Evening star., 1899-04-17
Testimony Given Today Before the
Commission.
CONDITIONS In THE DISTRICT
Milford Spohn Tells of the Action
of Trades Unions.
cox EDITIONS BETTE r

During the present week the industrial
commission will have a number of wit
utSSes before them, tha testimony to he
on several lines of inquiry. M,ssrs. Mil
fcrd Spohn and J. p HeaIy appeared today
in behalf Of the Building Trades Council
Of America. Others to appear during the
week are +. Z. Clark chief of the Order
of Railway Conductors; Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation CT
Labor: +. J. Mcclure. secretary-treasurer
OF the United Brotherhood of Carpenlers
and Join Is of America; =. NJ. Arthur. chief
uf the brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
ueers: Edward Savine. president of the Gar
n-'nt Workers Association of America and
J. W. Bridwell. secretary of the Federation
of Trades Of Atlanta, Ca.
Nr. Milford Spohn Testifies.
Mr. Milford Spohn was til, first to give
his testimony today The Building Trades
Council of America is composed Of unions
of the various trades engaged in building
operations. but has nothing to do wiki de-
t=rmining questions of wages and hours of
labor.
Mr.. Spohn explained the relations be-
tween the various trades unions and the
HLiiding Trades Council. especially in cases
OF strikes If a strike is decided upon by
t;ade union, thai union carries its griey-
aH~e 10 tn Trades Council. composed of
delegates from all the trades unions, ard it
r mains with that council to Determine
whether d general strike will he declared in
connection with the work giving ISe to
thr complaint. