THE MAYAN RUINS

The Mayas were an important tribe and stock of American Indians-the dominant people in the greater parts of Central America known as Guatamala, Salvador; and especially the Yucatan Peninsula, which forms the south shore of the Gulf of Mexico, lying due west of Cuba. The Mayas had reached what might be called a "semi-civilized" state by the time Hernando Cortez and his band of Spanish soldiers arrived on the scene to conquer Mexico in the early 1500's. Occupation of the Yucatan by the still-primitive Mayas early in the Christian era led to the final flowering of their architecture, stone carving, pottery, and the textile arts—in spite of their ignorance of iron, of the wheel (either for pottery or for hauling materials), and of the true arch. The Mayans left records in an elaborate hieroglyphic-type script, and were proficient in elementary astronomy through the use of a highly complicated calendar (which, incidentally, has yet to be correlated to modern-day chronology).

The stone buildings were roofed by a series of overlapping courses of slabs, converging toward the center until they could be united by a series of single slabs. A thick layer of solid masonry, and often a high roof "comb", was added on top to keep the false arch from collapsing. The arrangement, naturally, required thick walls to support the whole; and as a result the interior chambers were of seriously restricted width.

In the construction of their buildings, the Mayans used relatively small blocks of stone. The bonding between blocks and at the corners was not practiced, as the use of mortar had not been developed by their civilization. The rapid growth of tropical vegetation, thrusting its roots and tendrils between the unmortared blocks, is mainly responsible for the collapse of these structures.

The Mayan ruins, even when grouped together, are not believed to be remains of true "cities." Because the most elementary of defense precautions and construction appear to have been completely neglected around these edifices, it is believed they were merely observatory and ceremonial centers, inhabited by the priests and their hierarchy, to which shrines the population at large came on predetermined dates to perform their religious rites.

EXHIBIT 207

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF APPRENTICESHIP INFORMATION CENTER ACTIVITIES In order to present a résumé of the accomplishments of the AIC's operations we have compiled selected data covering calendar year 1966.

A review of these data reveals that there has been a definite upsurge across the board. To illustrate this, accomplishments in selected activities for the calendar years 1964, 1965, and 1966, and the percent of change from 1965 to 1966 are shown in Table I.

TABLE 1.-SUMMARY OF SELECTED ACTIVITIES FOR 9 CENTERS PRIOR TO 1966 ADDITIONS 1

Table II summarizes the same selected activity accomplishments in the fourteen Centers established during 1966.

TABLE 11.-SUMMARY OF SELECTED ACTIVITIES FOR 14 CENTERS ESTABLISHED 1966 !

Table III is a composite of Table I and Table II, showing the total selected activity accomplishments for all Centers for the three year period.

TABLE III-SUMMARY OF TOTAL SELECTED ACTIVITIES FOR ALL CENTERS, CALENDAR 1966

In order to establish, to the degree possible through the use of statistics, the effectiveness of the Centers, we compared the placement accomplishments of each of the nine Centers represented in Table I with the total number of apprentices indentured in the area, (obtained from BAT), served by the Center during 1966. This comparison, and the resulting percentage of participation by the Center in the area's apprenticeship market is illustrated in Table IV.

TABLE IV.-CENTER PARTICIPATION IN APPRENTICESHIP OPERATION-1966

The overall increase in the activity accomplishments of the Centers is very encouraging. Much work needs to be done, however, to assure that this trend is maintained, and improved in those Centers. Direction, leadership, guidance, and

technical assistance must be provided those Centers that have been established during the year. Experience has proven that the first year of operation is usually marginal in accomplishment.

However, when we consider that the attitudes of the community are being modified by the presence and operation of the Center, the numbers of specific activities reflected by statistics is not of great importance.

We believe, and have maintained, that one of the major goals of the Centersopening apprentice opportunities to minority group applicants-is an intangible achievement which we have to date been unable to measure.

We are currently receiving racial data from only two Centers, Chicago, and Washington. Table V reveals the accomplishments of these two Centers in serving the minority community.

TABLE V.-SUMMARY OF SELECTED ACTIVITIES FOR WHICH MINORITY GROUP DATA IS AVAILABLE-CALENDAR

In Table VI we have illustrated the percent of placement participation in the Building and Construction Apprenticeship Field, and the Industrial Field. These data are taken from the AIC monthly activity reports for the last six months of 1966, the period of time for which these data were reported.

