Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-01
THE NEW POST OFFICE
Another Report That the Eight-HOul
Law is Being Violated.
The Policy Of the Government-Resul
or the Former Iuvestigasion-How
Far the Department Will Go.

The report that the eight-hour law is
being violated at the Washington post office
building has been revived and complaints
TO that effect have again been fled at the
treasury Department 1t is alleged that
contractor Neal OF Pittsburg. who was 70
DO the foundation. work, has ignored the
eight-hour law in several WAYS. IL Is said
mat his men are non-residents. non-rniou
men and Italians. working nine hours at e.
per day. when the eight-hour law should
De inforced at 10 cents per hour, or Sc 20 per
day for eight hours
MOI only that. but protest is made against
the work Of Contractor Pierce OF New
iorx' VINO Is having all stone for his DOR
uoh OF the contract cut in Maine by cheap
49, i an1 shipped here, to the discrimina-
uon or the local workmen
Previous allegations TO the same .efao,
Lev ALREADY been investigated bv he
~ department and it was found
on The LAC .acss did not justify any action
oN 'ne part Oh the government
The GOyernment's Poltcx
The rolicy Of the i,,n,rrp,an, - 49,
question is defined in a letter ,vr,,,ar D.,
the supervising architect to Senator csi,
hnsei OF New Hampshire in July last IN re-
gard TO the statement made to him h,, A.
D.. b. Dyer. secretary of the Granite Cutters,
National Union of the TJn,.a, states -,
America, that the eight -hour law is being
violated in the work being done under COM
tracts on the pubic buildings at WashInr-
ton, u. c.; Lewiston. Me ana Wilmin zion
l'ei-' with the request that the matter be
investigated with view to the observance
OF the Statute. Tie architect says that tie
matter will be daily Investigated. At the
same time he calls attention 10 IN opinion
of the Attorney General Of December 90
1882, in which il is held:
First. 1t will be observed that The duty
prescribed in the first section and the
penalty imposed in the second is confined
TO those persons, whether officers or agents
of the government or II the District OF
Columbia or contractors or subcon IRA ctors
whose duty IL is TO employ, direct or con-
troll the services of such laborers or me-
chsnics.
Second. The Secretary Of the Treasury
has no such relation to any Of che working
men to be employed on this Job, whether at
the quarries or the builiing itself.
Third. The duty to employ, direct or con-
troll such laborers or mechanics and the
penalty for their wrongful employment IS
with the contractor and not with the gov
eminent or any of its officers or agents."
The stone Contractor.
Subsequently a report was received at
the department from the superi ltendent
OF the Washington post office saying that
he had conferred with the contractor and
the sub contractor. and the latter told him
he was working his men at stone yard
about half a mile distant from the post
office building nine hours a day ami those
at the building eight hours Il lay. The
sub contractor claimed he had a legal right
to do as stated, under the law, all tie
granite cutting being done outside Of the
building and that he proposes to continue
the practice until interrupted by due pro-
cess of law.
Assistant Secretary Curtis Position.
pt M ha
pervision Of all questions relating TO pub
lie buildings under the Treasury Depart
ment, told a Star reporter that he did what
the department could do in rne matter. and
that il was not at all likely that the ques-
ton would he referred 10 the Attorney Cen
eral The department was now acting In
accordance with the opinion of the Attor-
ney General and If the labor unions, or, in
fact, anybody, thought ths law was being
violated they he'd the remedy in their own
hands. 1t was not necessary &c appeal TO
the Treasury Department All that need
be done was to file prima facie evidence
with a United States district attorney that
a government contractor vas violating the
statutes, and the question would then be
settled IN court. II was not far the Treas
ury Department to decise 10 Fhc law is vio-
lated 1t is for the courts. AMI complaint
lodged with the proper ctficer IA United
States District attorney would accomplish
the desired result better Than CONSTANT APP
peals to the Treasury Department.
Only 10 the Building.
1t Is stated in the supervising architects
Office that the execution cf he law Sd far
rs the government officers are concerned Is
confined to the work done on the building,
and that no effort is made tn determine
whether the men who prepared or con-
structei the material used on the building
work more or less than eight hours day.