Evening star., 1939-09-23
Meeting 10 Weigh
Wars Effect on
Construction
Associated General
Contractors Convene
October z in New York

Onicers and members of the Asso-
ciated General Contractors of Amer
lea, Inc, from the entire country
will attend the annual fall meeting
Of the Governing and Advisory
Boards in New York City October
as to consider effects Of the Euro
pean war on the construction indus
try and to take steps to prevent
world conditions from hindering the
industry in serving efficiently both
public and private construction
needs.
In announcing the meeting and
urging all members and officers to
attend. Managing Director Edward
J. Harding today said:
"This fall board meeting will be
one of the most important in asso-
cations history, which dates from
the World War, and the best brains
in the industry will be needed to help
solve the problems arising out of
new world conditions.
Wars Effects Certain.
There is no denying that the war
will have an effect on the construc-
ton industry. Since the industry
Is the largest single individual en-
ployer and since it plays vital
part in every national emergency,
the industry has public RESPONSE
bility, as we'll as responsibility to
itself, first to keep itself at top
efficiency to handle public and pri-
vate construction needs and second
to protect itself from conditions
which would tend to disorganize it
with disastrous results to the whole
country.
THAT the industry is organized to
care for national defense construc-
ton needs is illustrated by the fact
that the industry at the present
time is carrying out in cooperation
with the War and Navy Depart
ments the defense construction for
which funds we're appropriated at
the last session of Congress.
"As for private construction
markets, the most important future
task is to prevent so far as possible
world conditions from killing the
stimulus brought to private markets
by the arrangement to prevent juris-
dictional strikes worked out by the
association and the building and
construction trades department of
the American Federation of Labor
last month in Atlantic City"
Reports to Be Heard.
The meeting will be called to order
Monday morning, October 2, in the
Hotel Pennsylvania by President Guy
F. Atkinson of San Francisco. Fol-
lowing his opening remarks, Manag-
ing Director Harding will report on
the national staff's study of the new
problems for the industry brought
about by the war. Another impor-
tant report of the day will be that
of the Labor Relations Committee,
which worked out the means of
settling jurisdictional disputes with
the building and construction trades
department. The report will be
made by Committee Chairman E. p
Palmer Of New York City, past
president Of the association.
All activities on Tuesday will be
held at the Worlds Fair in connec-
tion with construction day" A. c.
Tozzer, New York City, another past
president Of the A. G. c., will speak
for the general contractors.
Wednesday will be high-lighted by
. meeting of the American Associa-
ton of State Highway Of1tcials-As-
sociated General Contractors Joint
Committee. This group Of Federal
and State officials and highway con-
tractors who are leaders in setting
highway policies are scheduled to
approve national standards for quail
ification and pre-qualif1cation of
highway contractors. They are also
expected to discuss the national
highway program in relation to ma
tional defense needs.
The meeting will conclude Thurs
day with morning and afternoon
sessions devoted to discussion and
action on the many problems which
will arise.