Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-20
Federation Of Labor Organizations
Have Important Plans.
VIEWS OF Vice PRESIDENT DUNCAN
To Continue the Campaign for the
Eight-Hour Law.
LECTIVE FIR NC HIS E

already affiiia ted with the American Fedora
ton of Labor will be held in this city, for the
purpose of arranging for the immediate for
nation of central body under the A. F. of
L., and it Is expected by those best able to
know that long before warm weather comes
nearly every trade union organization in the
District of Columbia will be an affiliated
part of the new central body.
This information was given yesterday by
Vice President James Duncan of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor to Star reporter
who visited him at his office in Baltimore.
Mr.. Duncan further said:
THE executive council of the American
Federation of Labor. during the session of
the recent New York convention of the
order, in the matter of the formation of
central body of the A. F. of L., in WASH
ington, as already foreshadowed in The
Star, to be affiliated with the A. F. of L.,
ordered that Vice President Duncan should
have full power to act, and to complete the
organization and formation of such body.
They also directed him to proceed with the
necessary work soon after January ],
1896, as will be agreeable to the members of
the trades unions in Washington.
1.-The forma ton of such body Is consid
cred by the executive council as very neces
sary to the expansion and welfare of the
labor movement. not only in the District of
Columbia, but to the whole country as well.
inasmuch as when such a body shall be
formed trades unions all over the country
can, through representatives selected from
all parts of the United States, urge the pas
sage by Congress of such legislation as shall
be of interest to their brother workers
throughout the land, and at the same time
have an instrument of expression in Wash
ington for grievances in far-off points,
through such central body, while 1t will be
In close alliance with the two houses of Con-
eress and the different departments of the
general government.
TT Is fully expected that the formation of
such a central body will give boom to trade
interests in the District of Columbia. such
as has never heretofore been experienced,
and the joining together of all bodies in
terested in trade affairs with the common
purpose in view of reduction of hours and In
crease of wages together with a consider
able increase of beneficial features, so close
ly allied to most trade conditions. have the
effect of welding the movement together in
Washington on such a progressive and salts
factory basis as has not heretofore been
proverbial of central bodies in this locality,
while at the same time the organizations
known as mixed assemblies can then meet
for the discussion and propagation of eco
nomic reform without interfering with or
treadinS upon trade lines or disputes.
This will be decided gain to wage earn
ers in the District of Columbia, and 1t is
thought will bring the peace among trade
bodies there which they nave long sought
for, but never found, owing to the fact that
men outside of the trades had great voice
In forming the policy of the trades locally
constituted, and in many instances pre-
vented that full expression of views of trade
affairs which can only be had on the floor
of trade union and by the men actively
engaged in their trade callings."
Work Accomplished.
Speaking of the work accomplished at the
late convention of the American Federation
OF Labor in New York, which was, in his
opinion, the most harmonious ever held by
the order. Mr.. Duncan said:
1.-The most notable and immediate feature
will be found to be in the successful manner
in which the convention settled many long
standing trade disputes. for never in the his
tory OF the body were so many trades or
local differences healed as was proyerbial
of the convention just ended.
Principal among those settled may be
for eighteen months between two national
factions of the Painters Union, one part
OF which, with headquarters in Baltimore,
J. T. Elliott general secretary, held a con-
yention in Cleveland, Ohio, during Decem-
Der. 1874, the other, with headquarters in
Lafayette, Ind, j. West Mckinney, general
secretary, held convention in Buffalo in
August, 1894. Both bodies claimed to be
the original national organization
"a resolution was adopted by the conven-
ton which will, for the future, make both
bodies one under the constitution and man
agement of the body whose headoua rters
are in Baltimore. The other faction ac-
cepted the committees report, and graceful
ly withdrew all opposition to the recognition
OF the baltimore faction, and thus ended one
of the most bitter trade disputes that or
ganized labor has had to contend with In
many years.
The long-standing clash between the
metal polishers and buffers and the brass
workers metal polishers and buffers was
also solved by the same committee. An ar
rangement was reached whereby all differ
ences were dropped, and all branches of
the trade will form under one head to be
known as the Brass and Metal Workers
National Union. The effect of this will bs
that in a short time the organization will
be divided into two parts under one head
the pol;SherS and buffers in one and the
brass workers in another.
The bitter fight which had ragged in Chi
caSo Tor many months between the trade
and labor assembly and the trade and labor
congress Was also settled by amalgama-
ton. Part of the arrangement in this case
will debar man of any trade from being
recognized Is a delegate in the new assem-
bly, unless he is employed in the business of
his trade, the idea being to prevent a MEM
Der of any of the affiliated bodies who for
the time being. might be filling a political
position from being recognized in the CEN
trail body as bona fide represen tative of
his craft.
"A dispute between the National Tin and
Sheet Iron Workers and large local union
in New York city not affiliated Herewith
was also settled by the convention
The action Of the convention in indorslng
the attitude of the New York Housesmlths
Union in the then existing strike had a
great deal to do with hostilities being sus-
pended and a compromise reached between
the Iron League of New York city and the
Housesmiths' Union, whereby the house,
smiths organization remained intact and an
Uniform wage rate recognized by the league
Eisht-Hour LAW.
"An important resolution was offered and
adopted by the convention demanding Of
the executive council the immediate intro
duction into Congress of an amendment to
the existing eight-hour law, passed by Con-
sress IN 1855. The amendment will, If
passed. make the emergency clause in the
present law so clearly defined as to what
Is really meant by 1t that 1t will not be
possible in the future to compel men to
work more than eight hours per day on
federal work. to suit the whim of a con-
tractor when the law calls for eight hours
ana said contractor violates 1t through the
so-called emergency clause, as was so will
fully and fiagrantly done in Washington on
the work in connection with the Easily
Point sewer and the government printing
office.
The amendment will also provide that
the law shall be so changed that all fed
how