From the statistical accomplishments shown in this report we can look with pride on the progress the Apprenticeship Information Centers are making. However, we agree that it is now necessary that an effort should be made to actively promote a more significant national office directed improvement of the AIC operation and effectiveness.

From these data we find that overall the service provided Building and Construction and Industrial Apprenticeship Sponsors is about evenly divided. However, we recognize that in some specific Centers emphasis is given to one or the other segments. This we feel can be balanced through the provisions of technical assistance, guidance, and leadership by national office staff.

To determine the racial mix of the Centers, in addition to those in Table V— Chicago and Washington, we secured, through the Regional Offices, the State agencies best estimate. As a result of this cursory survey, we find that the percent of minority applicants of the total number of applicants receiving service from each Center is estimated to be as follows:

PROBLEMS OF REHABILITATION OF SLUM HOUSING

Mr. HAGGERTY. I wanted to touch on these points in order to clarify some popular misunderstandings related to our role in the construction industry; and in particular, the part which we will take in the tremendous job of rebuilding our cities. I want to direct my closing remarks to the problems of rehabilitation of our slum housing, which in my opinion, is the most important and most urgent facing our Nation, with the exception of the war in Vietnam.

There is great deal of loose talk and misrepresentation regarding the problems of rehabilitation of urban slums. The problems need to be faced realistically. They are not simple.

It is often held that such rehabilitation work should provide massive job opportunities for the urban poor, unskilled and disadvantaged. The simple fact is that any appreciable rehabilitation work typically requires more skill-not less skill— than building new homes. The searching out and replacement of faulty timbers and structural members, the modernization of plumbing and lighting systems, and the repair of masonry often require considerably greater judgment and skill than the building of new housing. While some adjustments in manpower may be possible, the discussion needs to start with the hard reality that rehabilitation does not consist of simple, or unskilled, or factory-like repetitive operations.

NEW TECHNOLOGY IN REHABILITATION DEVELOPS GRADUALLY

It has been widely hoped that new technology may be discovered to reduce, by half, the costs of rehabilitation work per housing unit. This is a fine hope-but dramatic new technology does not exist. It is scarcely appropriate, in our view, to develop plans for rehabilitation and hold out public expectations for startling changes of such magnitude, when there is no real basis for these expectations. It is

our experience that technological change in methods, materials, machines and tools is rapid in our industry, but it takes place gradually and as a result of persistent experimentation and many failures. It is not suddently born fullblown. We stand ready to cooperate with the introduction of new methods and materials.

It is widely believed that massive rehabilitation only awaits the cooperation of the building industry, labor and contractors alike. A realistic appraisal of the problems which impede an acceleration of rehabilitation would largely emphasize the importance of a series of difficulties, often having their origins in local, State and Federal Government agencies. Land is widely held and not easily assembled into large parcels. Isolated rehabilitation, which now goes on, cannot be made at significantly lower costs. Land values, tax rates, rents, zoning and other ordinances all play a major role. These problem areas involve most difficult questions. They take long periods to work out, much longer than the typical construction work at a site.

URGES PROGRAMS TO RAISE INCOME

There is serious question whether our present governmental approach to rehabilitation and renewal will yield the significant results the country desires in the foreseeable future. The programs of national and local governments are often constricted by bureaucratic procedures; and the present level of public expenditures is not large, relative to the task. The length of time required for planning and the execution of loans and construction contracts is often many years. The model city program is quite limited. Perhaps it is appropriate to consider a somewhat different emphasis and approach to rehabilitation in urban slum areas.

It is well known that a very considerable volume of repairs, modernization, and additions now takes place in residential construction but this is not true in slum properties generally. While there are many reasons for this state of affairs, two simple factors stand out. First, the slum resident has little, if any, money to put into modernization and repairs; and second, there is little profit to be made by a builder or contractor in doing such rebuilding and modernization. These deficiencies might well be attacked directly.

A public policy designed to increase the income of the resident of the slum by increasing unemployment compensation, improved welfare payments, increased minimum wages, job development for the unskilled and poorly educated, as well as improved social overheads in slums, would provide the higher family incomes from which improvements in housing can come. Put more income into the hands of the slum families and they will be in a position to afford improved housing.

URBAN REBUILDING SHOULD BE PROFITABLE

At the same time, the rebuilding of urban areas must be made profitable to builders if any substantial increase in the amount of such work is to take place. This may seem a strange statement for unions to make, but it is the way our system works. At the end of World War II when the soldiers returned home, there was a great shortage of