Evening star., 1942-03-03
Wages
Continued From First Page)

Government construction. He SAID
that in arriving at determination
for Government low-cost housing
figures on monumental office build
Ing construction, hotels and apart
ments of more than three stories are
not pertinent.
Maurice V. Brooks, general counsel
for the Alley Dwelling Authority,
said his organization sought a de-
termination of wages for construc-
ton of 4,50o temporary housing units
which it will build here. Mr.. Brooks
said these units would be located in
the District, Fairfax and Arlington
counties in Virginia, Montgomery
and Prince Georges counties IN
Maryland. The A. D. A., he said,
had paid the A. F. L. "A" scale on
all of its previous jobs.
Under the heading of temporary
housing, Mr.. Locher said the Gov
ernment had built demountahies at
the union scale at Indianhead and
Piney Point in Southern Maryland.
He said 10 demountables were
erected at Forest Glen, Md, as hous-
ing for employees at Walter Reed
Hospital.
i Mr.. Locher then cited a score oi
other Government housing projects
here, all of which were built at the
union scale. He included 1000
unit project OF Defense Homes Corp
in Arlington County, which is just
getting under way. He appended
to his list the $7,0OO,O00 project
which Metropolitan Life Insurance
Co. is starting in Alexandria.
Following his testimony the ar
gunent with Mr.. Wilkes took place
Daniel Quigley, regional director
of United Construction Workers &C.
100, sent a letter to Warner Gard
ner, labor solicitor, in which he
said that it would be useless for him
to attend the hearing. Mr.. Quig-
ley's letter read in part:
II fail to see where the orgariza-
tion which represent could be in
terested in this hearing, owing to
the fact that for more than two
years my organization has offered
a solution to the problem you are
now confronted with only to be
opposed and rejected by a so-called
stabilization agreement entered into
by Sidney Hillman of the o. P. M
and the Building Trades Depart
rnent of the American Federation
OF Labor.
Paving Practice Protested.
However, I shall decry and pro-
test the unlawful and unjust prac-
tice of the Navy Department, War
Department, Housing Authority and
the Labor Department in continu-
ing to award as building construc-
ton contract, work pertaining to
paving of streets and sidewalks,
curbing, grading, ETC."
Mr.. Quigley contended the prac-
tice OF Government agencies in let
ting combined contracts for build
ings and paving around them re.
suited in an increased cost of 40 per
cent for the paving work. He SAID
this procedure prevented legitimate
paving contractors from bidding or
paving work around buildings anc
"can only invite congressional in
vestigation which. if provoked, will
show discriminatory condition anc
other facts which no one would be
proud Of"
The c. I. o. has bargaining rights
here for paving workers. Contract
ors affiliated with them do a vast
majority of the District street paw
ing work. However, contractors en-
ploying A. F. L. labor build Govern
ment projects. When the contract
as let for both building and paving
TO an A. F. L. contractor, all the
work is done at the higher A. F. l.
scale.
Threatens to Walk Out.
I Continuing his cross examination
Of Mr. Locher, Mr.. Wilkes asked: =
"Is there a substantial difference
tn the wages paid for construction
of low cost housing to union and
non-union workers."
Il don't know" responded Mr.
locher. Il deal with the unions"
: Mr.. Wilkes then asked the ques-
lion which precipitated strenuous
objection from the floor. He asked:
when a job starts you take into
your unions non-union men, do you
pot?" asked Mr.. Wilkes.
Jumping from his seat in the first
fow, William Gallagher of the
Painters International Union, raised
strenuous objection. He contended
fhat the methods of operating a
Anion had nothing to do with the
bearing to establish wage rates.
We'll not sit here and be cross.
Examined like this" he said. wei
walk out"
In the midst of several clamorine
voices from the floor protesting fur.
fher against the question, the ref.
cree ruled out the question.
Testimony was presented by R. S
Marshall, jr., executive director oi