Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-15
CITY AND DISTRICT
a Lock -Out Not q Strike-Who Is Re.
spOnsibfe?
wAsH1NsToS, May 18th, 1856.

wAsH1NsToS, May 18th, 1886.
To the Editor of I'VE EVENING starr
Your issue OF last evening gave considerable
space TO . communication signed "Workman a
Friend" II Is TO be observed that "Workman 8
Friend" had, as he says, ain part prepared my
this) plans for this structure when the strike
arrested my (his) project" As no contracts
apparently had been entered into, and as there
IL no such thing as q strike existing I'm this
District IL must be difficult TO the ordinary
mind to comprehend just where organized
labor's sin comet in.
There Is q lockout" and, behind it. a con-
spirlcy of those who sell building material; but
the reckou1ng must be made by the public with
the middlemsn who have locked out" labor,
and tho conspirxtors who close the sale OF
necessary material TO one man as against
another.
80 far Al the equity in the matter of ten hours
versus eight hours is concerned, that has been
discussed any time these ten years. There IS
not u workingm2n in this country " no Will not
port him for twenty-teur, and To compel him TO
DO more Is simply TO turn the extra two hours
over rs increment % the employer.
"Workmans Friend" undoubtedly under
stands this tact. He says: ''if mis- claim that he
should get the same wages for eight hours that
he received for ten hours be just and right, 1t
can only be on tine ground that he was entitled
" more than he actually got for the ten hours.
Another Daniel come 10 Judgment OF
course that's just IL. The poor fellow has stood
the theft VI two hours from each day of his lie
until now, when he decides the shin. 10 be
wrong and cries q halt.
That venerable spook, "the law of supply and
demand" IS trotted out by your contributor,
Just as though that was not one OF the matters
being tested all over the land IN this great up
heaval.
/ am loath to consume more of your space
than IL absolutely necessary; but there is
something sardonic In the act, committed
at time when labor is everywhere strug-
Cling Tor emancipation, OF borrowing the
livery of the hosts of heaven 10 serve
the devil In that must beg opportunity TO
cali attention to an Illustration made by the
contributor referred To. he says he would oe
compelled 10 pay $s.25 for one brickiayer, and
10 prove IL he gives the following table:
The brlckiayer, say ~ %
The hOd-carrler, W
The master mason oO
The builders percentage, 10 percent--..- 30
S. IS
This Is n most remarkable statement. The
hodcarrier is put OF. the Dricklayers back, the
master masons profit, AMI tine builders little
per centage added 10 tine load Healthy brick
LAYER! Does "Worhfnan's Friend" know that
American mechanics, the best IN the VIDE
world, do not average $500 a. year? Does lie
not know that the class Vi people VINO are COM
In. here to build are generally persons OF large
means well aSie To pay .iViL. wages?
Ii The mfdd4eman WAS eliminated and the or
galizatIous of labor permitted, through their
agents, 10 deal directly with tie persons whose
IhOns'y 10 De spent III construction much
trouble would DC avoided and the prosperity vi
our beautiful city enhanced WHAT your corre-
spundent says by way of advice vgIth regard 20
tue wOrklu.luen, and my chief, Mir. fOwderly,
is gTafUftuus. Inc wOTkIDsmtn U! this country
intelligent, iaX abiding, courageous ana de-
termlned. ana VIII manage their affairs with "a
view 10 their own interests, anu, consequently,
10 those Oh The community.
X. L.. DE AKERs,
l. y. 4Oz6, X. of l..