Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-18
THE PAINTERS STRIKE.
The Journeymcn Make an Explanation
OF Their Position.

OF Their Position.
THEY SAY THEIR LAST PROPOSITION VAS SUP
PREssEp-rHE MES KNrLorED on rHE WHITE
HousK-rHE FIFTEEN MINUTE" RUIZ AND
THE PART IT PLAYS IN rHK STRIKE
There was q large number Of journeymen
painters in their assembly hall this morning
and everything was rs orderly as a church
gathering. There was nothing on the outside
to indicate that there was q strike pending
except every now and then Q small group Of
men would be seen near tho entrance TO the
hall
All hands were discussing the situation and
all the men expressed themselves as being con-
fdent of success in the near future.
An OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
Secretary Walport today made the following
statement
On April % a committee was named 20
arrange NEE ting with the employing painters
and request that on and after May Is. 1890,
eight hours should constitute a dav's work Al
the rate OF 80 per day. In case OF the refusal
OF the employers 70 consent at that meeting
the committee was empowered TO make an
agreement with them on that basis IL they
should consent 20 accede 10 the proposition az
1891.
The result Of the conference was this: the
master painters proposed that they would agree
and sign contract; but #, at a conference TO
be held on the 18th OF March. 1891. a request
was made OF them signed by majority OF the
members of the assembly. they would
recognize that on and after April l. 1891, eight
hours should constitute days work. and the
rate OF pay should be 50 per day; provided,
that l.. A., 1898. annulled the clause in the by
laws limiting the time OF going 20 the shops
before d;l5 An, and make rule that any
member Of the assembly who shall take con-
tracts and go into the house painting business
and becomes assured after SIX months trial
that his business venture Is unsuccessful, shall
cease contracting and remain IN the assembly.
1he hrst part of this proposition the commit
tee were willing TO accept, but as the last two
propositions would necessitate a change Of by
laws, which the committee were not empow-
cred to make. they could only promise to
place the matter before the assembly The
assembly also accepted the first part OF the
proposition, but did not think il advisable az
that time TO change the bylaws. They Of
fered substitute, that the committee arrange
meeting with the NJ. T. A. and submitted the
following: That on and after the Let day of
April. 1891. eight hours shall constitute n days
work, and the rate OF pay shall be IS per day,
with no alteration Of our bylaws"
his proposition was never submitted 20 the
NJ. L. A., but quietly strangled by the presi-
dent OF the VI. l.. A.. Mr. 4. A. Brown. IL 10
had been recognized and a conference held the
matter would have rested until March Is, 81.
~ ADVANCE OF A GENERAL STRIKE.
The strike of the Washington Assembly, the
journeymen say, is only little more than six
months in advance of the general strike Of
painters all over the country. The general
strike will begin on the first day of next Nav,
and 1T is probable that some trade other than
the painters will be included. As vet, however,
no other trade has been designated
AGGRESSIVE MEASURES PRoposFn
IF the bosses bring in 'scabs' and woodshcd
painters" said Recording Secretary walport to
STAR reporter this morning, 1.-The assembly
will announce that it is ready TO receive con-
tracts at 20 per cent less than the bosses hayo
accepted them during the past four years. Tho
asso mbly does not propose 20 embarrass the
business OF the city. but it will continue the
strike until II meets with success"
The assembly has received the endorsements
OF similar bodies in other cities and last night
the Brotherhood and knights of Labor in Bal
tfmore Endorsed them.
Tonight there will be a meeting Of District
Assembly at Federation Hall. corner of AZ
street and Pennsylvania avenue. at which some
action will be taken regarding the present
strike.
THE PAINTERS AT THE WHITE HOUSE.
The painters deny that there is any truth in
the publications outside the city to the OBJECT
that the police at the White House we're called
out and that they ordered the strikers from the
reservation. There has been no trouble at all
thus far and Secretary Walport said today that
there would be no trouble.
One of the painters saws that some of the
men employed on the White House entered the
city by coming across the Georgetown bridge
and sat at the entrance 20 the White House and
ate cheese and crackers for their lunch
THE FIFTEES-MISrTE RULE.
The ''fifteen-minute" rule mentioned in the
communications between the journeymen and
employers was made. the iourneymen say, be-
cause many of the painters had to work an
hour. more or less over time every day. IL is
explained that the men who had to 20 TO the
shops in the morning and report for duty had
| TO mix their colors and make other prepare
tions and then reach their work on time or a few
minutes thereafter. Ii is claimed that the men
who reached the shops first were usually tho
bosses favorites or, in other words
they made themselves solid" with tho
boss, and they of course we're the last to bedis-
charged In order to prevent favoritism and
overwork the rule was adopted and the men,
bers OF the assembly object 10 resembling it,
They argue that if man gets TO work fifteen
minutes before he is required there should be
no reason for complaint on the part Of the
bosses.
NO BALTIMORE PAINTERS COMING HERE.
Hope Assembly. No 1866 knights of Labor,
Baltimore. ordered that it's men do not 60 to
Washington to take the places of the house
painters who are striking for eight hours and
S3 day.
THE MASTER PAINTERS.
The meeting of the master painters last
evening wat largely attended. The situation
was discussed and the policy outlined in tho
resolutions printed in yesterdays STAR was
again Endorsed. This morning President Brawn
stated that there was nothing new and that the
situation remained unchanged.
TRI-STING SIR aNI,ED