Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-07
IN LABOR CIRCLES
The Talk of Organizing a Branch
Of the American Federation.
LOCAL FEDERATION And TEE <. OF |.
Differences Between the Plumbers
and Steam Filters.
THE ELECTRICAL CONVENTION

1t is believed the report of the proposed Or
Saniza ton here of a branch of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor will be brought
by some of the members before the body.
The statement in regard to this matter
published in Thursdays Star has attracted
wide attention in labor circles. 1t Is said
some of the officers of the American FEEDER
alton Of Labor have been i'll correspondence
for several months past with some Of the
representative labor men here In reference
to the matter The first steps in this move
ment were taken in Washington, and it is
said the official of the A. F. of L. to whom
the first communication was addressed was
quite surprised at the allegations contained
in the letter.
Subsequently the Granite Cutters Union
of the District. among others, received
communications on the subject. and in re-
Spouse to special invitation from Presi-
dent John Mcbride of the American F ed
GRAFTON of Labor, that union has decided
to hereafter affiliate with that great body
This brings the ANTE cutters into ail:lia-
ton not only with the 100000 members of
the A. F. of l.. in the United States and
Canada. but also with 100000 members or
societies of organized lacor In Great Britain
as we'll.
The granite cutters were formerly con-
nected with the American Federation OF
Labor, and their national union had dele
gate in the Pittsburg, Pa, convention IN
1881, which established the Federated
Trade Union movement of America. The
OF ganization not only assisted in the es-
enlistment of the federated trades and
labor movement, but participated in Its
councils and aided in its work up to the
convention held in Columbus, Ohio, In
1856 when it merged into the American
Federation of Labor, and for some years
thereafter the union was connected with
the A. f. Of l.. For some reason not clear
~ defined the granite cutters have not dur
ing the last few years been represented at
the annual conventions of the American
Federation of Labor.
President McBride's Letter.
In calling attention to this state of af-
ton, said:
with a desire to again secure your
hearty cooperation, and thus strengthen
and promote the cause of trade unionism,
the present executive council takes this
method of rendering fraternal greetings,
and extending an invitation to your ma
tional union to again affiliate with the
American Federation of Labor.
I'VE recognized and appreciate the gal
liant stand your union made in defense of
principle in the recent great lockout in
New England and elsewhere; a stand which
will ada one of the brightest pages to the
history of the trade union movement in
America.
Some breaks in your ranks, caused by
the lockout, together with the financial
depression and industrial stagnation of the
past three years, have no doubt injured
your organization and increased its bur-
dens.
IF, however, you should deem it wise to
accept our invitation and again affiliate
with the American Federation of Labor the
organizing machinery of our organization
building up and encouraging your craft
interests wherever and whenever opportu-
nifty affords.
1.-The question of revenue need not stand
in your way, as our per capita tax is ar
ranged so low that little objection can be
made to it. Under the head of revenue, our
constitution charges from interla tiona] or
national trade unions per capita tax of
one-fourth of cent per member per month,
or, in other words, three cents per member
in a year; and we feel that this will be
more than compensated for by the assist
ance we can give to your national body
along the lines of general organization and
legislative action.
AT no time in the history of trade union
ism has there been such an absolute neces-
Sity for the qualification of labor's forces
as now confronts us; hence, your interests,
as well as ours, require your cooperation
in the work of amelioratlng trade condi-
tons, We want your assistance, and We
guarantee ours
Union of Washington have, in response to
Mr.. McBride's letter, voted to unite with
the American Fedora ton Of Labor.
The Local Federation and X. of l..
One consideration that seems to have in
clined a number Of labor leaders here to
encourage the formation of a branch of the
American Fedora ton of Labor here is that
in the local federation, by reason of its
constitution, the great labor unions of the
city do not have representation or influ-
ence proportionate to their strength. the
local federation, because of the fact that
every organization represented whether it
comprises twenty members or thousand
members. has the same number OF dele
gates and the same number of votes, is, 1t
is claimed, practically urder the control Of
the Knights of Labor, One of the men,
beers, discussing this phase of the matter
with a Star reporter, said:
THE knights of Labor, through the or
ganiZaton of lot of small assem- blieS
each of which has five delegates in the fed
Grafton, while an Organization with thou
sand members. like the Brfcklayers' Union,
is entitled to 10 more is enabled to control
the federation, but the time is rapidly ap-
preaching, We believe, when there will be
an end put to this state of affairs. Leaders
of the *. of l.. here have been warned that
they were trcGding on dangerous ground,
but they have laughed at those who warned
them.
There can never be a really amicable
agreement between the members of the
fedora ton not members of the K. of l.. and
difference in principles. The pledge Of
trade unionist simply goes as far as the
trade organization and those of his craft
are concerned, whereas that of a, Knight of
Labor applies to his relations with every
member of the body, no matter to what
craft the member who may be entitled to
sympathy and aid may belong.
I'm this regard I believe the K. of l.. Is
right. and l wish that the trades union
organizations would carry out the same
principle of helpfulness and sympathy-a
principle which would extend and take in
all men, whether they belonged to the craft
or not, but such is not the case, and in the
trade union organizations the extension of
sympathy is limited to the craft of which
the distressed or grieved brother is a men,
ber.
1t is clafmed by the trades unionists that
at least one of the large trades unions here
numbers more members than all the
Knights of Labor assemblies combined.
Still, it is asserted that through the di-
vision of the Knights of Labor into many
small assemblies that organization domi-
mates the federation.
Plumbers and Steam Filters.
The question at issue between the hot
water and steam filters and the plumbers
to which reference has been made in The
Star. and which grew out of the objection of
the after to the admission of the delegates
of the other to the federation, at last Tues
day nights meeting of the federation con-