Evening star., 1895-11-09
The National Convention of the
Brotherhood to Meet Here.
aim and SCOPE OF The ORGANIZATION
A Vast School Of Instruction ir
Electrical Science.
HISTORY AND Flu U r E

The arrangements for the approaching
biennial convention of the National Broth
erhood of Electrical Workers are nearly
completed. 1t is believed the convention
will be the most important of the kind ever
held, and that it will result in great good
to the order The sessions will be held in
Typographical Temple, beginning today
week and continuing until Saturday.
The morning of the first day, before the
organization for regular business, an adj
dress Of welcome will be delivered by either
Commissioner Ross Commissioner Trues-
dell. The response will be by Grand Presi
dent H. w. Sherman of Rochester, N. Y.
The answers to the appeals of the con-
vention committee to the merchants of the
city for assistance to defray expenses for
showing the beauties of Washington to the
visiting delegates have been very liberal,
and the entire week. outside of the hours
which will be set apart to the transaction
of business, will be devoted to sightseeing.
The members of Local Union No. 26 intend
10 give their guests the proof that the ma
tional capital is not only a beautiful but
hospta BILE city.
The convention will visit the White
House, and it is hoped President Cleveland
will accord the members of the convention
reception. During the week the delegates
v i'll be entertained at a banquet, to be
given by the electrical workers of Wash
irGton.
HOW IL came Here.
The honor of securing the convention for
Washirg gton belongs almost exclusively to
Mr.. John NJ. Berger, president of Local
Union No. 26 of this city, who, soon
he discovered few months ago that there
was a disposition on the part of the execu-
tive beard of the National brotherhood to
have the body meet this year in the east
instead of the far west, as was originally
intended, set about corresponding with
every union in the United States, and
made a special request that they would
vote in favor of Washington as the meet
ing place for 1895. The idea took, and in a
short time Mr.. Berger had pledges from
tWo-thirds of the unions.
Mr.. Berger has been ably assisted in the
details of the work imposed upon him in
connection with the convention by Messrs.
r. F. Wetzel, Henry Phillips. John Lloyd
Mr.. Berger's untiring efforts the convention
would assemble in some other city than
Washington.
Objects of the brotherhood.
The following very interesting accounts
of the aims and objects of the National
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers was
prepared by Grand Secretary Treasurer
Kelly cf St. Louis, and forwarded for pub
licaton in The Star:
.'fhe CT jects Of the National Brotherhood
are, ramely: To rescue the trade from the
low level into which it had fallen previous
to the formation of the organization, and
by mutual effort to place themselves a
foundation sufficiently strong to prevent
further encroachments. The members pro-
pose to establish an apprentice system. to
maintain a higher standard of skill, to
courage the formation of schools of instruc-
tion in labor unions, for teaching the practi-
cal application of electricity and for trade
education generally, to cultivate feelings of
friendship among the men of the craft, to
settle all disputes between employers and
employees by arbitration, to assist each 9TH
er in sickness and distress, to secure en-
ployment, to reduce the hours of daily labor,
to secure adequate pay for their work and
by legal and proper means to elevate the
moral, Intellectual and social condition of
all the members.
ut has ever been the aim Of the executive
officers of the Brotherhood to adhere strict
ly to the principles above enumerated, and
as result the members have had very little
trouble with their employers and in nearly
all cases the matter under dispute was set
tied by arbitration to the satisfaction of all
parties concerned.
During the few years of it's existence the
Brotherhood has paid out thousands of dol
lars to sick and needy members, besides pay
ing large amount to the orphans and Wild
ows Of deceased members, and is today in a
houriShing condition.
From a small beginning the National
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers has
passed many of the older organizations and
the growth seems almost phenomenal. and
the organization extends from the Atlantic
to the Pacific, and from the Gulf of Mexico
to the Canadian border with local unions
in all the principal cities.
"The members of the Brotherhood feel
justly proud of the work they have accom-
rlished. In a number of cities the hours of
work have been reduced from ten to eight,
and wages have been increased from 10 to
so per cent AS it is the duty of each men,
Ter to assist brother member. and to ex-
plain all difficult points to him, the organiza-
e ct 70 yVh a or hn1-
ars and teachers in turn, and as a result,
the work done has been much better and
given more satisfaction both to the employ
erS and the public. NA few years ago each
workman was jealous of the other, and, in
stead of assisting one another, they would
invariably work against each other, no one
caring how the work was DONE and each
blaming the other when anything went
wrong. which was an everyday occurrence
Since 1891 there have been but few difficult
ties with employers, and above stated,
they were settled satisfactorily to all con-
cerned.'
History of the Organization.
The following interesting history Of the
Electrical Brotherhood was also prepared
and forwarded for publication in The Star
by Grand Secretary Kelly at ST. Louis
1.-The electrical industry is comparatively
new and consequently an organization of
electrical workers must be something of
very recent date.
In 1881 the first organization of cleo
trical workers was started among the line
men, but very thorough organization was
not effected, and only few locals were
started, all Of which were wiped out of ex-
istence during the great telegraphers' strike
of 1888.
Shortly after this strike the linemen of
the west started an organization, with head
quarters at Denver, known as the United
Order of Linemen which soon had unions in
the principal western cities, but which east
of Denver never amounted to much
For awhile this organization prospered.
and was in a fourishing condition, but, ow-
ing to the fact that the distance between
the cities was great, and also that member
ship was limited to linemen exclusively. the
organization seemed incapable of making
further progress, and consequently began to
decline.
I'm 1880 a number of unions known as
wiremen and linemens unions were organ
lied under the American Federation of
Labor, and later one or two under .he
Knights of Labor. The first of those unions
was organized in the fall of 1890, and was
known as 1921, A. F. of L.
Mr.. Henry Miller, who afterward became
the first president of the National Brother
hood of Electrical Workers, was one of the
active spirits In starting this union. No.
5221 grew quite rapidly and in the spring