Show LABOR UNIONS President National Building Trades Council Says They Are Trusts Washington Nov 10H W Stein blss of St Louis president of the National Na-tional Building Trades council toaay testified before the Industrial commission I commis-sion concerning labor organizations arbitration strikes and other matters He said in 1S91 had framed snld hq a paragraph graph in the constitution of the National I Nation-al council declaring that experience showed that strikes were failures but he had since changed his view and the tIe constitution accordingly had been changed As amended It made strikes a last resort He contended that strikes were successful in accomplishing the ends aimed at Labor organization he said is progressing pro-gressing in this country This has resulted re-sulted in raising the rates of wages and shortening working hours though as much work was accomplished and It was of a better class than before He concedes that this made building buldlnS more I I expensive but he did not believe it prevented the construction of any buildings He said the council had a membership of 250000 Mr Stelnblss denounced agreements ngleements that contractors are said to have with employees that the latter shall work for none but members of the con tractors organization and alleged col lusion of the furnishers of materials with contractors He said this policy of the contractors was dangerous and tended tp create n trust to squeeze the public Mr Stelnblss was asked Is not organized labor looked upon as a trust 7 n trustYes Yes he answered and I acknowl edge that It Is a trust But It Is a trust that benefits mankind He did not think the trusts had unionized labor as a member of the commission suggested |