Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-28
AMONG THE TOlLERS
Central Labor Union Considers Many
QUESTIONS
New Branch of dhe A. F. of L.-Buiid-
ing Outlook From the Work.
inEmentsr Standpoint.

The regular weekly meeting of the Cen
| trail Labor Union of the District of Column
| bia, as the new branch of the American
| Federation of Labor will hereafter be
known, was attended by the largest number
| of delegates that have yet been present.
President Milford Spohn presided, and the
| representatives of sixteen organizations an
s"ered to their names when the roll was
| called. Credentials were received of addi-
t:onal delegates from Columbia Typograph-
ical Union, Granite Cutters and Bakers and
ConfectionerS' Union
Chairman Joseph p. McCrinch of the La
| Dor day committee reported that the COM
| mittee was in communication with the diff
| ferent organizations represented In the
Central Labor Union; that committees
| were being appointed on the part of each
| to assist in making arrangements for the
| proper observance of Labor day, and that
| a conference in regard to the matter of all
| the committees will be held in the near
future.
Under the call for reports Of unions, the
! Engineers Union, electrical workers and
| brlckayers reported that they had raised
tne boycott against all the breWerles in the
! District and on the POrtner brewery at
| Alexandria The cigar makers stated that
| they had never Endorsed the boycott, and
| the next meeting of their organization
| steps would be taken to raise the boycott.
| A resolution was unanimously adopted in
| creas!ng the membership of the legislative
committee to five members, and the chair
| appointed Mr.. John A. Brett as of the
| new members. Before he could name the
| other member, motion was made and
| UNANIMOUSLY adopted that President Spohn
| be also made a member of the committee.
The form of contract which it is pro-
pc sed to submit to business men upon prop
| er occasions, and which was reported to the
| union by the committee having charge of
! the matter, was referred back to the com
| mlttee Tor the purpose of revision.
| Inc same action was taken in regard to
| resolution declaring that before boy
| Cott shall become effective it must not only
| rave the Endorsement of the Central Labor
Union, but also of the Building Trades
| Council as we'll as of the organization i'm
posing it.
The matter of contract work for the Dis
trlct OF Columbia was discussed at some
! length and it was stated that the legisla-
| i've committee is already preparing bill
| on the subject, which will be presented to
Congress In a short tine.
The Labor Outlook.
| After the adjournment of the Central
| Labor Union last night one of the promi-
rent members of the organization, in speak
| ing of the labor outlook, said to a Star re-
| porter: The conditions at the beginning of
| the present building season are much bet
| ter than they have been for several years.
| larger per cent of those Of the building
| trades are now employed than there have
| be en- since 1893, though the dena as yet
! Is not sum cicnt to absorb the unemployed.
| There Is gradual increase III the VOL
| ume OF work and comparatively busy
| season IS anticipated. The erection of thu
| large flats at 18th and l. streets by Portn.r
| and those which will be built by Chr. IIeu-
| rich, the contracts for which will soon be
| let and the erection of the immense car
of ii,t-a,- liz.
| larger line of work than has been con-
structtd in the city for some years, ard
will require the employment OF a large
! number of mechanics fer long time.
| 1t is not ANTICIPATED that during the pres
| 'nt year there will be return TO The con-
| Gitions which prevailed previous to the
| lard times. There may rot be return TO
| former conditions for several years. or un-
| til the large number of vacant houses find
tenants and building becomes necessary 70
| supply demand 1t Is the experience Of
| those in the building trades that the last
three years have been the cheap pc
Rod. the general cost of construction being
! at least - per cefn less than for many
| years previous. This tendency to cheap
ness has largely reduced the aggregate ex-
Pendture 70" building construction, but
has in many instances resulted in inferior
work. In many instances the margin of
| profits has been small that good class
of work impossible. In the construc-
ton of a building, as in all things else.
| cheapncSS vii! not secure the est. and it
| mas becO1fle an ataSH WIN NOSE OF the
| building trades that low price makes low
| work :"
La l,Gr Notes.
The committee on organization of the
Central Labor Union is succeeding in or
| garZinS several crafts in this city as
unions Under charter of American Fedora
ton of Labor. Since the organization of
the central body two uno;.s nave been or
ganiZed and chartered.
| The committee is convinced after q full
consideration of the al labor situation
| that the labor of the District can he more
fully and effectualy organized than in the
past, ard that the condition of several
| crafts is such as to make ii necessary for
their best interests to organize unicns and
| bring them into alliance with the central
body.
| The American Federation has extended a
! cordial invitation to all unions in the Dis
trict to affiliate with the Central Labor
| Union, and a committee is rightly engaged
in visiting the locals ard bringing the mat
| ter to their attention.
Special Interest is felt among the ,ne'n-
| berS of the various trade union crafts in
| the prop osed organization of a painters
| union in the District. This will not ONLY be
| affiliated with the American Federation of
| Labor through the Central Labor Union
! here, but will also be represented in the
National Painters Union, whose headular-
tiers in Baltimore.
| The executive officers of the National
American Federation of Labor are at this