Show I PUBLIC GOAT OF PLUMBERS S BY HAROLD D. D JACOBS United Press Staff Correspondent NEW YORK YORE O Oct t. t 22 A A lodge embracing embracing embracing em em- bracing master plumbers having haying in initiation initiation In in- fees dues and various arlous secret rites rites and and In which the general public Is the the goat goat was was was- revealed today at hearing of the joint legislative committee investigating the building Industry Industry- Many l members members' of this lodge known as the Code of Practice handle plumbIng plumbIng plumbing plumb- plumb Ing contracts in all parts of the United States Through various witnesses it was brought out the procedure followed by this organization both as to big and little little little lit lit- tle Jobs was this All members would receive a green card from headquarters headquarters' when bids were to be bo submitted on a contract In turn they would send In bids on pink cards not to the builder but to headquarters These bids would be be- compared and re returned returned re- re turned sometimes with corrected figures figures fig fig- ures The member whose turn it was to have the contract would then submit a anew anew anew new bid to the builder and his lodge brothers would see that their bids were all higher In this way competition was completely com com- eliminated and plumbers were able to make contracts Infinitely higher than they oth otherwise could have done Testimony showed that the Code of ot Practice ce did about worth of ot business a year Of this they paid in as dues or insurance One million dollars of this was supposed to togo togo go to John T T. Hettrick a a. lawyer who is Is' alleged t to o have ev evolved d the scheme and i he headed t the lodge Under r examination in by Samuel Unter I meyer counsel for Cor the committee Milton a a. plumbing contractor reluctantly reluctantly expressed the belief the other othen 3 a year went to the super er union as protection against union plumbers be beInA being be ing InA called calle off oft a Job without any pretext The hearing was adjourned until November November No No- vember 4 4 |