Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 6, 1921)
v ' , , . : .. ; , . High Labor Prices Frevent Home Biilfa' i Boom ; rrr ' ..&$P&& . ' ' - . i . iVft it sar in .. mm maw -un t-:sct2i i ii Public Will Not Pay Time Wage Scales Building Material Prices Already Down Near the 1913 Level i i. There is still a tremendous shortage of homes. The entire public is suffering directly or indirectly as a result. tWe need homes. But it is impossible to build them the cost is too great. - 1 - - v , . The high cost' of labor has stopped building, Materials have been cut' to -Almost a pre-war level. But wages are still at the peak of boom times.' There , has been practically .no reduction. ' The figures at the right of this column show that the. materials used in build- iiigf1 a home such as pictured above have been reduced $1,073.50 in the last year, while in that time the labor on the same house has only been reduced $186. The public H waiting for labor to do its part. ' They will not build till labor comes down. They will-not payj1.80 an Hour for labor that was (worth 70 cents before the war. . The boom is gone and they wilnot pay boom wages. . : : , Cost of Living Has Come Down It is perfectly, fair to expectjabor to reduce its , wages. The, cost of living has fallen. Every dayjretailers are making new reductions. 1 Here are ' some figures gathered from reliable sources that show what has happened to the cost of living: The The Costs on this House Represent Costs, of Items Used, in Constructing the Average Home y ' " Goods 1920 Prices Present Pricks Reduction . . t Groceries 45.00 32.00 v T 13.00 . Meat .. 15.00 ,N 10.00 5.00 Serge Suit 70.00 , 47.50 23.50 Shoes . j 15.00 J " 10.50 j 4.50, 4, . . These figures show that there has been a very material cut. Manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers have taken their losses to meet new conditions. Now it is up to labor, to do its part before the Wheels of industry can-begin to move again. Labor Must Cut Wages ' ' Skilled labor cannot escape making the cut. Wages are so high they are out of balance. ' Xo one will pay them. Men are out of work. Conditions are growing Worse instead of better Now is the" time to return to normal. To wait J will mean disaster. s ' . VV' Many union men are now working for less than union scale. Thatis the only , wair'ithey can getUvork.. Many are walking the street. Conditions are becoming ' f worse every day because building is being held up. Small cuts in wages will uot i make the cut "all in a1 Jump" and save the situation? Come down jt present price levels. Then give the move the greatest possible publicity to get the public to go ahead with the buildings they warn". , s ' v Laboring Men, here is the problem you face: Either you continue to demand wartime wages and remain idle, or you can reduce your wages to somewhere near the pre-war basis and have plenty of work and a good income. NOW is the time to make the-cut' Gain the public confidence and your battle is won. N Material .for llus advertisement was gathered from wholesale, retail and labor sources hy an investigating committee' appointed by the Nebraska Lumber Dealers association. The report of their findings will be read 4efore their convention at the Rome Hotel, Wednesday, February 9, at 4 p. m. ' - - , - - ' . v ; - Building 1913 Freight Ad-I 1920 ao. TTv . iV , Material , Pre-War 'vance since Boom Pie?ent Reduction Prospects of Further Prices Price 1913 Price Pnce ' m Year Reductions Lumber $1,C24.0Q. .$ 290.00 $3,389.do - OM.OO $1,345.00 jjuF'? "p 7 Interior 800.00 30.00 1,680.00 1,280.00 " 400.00 C'17'nnrKh n , ' ! iir-11 - l yx l nn ,', . Dppends on Labor Tleductlons ! Millwork ; .(Labor 30c) (Labof 60c) (Labon 60e) Labor ia f Miuwork cwt Building .84.00 8.80 195.00 183.00 rj.00 , : Tile ' (Labor 20c) ' (Labor 60c) (Labor 60c) Depends on wage Reduction,, v..Comm. i.:...;.QP., 10.80 . 65.00 .58.50 ... 6.50 . . Brick (Labor 20c) " (Labor 60c) Dcpends " Lab?r ncii0 . - ". , , Federal Aid Road and Paving Cement 52.80 15.8. 138.60 ... 132.00 13.20 gffri'ogt w Urg Hardware 85.00 162.90 127.90 , 35.00 Gradual Iieductiona Possible ' Paint. 95.00 191.80 149.50- 42.30 GraduaK Reduction, PossibTT , Piaster 65.00 , 7.00 90.00 85.50 4.50 Gradual Reductions PoW Stucco 78.00. 111.00 -. 111.00 None " 1 ' (Contract) (Labor 60c) , (Labor 1.25) (Labor 1.25) Pressed 125.00 28.00 225.00 ,215.00 m00 85 of cost of bhc iiriCK-. - . . . , Labor and Coal. Plumbing 275.00 20.00 " , 400.00- 325 " 65 " : ' , Fixtures i s ' ' " ' ' epends on Lowerln; of Labor Electric , 40.00 '75.00 60.00 ' ' 15.00 " Wiring ' " J Furnace 160.00 15.50 325.00 300.00 25 00 : ' " Contract (Labor 60c) ((Labor 1.00) (Labor 1.00) " , , - T " : : : ' Labor Costs on this House . - -. Carpenter 748.00 1,681.00 1.495.00 I 186.00 1 : " Work (Labor 50c) . Labor ' 1.12. (Labor 1.00) t .' u , Bricklavins- 105.00 1 , 175.00 175.00 None uricmying (Labor ?5e) (Labor 1.25) (Labor 1.25) Plumbittfe' Gao " t '150.00' 150.00 . None jrAumuS (Labor ,75c) ' (Labor 1.80) (Labor 1.80) Painting " 250-00. - y94-00 394.00 ; None ' (Labor 50c) -' (Labor 1.00) (Labor 1.00) . . Electric 55.00 , 110.00 110.00 None ' Wiring (Labor 50c) (Labor 1.25) (Labor 1.25) . Plasterins- 240-00 - 480-00 480.00 None 1 nastenng (Labor (LabQr (Labor The Above Facts Show All material men have marked off their losses. If it were not for freight rate increases, they -would now be sell ing at practically their' pre-war figures. Thesc; freight rates cannot be reduced. Lumber Mills and Ketail Lumber Men are selling at bedrock figures. Their prices are based on the present mar-. ket. They are not trying to save themselves from losses by holding up the market". ' . v v '"4- ' n The five largest Millwork Factories in Nebraska have marked ofi total losses of $220,000 on millwork and lumber left over-from last year. They are basing their prices today 4oh the present low lumber marklt. On' the other hand fabor lias 'not towered Wage scales 1 in proportion. The cost of living has come, down; but there has only been one small reduction in labor to date. Is this fairf We who need homes, we who are pay. ing extraordinarily high rents are the judges. 'Rents will not come down till more homes are built Labor must co operate with us or else suffer in public opinion. ' This Advertisement Paid for by Building Material Dealers Who are Taking Their Losses and -: K- Wish the Public to Know the Facts