The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1895-10-06
FEDERATION OF LABOR.

Representatives from forty local labor
| organizations greeted President James P.
McHugh when he sounded the gayel at tho
meeting of the Federation Of Labor last
Tuesday evening.
The first business of the evening was on
the acceptance OF credentials of delegates.
The Steam and Hot Water Filter Helpers
presented credentials and were admitted,
several other credentials of delegates to
fin vaca ncies being also received and
accepted.
Under call OF committees. the committee
to prosecute Contractor Mcyaugh for vio-
lating the national eight-hour law pre-
sented its report, together with a supple
mentary report, which read as follows:
ITO the Federation OF Labor:
Your committee having In charge the
prosecution OF Frank Mcvaugh for the
violation OF the national eight-hour law
in the erection of the structural iron work
on the addition to the Government Print
ing Office submit this supplemental re-
port:
1T is evident that the decision of the
court was based upon the testimony OF
Lieut.. SewelI. the engineer In charge Of
the construction of this building. Upon
his evidence the court was convinced that
in this case such an emergency existed al
would justify the contractor In working
his employees eleven and twelve hours 10
one calendar day..
"The fact of the insecurity of the q
street portion of the Government Printing
Office was generally known before Lieut..
Sewell had acquired primary technical
knowledge of building construction. Had
Congress regarded the safety OF the hun
dreds of employees in this building, aud
not pursued a long and persistent course
of criminal negligence and carelessness,
the old SHELF and death trap would have
been torn down and a substantial build
ing substituted years ago.
1--WE, however, will not admit that the
unsafe condition Of the old building should
be admitted as an excuse for the violation
of law. The plea of emergency in this
case loses all legal force when the fact Is
apparent that the iron work upon this
addition has been delayed sixty days, be-
canse of the neglect of the contractor to
furnish the necessary material, and fur
Their delay of several weeks in the con-
struction of the brickwork. without
valid excuse or because of whim of those
in charge.
Notwithstanding these unnecessary and
fnexcusable delays. we believe that the con-
struction of the iron work in this building
could have been as far advanc as it is
now without violating a beneficent law.
AT no time since the beginning of the iron
construction were conditions such as that
two shifts of men could not be employed
on the work. Had the contractor not been
assured that the convenient plea of extra
ordinary emergency would be admitted
a S an excuse for the infraction of the law,
he would have worked two shifts of eight
hours each. with but slight additional
expense and Inconvenience. Such evasion
of the law will continue so long as the
statute will permit an offender to prove an
emergency by the convenient testimony
of so-called experts
After some debate the supplementary
report was unanimously accepted.
The chairman of the committee also
presented the following resolution, which
was also unanimously adopted:
Resolved, That the secretary of the Fed
Grafton of Labor be instructed to communi
cate with the District Attorney. Mr.. Bir-
ney. requesting him TO bring to the atten-
ton of the grand jury the sworn statement
of Engineer Sewell as to the condition OF
the Government Printing Office, demand
a thorough investigation of the same, and
IL the building Is found TO be menace to
the lives of the men and women employed
in the building, 10 cause such steps to be
taken as is necessary TO protect such enl-
ployes from risk of injury
The committee appointed to take under
consideration the advisability of affiliat-
ing with the American Federation of Labor,
made its report. after which the Fedora
ton by an overwhelming vote decided not
to apply for charter.
The committee appointed to investigate
the grievances OF the cigarmakers against
certain saloon keepers for refusing to handle
union made cigars, reported the saloon
keepers in question had decided that they
would in future sell union made cigars
The cigarmakers also in connection with
this matter stated that In the newspaper
reports of the proceedings OF the Fedora
ton an injustice had been done MI Bush.
the saloon-keeper on Seventh street The