Evening star., 1895-07-13
CARPENTERS IN COUNCIL
Still Investigating the Trouble at the
University.
A Contractor in Dfsfavor for Refusing
to Employ Union Men Because
They Want Union. Wages.

The last meeting of Carpenters Council
| was of unusual Importance. The attend
| ance was large and great interest was
manifested in the proceedings by all pres
| ent President R. r. Rhodes occupied the
! chair and Mr.. Victor Montgomery was sec
retary. Attention was called to the fact,
! as is alleged that two union carpenters
residing in Washington, but who were en-
/ ployed at the Catholic University by Otto
| Duker a Baltimore contractor, had con-
tinued at work there for day after all
union carpenters had been ordered by Local
! Union No. 100 of this city to leave the job,
| the union having previously given notice
| that a fine of 81. 80 per day would be i'm
posed on every member disobeying the or
! der. Charges have been preferred before
the grievance committee against the two
| alleged offenders, and the case, 1t is ex-
pected, will come up for hearing at the reg
ular meeting Thursday next
| On behalf of the men implicated 1t Is
stated that when notified to quit work last
| Saturday week. they told Mr.. Dukers fore
man, Mr.. Duker not being on the GROUNDS
or where he could be conveniently reacned'
| that they had received the order TO STOP
| and that it would be their duty to do so.
| The foreman, it is said, replied by urging
| them to remain at work, as 1t was mis- be-
! lief that Mr.. Duker would concede the rate
! wages
ington. Saturday evening the foreman had
| received no reply from Mr. Duker to his
letter, and at the request of the former the
| two carpenters returned to work Monoay
| morning Still no word on the subject rad
| been received from Mr.. Duker, but 1eenng
confident from what the foreman told mem
| that favorable reply was likely to reach
him at any moment, they continued at their
| employment.
| At 3 o'clock in the afternoon the men
were informed by the foreman that ne nao
received a letter from Mr.. Duker, and that
| the latter declined to pay union wages
| The two carpenters then Immediately re-
linauished their job, were paid off, and at
| once left the premises.
| Praise for The Star.
| Next in order was the offering Of a reso-
| luton thanking the proprietors OF The Star
| for what they are doing day by day
through the columns of the paper for the
! cause Of organized labor. The attitude OF
The Star was referred to in the most COM
| plimentary manner by nearly all present,
| and the resolution was passed by a prac-
I tically unanimous vote. Secretary Mont
| gomery was requested to forward copy
| of the resolution to the proprietors OF The
| Star.
| 1t was understood. without taking
| formal vote on the subject. that the dele
gates from the council to the Federation
| body, at it's meeting Tuesday night next,
| to the existence Of the difficulty in refer
| cree to the employment OF union car
| penters at the Catholic University, and
| that the very full statement of the case
| already published in The Star will be ex-
| hibited to the federation as fair and Inn
| partial presentation of the carpenters side
| Of the affair.
| The Trade and the Merchants.
! letter which was received by the
secretary from Eseman Brothers. who are
making extensive changes and improve
| 1afr ~ h,1Gi
of 7th and e streets northwest, stating
that while they were anxious to recognize
| the claims of organized labor, 1t was SO
| important to them to have the work COM
| pleted speedily that they would like to
have the carpenters work nine hours per
! day, and that on their part they were will
| ing to pay a rate and a half for the extra
| hour. was read. The granting of the priv
| ilege was strongly opposed by number of
! members of the council. but it was finally
agreed to accept the firms proposition. with
| the understanding that this action is not to
be regarded a precedent.
Attention was called to what We're termed
| peculiar actions on the part of a leading
| contractor of this city. According to the
statements made by several present this
contractor recently had a large job of work
| to perform for the Boston Variety Store.
| The council learned that the union men
employed there were not getting union
| wa ges, and a committee called on Mr.. EN-
| mons S. Smith, the proprietor of the store,
| in regard to the matter. When the facts
| in the case were laid before him he at once
ordered that the pay Of the men be raised
| to union figures. The committee left, sat
iSfied that the contractor would obey Mr..
Smiths directions, but the contractor did
| not comply until after several committees
| had called In regard to the matter. At last
| the sum asked for granted by him.
but as soon as Mr. Smiths work was COM
| p}eted the contractor discharged every
union carpenter he had in his employ.
A few days ago the council heard that
| hod m
pect of getting very large job from an
| extensive builder, and committee from
the council called on the builder and laid
| before him all the facts in the former case
| and requested that the builder would not
| give the work to the offending contractor
| TIE builder assured the members of the
committee that his sympathies were en-
| tirely on the side Of union labor; that he
| had not only all his city, but his country.
| work done by members Of organized labor,
| and that the committee and the council
| could rest assured that the contractor who
had used them badly should not receive his
| work
| In view of the fact that great deal of
work of magnitude, such as the hall of
| history of the American University, the
| Hearst School for Girls. to be attached to
the new diocese Of Washington. the Epis-
copal Cathedral. and possibly others Of
! equal Importance, are in contemplation in
the near future, it was determined to
those who will have charge of the several
| improvements and request that no con-
! tract be given to any man whose name is
| on the unfair list. 1t was stated that near
| ly all the builders in the city are now in
| favor of the employment of union labor
| exclusively. and are not disposed to take
! into their service men who are willing to
| take work at any price they can secure
| with the possible result that 1t is not prop
| erly performed.
| Some reference was made to the coming
| Labor day celebration, and the opinion was
freely expressed that the carpenters would
! make fine display on that occasion.
| A resolution assuring the Anacostia
| strikers of the sympathy Of the council
| and the willingness of the members to aid
| them in every practical way to secure
victory was passed unanimously.
| The committee constitution was au-
| thorized to have the constitution printed
| for distribution among the members
PREPARING POSERS.
| Experts Arranging Questions for Gov
| ernment Printing Office Applicants.
! Prenarations are being made as RAPIDLY