Columbia University Libraries Digital Collections: The Real Estate Record

Real estate record and builders' guide: [v. 93, no. 2393: Articles]: January 24, 1914

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REAL»ESTATE AND NEW YORK, JANUARY 24, 1914 lillllllilllllillllllilllllllllllllllllllilllllillllllilllil BUILDING TRADES FORESEE BETTER TIMES A Keynote Speech by President Crawford at the Annual Banquet— Says Builders Should Not Be Burdened with Unfair Legislation. I .liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii A CHANCE to brace up is the coun¬ try's greatest need, according to President Crawford of the Building Trades Employers' Association. At the annual banquet of that body at the Wal¬ dorf-Astoria on Wednesday night he de¬ livered the only speech of the occasion, but it was one of such a nature and im¬ portance as to have the efifect of a mes¬ sage from the entire building trade of the first city of the land to the govern¬ mental powers, whether at City Hall Albany or Washington—a message of good-will, but also a message of appeal, that no more unfair burdens be heaped upon the building industry. A Brilliant Scene. The great banquet hall was crowded by the sixty tables filled with the prin¬ cipal building contractors of the metro¬ politan district. The special guests were seated with the President and other offi¬ cers of the association at a long table down the soutli side. We noticed there Richard Deeves, the dean of the building trades; Cass Gilbert, of worldwide fame as the architect of the tallest building; Francis N. Howland, president of the Mechanics and Traders' Exchange; Rob¬ ert D. Kohn, president of New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, and also president of the Na¬ tional Fire Prevention Association; the five Superintendents of Buildings, Messrs. Miller, Carlin, Moorehead, Moore and Seaton; the Commissioner of the Tenement House Department, Mr. John J. Murphy; Mr. Constantine Schu¬ bert, and Vice-Presidents Fred G. Web¬ ber, Edwin Outwater, Treasurer A. N. Chambers, and Charles J. Kelly, chair¬ man of the board of governors. Viewed as a whole, it was a very rep¬ resentative gathering which President Crawford arose to address—a gathering representative of a mechanical industry which has performed some of thfe great¬ est feats of construction in the world's history. It was their annual get- together, just for the sake of being all together, and not for the sake of listen¬ ing to profuse oratorical efforts. The vaudeville that followed the remarks of the President was a pleasant change from the long established order of things, About five hundred men were in attendance. • After extending a greet- ■ing to alV Mr.. Crawford said: "• -.President Crawford's Speech. ■ "\ye should all be particularly happy to-night, for 'under prevailing business conditions it is very, gratifying to look about and observe the smiling faces and the spirit of thorough enjoyment which is apparent at each and every table. It shows the character of our organization, for the. recent hard times have applied the acid test to each and every one of us, and the large attendance here to-night PRESIDENT WILLIAM CRAWFORD. demonstrates the stability of our mem¬ bership. "In recent days it seems to have been thought necessary to get after the large interests, and the activity in that direc¬ tion created conditions that brought about a general stagnation of business; but the big interests are coming out of their cyclone cellars, and there seems to be a growing disposition on their part to conform to the spirit of the times and give present-day methods a chance to be tried out. I believe that if the growth of this feeling can be con¬ tinued, and if methods free from animos¬ ity and antagonism are employed on one side, and a more friendly and co-oper¬ ative spirit extended from the other, that the unrest which prevails will soon be over. Needs a Chance to Brace Up. "What our country needs is a chance to brace up, and if our law-makers will only put the brakes on a little and go more slowly round the turns, not losing sight of the fact that there is such a thing as business, and that-most people make their living by business, then I am sure that in the very near future we shall enter upon an era of good times, that a wave of prosperity will come to our. shores, and that our industries will 'soon be humming again. "I believe that we have seen the worst of. the^ hard times and I feel confident that the dawn of brighter days is visible. Our country is so great, its resources so unlimited, that its onward march of prosperity cannot be held in abeyance for any great period of time. Let us hope that these prophecies will prove true and that the year nineteen hundred and fourteen has ushered in an era of prosperity to our country, to our city and to ourselves. Compensation Bill Unsatisfactory. "After repeated attempts on the part of our legislators a workman's compul¬ sory compensation law has finally been passed and placed upon our statute books. Since the earliest consideration of this intricate subject no industry has been more active and more generally favorable to the great change from em¬ ployer's liability to workmen's compen¬ sation, than has been the Building Trades Employers' Association. An analysis of the present law proves that the bill was passed too hurriedly; and while we are unanimous in the belief that there was need of a compensation measure, the new law will have to be greatly amended or modified before it can meet with general approval and be fair to both sides. "Our legislators should not burden us with unfair legislation, their motto should be "Justice, and Only Justice." Our industries should not be saddled with legislation that tends to drive busi¬ ness out of our city and State and which prevents new enterprises and invest¬ ments from coming in. A New Building Every Fifty Minutes. "When conditions are normal in this great city of ours, statistics show that we have a new building every fifty min¬ utes during working hours. Our city's average disbursements are $1,000,000 each day, and upon the shoulders of the new officials who were chosen at our last election rests the duty of managing for the next four years the vast and complicated affairs of our great city. Upon their wisdom, prudence and fidelity to their trust, the city's progress will largely depend; and although the Build¬ ing Trades Employers' Association is not a political organization, yet it is deeply interested in the efficient, eco¬ nomical and wise administration of the city's government and desires to make known its assurance of interest and sup¬ port in the difficult and responsible work to be performed, and to extend its best wishes for a successful administration. "In closing I want once again to pay tribute to the members of the Building Trades Employers' Association and ten¬ der them most sincere congratulations; for any organization that can boast of as substantial a body of men as those com¬ posing our membership have shown themselves to be during the period of business depression through which we have passed, ranks high and compares favorably with any organization or body of men engaged in any industry of the present day. Gentlemen, I wish you all a very happy and prosperous New Year."