Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-17
MAKE THEIR ANSWER
Central Labor Union Replies to Knights of
Labor.
business Transacted at the Regular
Weekly Meeting Last Night
The Plasterers' Troubles.


The Plnsterers' Troubles.
The regular weekly meeting of the Cen
trail Labor Union was held last evening,
with nearly every affiliated body repre-
scented. President Milford Spohn occupied
the chair and Mr.. j. ]. Crowley. assistant
secretary, kept the records. Much import
ant business was transacted.
Delegate Weber, chairman of the COM
mittee appointed to unionize the breweries
in the District of Columbia, reported that
the committee had called on Messrs. Garry
and Williams, president Of the National
Capital and Washington Brewing COM
panies, respectively, and informed them
That all brewery employees in this vicinity
should become organized into a union
affiliated with the Central Labor Union.
Each gentleman, so Mr.. Weber stated, ex-
pressed sympathy with union labor. and
said he vas willing to comply with the
wishes Of the Central Labor Union in this
respect II the men themselves desired to
become organized and promised to do all
he could to bring about the result desired
by the Central Labor Union. The report
was accepted and the committee was con-
tinued.
The chairman of the committee appointed
to see the proper authorities in order to
ascertain. If the work of plasterng the new
city post Office cannot be secured for union
labor exclusively, reported having done
so and that they were informed that the
contract had not yet been awarded, but
that they were of the opinion that when
1t is it will be with the proviso that the
work shall be performed by members of
organized labor societies. The report was
accepted and the committee continued.
A reply to the communication received
by the Central Labor Union from District
,;rrI,te g T1l,n yxrhi oh
was an answer to previous letter from the
Central Labor Union to the District AS
sembly, asking the latter to appoint dele
gates to a proposed peace conference as
has heretofore been published in The Star,
was read and adopted. In the letter of the
District Assembly the statement was made
that 1.-The District Assembly cannot In
justice to its local assemblies, or ~hich
quite a number of your members are sus-
pended and expelled members, favorably
grant your request"
The Reply.
To the words quoted the members of the
Central Labor Union without exception OBJ
jected, and the reply above referred to,
which was read by Delegate Edmonston,
was Endorsed by unanimous vote, and the
secretary was directed to forward the
paper to D. A. 66. The reply was as fol-
lows:
your characteristic reply to friendly
overtures for peace must be accepted as in
dicatins the spirit that governs the action
of your body. The welfare Of your con-
stituency seems to be of minor Importance
when an opportunity is presented to hurl
vituperations. We might reply in kind,
but i'll warfare of words we are not ex-
perts, and cannot hope to compete with
veterans.
Eve do not. however. recognize your
right 10 fix the grade of any member of our
organization, either in this union or any
other represented therein.
THE Knights of Labor, claiming a mem
bership of over one million few years
ago, have become reduced to a few thou
sand, scattered over the United States and
Canada, while the larger number are now
suspended or expelled members If this
rapid falling away Of grace Is a true indi-
cation of the lesson of unionism that you
teach, the ex-members Of your order have
exercised the better judgment.
I'VE have some Of your ex-memberS, but
how or why they left you we had no means
of knowing, owing to the rigid veil of Sc
crecy you maintain. We had as a guide a.
few samples of the justice you deal to your
brothers and neighbors, and we were not
in the least impressed by them. These ex-
members are now manfully maintaining
the struggle for shorter hours and better
pay. You failed to make union men Of
them, and have no just cause of complaint
II they are now enthusiastic In their bet
ter surroundings. and where they are in
touch with the larger number of their own
craft throughout the country.
You doubtless will continue your pres
dolls, fon6ly believing that you are the
father Of something, but time only will de-
velop the latent manhood among you, and
labor may still hope for a new ally in the
noble and holy order of the knights of La
bor.'"
This was signed by the committee
Messrs. G. Edmonston, William Silver and
A. F. Tenley-and the seal of the Central
Labor Union attached. in order that no
question as to the authenticity of the doc
ument could be successfully raised.
Other Business.
A delegate from Columbia Typographical
Union reported that a committee from the
Plasterers' Assembly called on the unicn at
the meeting Of the latter last Sunday and
protested against the organization of the
Operative Plasterers' Union, which was
recently formed and has become affiliated
with the Central Labor Union
A delegate from the Operative Flasterers'
Union stated that they have an organiza-
ton which already numbers IT'S members
and are exclusively employed by nearly all
the boss plasterers in the District.
No action was taken by the Central La
Dor Union. and the matter was brought up
simply to enable the members of the Cen
trail Labor Union TO become fully informed
between the Operative Plasterers' Union
and the Plasterers Assnebly.
delegate from the Iainters' Upion re-
ported that their organization had placed
colt list, and asked the Central Labor
Union to indorse their action. The matter
was reported to a special committee, which
will make an Investigation and report the
| result at the next meeting of the c. L. u.
A delegate from Brewery Workers Union
No. lis. submitted copy of a contract
which will be laid before the brewers in
the District, and the Central Labor Union
was asked to indorse 1t. The request was
| complied with. The contract is, it is UNDER
stood. similar in terms to the one in use in
Baltimore between the employing brewers
and their workmen, and which, 1t Is stated.
has resulted in establishing and maintain-
Ing harmonious relations between all par
ties interested.
TO FORTIFY THE BORDER,