Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-22

| = N@YM
MR.. JOHN L. KENNEDY.
awake unionist, has done much committee work
| and has held Office in several western unions
A. l.. Randall was chairman of the business
committee two Years ago and is an ex-president
of Providence Or. IL Union. He is never alb
sent from the meetings of Columbia Union
and his election is deserved recognition
for much good work in the union.
J. l.. Kennedy. the second member of the dele
CATION. IL we'll Known to the Washington public.
He is the candidate fo- president of he Inter-
national Typograp hicai Union. This fact makes
the coming meeting o. more than u ual interest
to the printers Of Washington. Mr.. Kennedy's
friends are actively at work preparing for his
canvass. and have many reasons to urge why
Dir. Kennedy is entitled to the honor they ask
for him.
Mr.. Kennedy is one of the most active men,
bers Of Columbia Union and the good results
of his efforts are not circumscribed by the
jurisdiction OF that union. He has twice been
elected president of the organization. As
presiding officer he gave eminent satisfaction.
Many reforms in the union are placed to the
credit Of his administration. He brought new
men and Young men and men who had never
been given chance to the front on the COM
mittees and in the work of the union, and it is
claimed for him that be thus infused new life
and vigor into the union. Chapel elections
came while he president. At
first the privilege was given only
to chapels of fifteen or more members. but on
his recommendation that reform was extended
to all chapels. regardless of size. The success
Of the book and JOB strike of Two years ago
was, it Is claimed, in large measure due to
the character of the strike committee APP
pointed by him and to his courteous
and gentlemanly demeanor in conference
with the proprietors. The strike lasted q
day and half, and nine-hour work day
with ten hours pay and an increase of two
cents per ! 600 ems were the fruits of the VIC
tory. That was the only thing in the nature OF
troubles for the union while he was president
But the chief glory of Mr.. keunedys admin
istration is the Typographical Temple which is
such an ornament to our city and q credit to
printers. 1t was erected while he was presi-
dent. He wrote the resolution which authorized
the appointment Of building committee and
was himself made chairman of that committee
For twelve months he labored assidnousiy on
that committee discharging at the same time
his many duties as president and performing
his work in the government printing office.
The temple is financial success. Its three
halls are occupied nightly and frequently in the
daytime and most Of its Offices are rented. He
takes much laudable pride this successful
work Of the Union and Columbia union takes
much pride in him for his part in it.
THE COPYRIGHT AND THE EIGHr-HoUR Law.
MIR. Kennedy was for several years chair
man of the l. I. U. copyright committee. He
first TOOK interest in international copyright
while a member Of New York Union. No 6. He
successfully opposed in that union a proposed
Endorsement of an international copyright bill
which did not contain a typesetting clause,
| and President Bosselly of No. appointed him
| on a special committee to come to Washington to
| urge the passage of the bill after such a
| clause had been inserted in it. After moving
10
| 4. U. copyright committee. He twice ad-
| dressed the judiciary committee OF the
| House OF Representatives in advocacy
OF the bill, more particularly the typesetting
clause. 1t finally became law and TOR
his part in the work he was thanked by
! ex-President Plank, ex-Secretary McClevey,
! the Authors League of America. and bv
Messrs. Houghton, Appleton, Putnam and
| Scribner. The practical fruit Of that bill is
that it gives to American printers the compo-
sition on al books copyrisoted in this country,
| whether they be by foreign or domestic au-
| thors. Formerly many American authors
had their work done in London and
| Edinburgh, and the plates of foreign
| works were sent to this country to be worked
on American presses. All this has been changed
and now American publishers export plates,
| because the foreign author, to comply with our
| copyright law, must have his type set in this
| country, and the plates are made in duplicate
on this side Of the Atlantic.
Mr.. Kennedy was one of a committee sent BY
the Washington Federation OF Labor to the
| House committee on labor to urge the enforce
ment Of the eight-hour law. He recognized
and admitted to the committee that the old law
| was not specific enough and that its most glar-
| ing defect was the entire absence of a penalty
clause for violations of its provisions. At the
| request of Chairman Wade Mr. Ken
nedy drafted new bill containing such
| features as he considered necessary to remedy
| the defects OF the old law. In that draft he
| embodied two features which are now in the
national eight-hour law. They are exceptions
to the eight-hour rule in cases Of extraordinary
| emergency and a 81 900 fine for violations Of
| the law.
Congressman Catchings Of Mississippi and
Wade Of Missouri. in speeches delivered on the
| floor Of the House. gave Mr.. Kennedy the credit
| Of having first drafted the bill with those
features in it. The eight-hour law is now
| working smoothly and satisfactorily and the
| penalty clause is the cause of it.
The foregoing Is an outline Of Mr.. Kenne-
| dys service on which his friends base his
| claims for recognition by the International
| Union. His brothers in Columbia Union have
honored him without stint, and his hundreds
Of friends among Washington printers are
trusting that the l. T. U. will recognize his
worth.
The eastern section Of the United States
has not had an l. T. q. since 1880. In
the thirteen years since that time the south the
west and Canada have had the Office For
portion Of the same period the secretary-treas-
| urer has also been from the west SO It will be
| seen that the east is fairly entitled to ask
for the office at Chicago. and it is fair to pre-
| sumo that the other sections Of the jurisdiction
will recognize the justice of giving the office to
| the east. Some western or southern man will
undoubtedly be secretary treasurer. p. j.
Mcintyre Of Denver is thus far the only dele
gate to announce himself for that Office.
To Remedy Defective Plumbing.
Several days ago the inspector of plumbing