pro
gram Such program should bulge
and estimate in advance our needs fo
public works Projects so that complet
plans would be available and project
developed at least three years in ad
vance of normal construction sched
ules.
ain this way, it would become pos
sible to build projects Of the type fo
which the need is greatest; to buil'
projects which would definitely add t.
our national wealth and which woul
fit into general plan Of development
of our national resources to the ut
most advantage; and last but equal
important, to build projects at the tim
when heavy construction on a broa
scale would help stabilize the con
struction industry, prevent stagnatlo
of building materials industries am
avert stoppages in building trades EN-
ployment
Appropriation of l,365, 100000 Fo
Useful Public Works Secured
Everyone is familiar with the not
able record Of p. w. A. in the pas
four years. That record speaks for it
self. But during the past year, thi
program has been gradually curtaieC
No new projects have been authorized
The curtaiiment of the public work
program at this time would help deep
en- the already acute crisis in the con
struction industry.
"rhe continuation of the publ
works program cannot fail to have
stabiliZing influence on the construct
ion industry generally and on tn
building employment particularly. Blu
it is equally important that at thi
time we give full recognition to tn
pressing need for long range plannin
Of public works on a permanent basi
by a permanent agency which wit
calm judgment and cold facts would b
equipped to deal with the emergenc
l. -, L, 6,