Detroit evening times., 1945-11-09
FAIR
ENOUGH
BY Westbrook
PegIer

THEODORE ORNSTEIN, the
= mayor of Long Beach. N. Y,
recently performed a noble pub
lie service which l call to the
attention Of other executives
having such authority and TO
my fellow-citizens for reference
to the department of indigna-
tion.
This wise public official sbol-
ished the local examining board
of plumbers las step TO break
the cons struction monopoly
which could seriously affect
postwar building operations. "
THlS, my peers, is racket by
l. means OF which countless VIII
lagos and towns are barricaded
against competitive bidding on
plumbing jobs and are placed
at the mercy of local monop-
olists who thus are authorized
by law to exclude rivals.
It is done by means OF
standard ordinance which sets
up the local contractors as
examiners 10 pass on the quail
fications of other men in the
same trade. as good as them
selves If not better. who live
and operate In other commu-
mites in the same states or
counties.
For Illustration, let US assume
there is a town Of 5000 with
five resident plumbing contrac-
tors.
The town council adopts an
ordinance treacherously dis
guiSed as public health
measure. creating an examin-
inc board and a license fee OF
81 900 for newcomers.
Those already on the ground
are exempt. being granted free
licenses before the enactment OF
the fee provision. and three OF
the local five constitute the
board.
They rotate the board MEM
herships among themselves and
receive pay for their public dis
service.
The local ordinance then fur
ther provides that all outsiders,
including even A qualified man
from the next village or town.
who shall undertake TO mend
a leaky tap or install sink
shall first he required 90 pass
written examinations prepared
by men with an obvious motive
TO funk them and exclude this
competition.
4 CASE is on file in which It
"a is alleged that an outside
plumber who was flunked by
the local examining board Of
monopohSts was then hired by
one of the examiners 10 handle
a contract in that examiners
name and under his license Al a
| price 10 the victimiZed home
builder 50 high that he was un-
able TO pay the monopolist 81
per cent OF the profits and still
! make money for himself
These ordinances usually are
sncaked through IN the dark Of
the moon by ColluSion between
local plumbers and the MEM
berS Of the public council who
thus earn the gratitude of the
monopoly and in building opera
tionS Of their own receive re-
/ markahly low bids for the
plumbing work. 10 say nothing
OF cash on the stairs AZ the time
Of passage
We owe the plumbing con-
| tractor nothing. least Of all re-
striCtlons on competition 10
protect him IN his notorious
imposltions
DEING confirmed now in their
- monopoly with legal author
ny 10 repcl all rivals. the five
local operators arrange 10 dis
tribute the work among them
selves by colluSiye bids and the
cost Of installation in new homes
and apartment buildings is con-
trolled only by their conscience.
Nobody can prove that they
get their heads together when
bids are asked by the builders
Of new housing. the need for
which is now desperate and ap-
preaching the point Of actual
danger
It has been proposed and. I
believe. enacted IN some COM
munities that similar racket
be created by law for the bene-
FIT Of the electrical contractors.
again in the guise Of A measure
Of public safety. 10 reduce The
fire hazard. although electro
clans. too, must qualify by test
! in wider Jurisdictions
No reason why plumbing con-
tractors should he so favored
has ever been advanced except
the fraudulent ground Of public
health which is disposed Of by
the fact thar q man licensed by
the stale. on proof of his abil-
lty as every such practitioner
should be. must he assumed 70
he competent everywhere IN
that state
THIS, be II noted, is an inspec-
Il tion ordinance.
Plumbing and electrical work