| Show The in Business I What Does It Mean to to You The Plan to Socialize General Contracting Must of S Necessity in Time Reach to to All Industries ARTICLE X From N. N Y V. Commercial There are plenty well meaning and loyal loal will willbe be found favoring the day labor system of government work because they little understand either the motive back backof of this system or the terrible expense to which the taxpayers taxpayers' are put because of it It is is time th there thre re was an awakening Unless Unless Unless Un Un- less t that at awakening comes to every citizen government collapse collapse collapse col col- lapse will result Just why contractors should be allowed to fight a battle for efficient government alone is is not clear Less government gC In business and more business In Jn government is I the slogan which swept the present Republican administration in power powei er It Is time there was a united effort efort on the part of all good citizens re regardless regardless regardless re- re I of party affiliations because because because be be- cause this is not a party matter to tomake tomake make this slogan good When the the move to natio nationalize alize the railroads I reached the point that the transportation transportation trans trans- por system actually passed to government management the whole nation was aroused because the seriousness o of the situation was in I front of them them all all were affected Government failure in this connection connection con con- is common knowledge By what process of 01 reasoning then do dothe dothe the people ople stand idly by and see seer see another industry contracting wiped of off the board b by the same system I I Again referring to the arguments so often presented in favor of ot the day labor system we again cite from the document to which reference reference reference refer refer- ence has been bean made In previous articles A COMMON ARGUMENT One Ono of 01 the arguments advanced ad by day laboi proponents is that they are able to begin operations before plans and estimates are complete complete com corn which is of course impossible impossible sible albie if it the work is isto to be built under under under un un- un- un der contract and that they are able to exercise better supervision vision The first of these Is so unsound that it falls of 01 its own Weight The record of exhausted exhaust d appropriation spent hi in federal state and other public lublic constructions gives gi convincing convincing convincing con con- testimony to the necessity of having completed plans and estimate estl- estl mate mates matevs before operations on any peace time project are begun Following the war m much ch criticism criticism cism was expressed over the use of ot cost plus contracts in cantonment construction Some in waste was charged by a congressional congressional inv Investigating committee by reason of these contracts yet the thecIa cIa day labor S sj system stem of oC construction is cost plus carried to the nth degree In day labor operations as in the war contracts the absence of complete com corn plans and estimates for bidding bidding bid pid- ding by private companies is js not conducive to economy It is Immaterial Immaterial immaterial Imma Imma- that certain politicians designated designated designated this war waste as graft and that their charges have ha since been thrown over by the court TWO IMPORTANT OBJECTIONS With With respect to the supervision supervision of publicly managed operations bythe bythe by bythe the public department there are two important objections First if the public official should be dishonest nest he has ha 5 ample opportunity to exercise exercise exercise exer exer- cise his talent Should lie he come apprehensive Ive of his cost he can can readily reduce the quality or modify mody the plans plan Experience has shown that responsibility for cOst and the duty of passing Judgment on quality cannot ordinarily repose with safety In the same me agency and that the In Inspection Inspection inspection In- In of work performed under contract Is invariably more mor drastic than that exercised by the department department department depart depart- ment over Its own operations Occasionally the statement Is made that on day labor work the incentive for slighting construction is remOved ved and that a better quality of work vork results Yet experience has shown that this is not true If it were true It would be a serious re reflection reflection reflection re- re on that part of 01 the engl engl- ing profession concerned with public work Under their contracts they purchase a definite quality of construction and if U they do not nat re receive receive re- re it it is because they are pre willing willing willing will will- ing to deal with irresponsible or dishonest concerns EVILS ARE AFE MANY Contractors in all aU lines es of construction construction construction con con- are constantly held up to the details of meticulous standards Specifications which no engineer or architect imposes upon himself under under under un un- un- un der his da day labor operations are enforced enforced en en- forced He has no higher authority to criticize his own own work and if 11 he chooses to change or even slight it for fOT any purpose whatever he can cando cando cando do so With contract work however how- how I ever the situation is exactly the reverse On any public construction construction construe construe- tion project the engineer has it within his power not only to cancel the contract for improper work and collect from his surety but he can often throw throw- the contractor Into bankruptcy if he chooses This absolute absolute absolute ab- ab solute authority of the engineer er or or contracting officer is especially prevalent in federal constructions The specifications specify a perfection perfection perfection tion which is not obtainable by the commercial world and under their contracts they can demand a satisfactory satisfactory satisfactory satis satis- factory degree of p perfection or drive the contractor out of business These statements are not intended intend intend- ed in any anyway way to reflect upon the honesty honest of engineers but too often in public work their recommendation tion and Judgment are overridden by their politically appointed superiors su su- su- su Even where the engineer is the final authority there is no check cheek upon his action other than his conscience The contractor actor however has a very distinct check upon his operation in the he person of the engineer The policy of spending spending spend spend- ing log money with no check upon the quality of the product received except except ex ex- exI I the conscience of 01 a public em em- emI I is distinctly contrary to the accepted requirements for safeguarding safeguarding safeguarding safe safe- guarding public money The logical mind will conc concede de little to the day labor system in the matter of starting work before plans are carefully prepared of producing a better quality o of work than is ob obtained obtained ob- ob tamed under under- contract or of 01 trusting trusting trust trust- ing entirely to human hUlI conscience for the value to be received EFFICIENCY AND INCENTIVE There Is one factor involved in inda inday inday da day labor which Isco by its absence from arguments of 01 the advocate ocate namely efficiency efficiency- and in incentives in j to efficiency The public I mind may not function deeply h this matter but it surely will wm not believe that the efficiency of a public pub pub- lie lic Ie construction department equals that of ofa a a. private company with Its trained organization its specialized equipment plus the driving force ot of self sel Also might be added the absolute necessity of efficiency caused aused by the fact that the construction construction construction con con- company has sold short in its contract on labor time and material ma- ma which must be delivered at atthe atthe atthe the price agreed upon regardless of the the- cost The energizing v force force acting on the short seller should be appreciated appreciated appreciated especially by any individual operating on a stock exchange as asbe asbe asbe be knows full well what would happen happen happen hap hap- pen to him if he were obliged to bea be be- bea a short shot seller like the contractor throughout his entire business ex cx- cx exI ex- I Much argument might be advanced ad to show convincingly why the private company must be ef effIcient efficient efficient ef- ef or go out of ot business but this subject is generally well understood under under- stood However the testimonials of men who though in public s service know something of the strenuousness strenuous- strenuous ness of private business is worth noting A number of th these e are here quoted S The next article to appear tomorrow tomorrow to tomorrow to- to morrow will deal with the need for specialists in the construction busi bust ness |
