Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-01

inc merchants who have respected the "sever
O'CLOCK" rule during the year will, beginning with
Vo-hight. have month of grace during which
they can keep their stores open as long as they
choose without fear of offending the Clerk AS
semoly, or their friends in the Knights OF Labor
fhiS closes the first year of the early closing
movement. When the o'clock rule was adopted
IL was agreed that it should not apply to the
month OF December, when holiday shopping is In
order.
Monday night" said an officer of the Clerks
assembly TO STAR reporter, 'we held little
INFORMAL celebration, a sort OF jubilee, over the
success OF the early closing movement. There
was speechmaking and every one expressed the
Sp a That we were more than thankful for what
objection in former times was to the uncertainty
Oh hours. A clerk could never make an engage.
n, III depended on whether the people came
IN or not, whether the store closed at 8, 8 or 1O
O'Clock. The merchants too, were subject to the
same uncertainty as the clerks; now they can GO
at at q O'clock; We have to contend with a certain
Class OF merchants who Will not close unless they
are forced There are only few OF these. 1t is
our duty to protect those who will close. The
only way we can reach those who decline to close
Is through our connection with the labor organ.
Kat1Ons OF the District. We have now on file the
R1edges OF slxty-three organizations TO sustain US
IhlS gives us strength, and our movement gener-
ally mas Deen very successful
HOW THE MOVEMENT STARTED
''Ihe movement really started" continued the
clerk, "wfth the merchants convention last Feb
ruary. call was made by the merchants and
they invited the clerks to meet with them. The
merchants there agreed to close at o'clock all
the year round except during the month OF De-
celnDer IL was generally understood at that
meetlng that the clerks should have all legal holi-
DAYS during the year. The efforts OF the clerks
assembly nave always been directed towards put
Ting thls agreement into effect. The actual out
come OF this movement is that now there are but
rev stores that do not regard the O'Clock rule.
IN MI Of n1Nnr
the growth OF their assembly has been steady.
The Knights OF Labor at once saw the Importance
men to advise us Now the clerks assembly is
looked upon as being one Of the most important
assemblies in the District.
THE STORE GIRLS
a movement is now going on in regard to the
lady clerks" he returned. There are about 500
ladies' cierking in stores in the city, and OF late
nave endeavOred to bring them into the assembly
AT the meeting Monday night there were about %
present. Though this movement began only four
weeks ago we have already taken in thirty men,
Ders 1rom among the lady clerks and the prospects
are good, especially as some married ladies, who
are very well connected, have come into our as
semDly TO assist us in organizing the shop girls.
Ihere are stores In this city where the propetOrS
take good care OF the girls, and other stores where
the girls are left completely to themselves, and
nave lost confidence in themselves: We want to
restore their Independence. 1t is one of
the cardinal principles OF the Knights Of Labor
That there should be equal pay for equal work.
"l'houe ie2dIu u Sex. Ill Iauy clerk does the
same work as a male clerk, we believe she should
nave the same pay. That is question, however
which we are not considering just now. We want
more to perfect our organization to strengthen
ourselves and establish the seven o'clock rule as
a popular custom, SO that no one will even think
OF shopping after that hour. Then we want to get
the legal holidays.
THE STORES IN DECEMBER.
AS TO December we think it best to make no
rules at all as to closing, but to leave the matter
to the merchants and the general public. num-
Der OF grocery merchants have already made an
agreement among themselves that they will VOL
UNFAIRLY keep up the seven o'clock closing until
the 18th OF December, although they can keep
open until ten O'Clock at night If they choose
II shows that they rather like the early closing
Of course, on Seventh street tonight we expect
that everybody will open again. The usual hours
Tor closing during December are about 8 o'clock
up 10 the 18th, and after the 10Th the stores will
keep open nine, then to ten, and the week before
christmas till eleven or twelve O'Clock. The night
before Christmas it is generally one or two O'Clock
before the clerks get home"
TO ORGANIZE GOVERNMENT CLERKS
"There Is one element In the city," continued the
Knight OF Labor, 'whOm we have had some diff
Guilty in reaching. That is the government clerks
a good majority Of the government clerks, how
ever, have respected the early shopping rule. But
there Is a movement now on foot to reach the gov
eminent clerks, by organizing the clerks into the
H. OF L., as 1t is believed that ii they fully under
stood the question there is no doubt but that
they would assist us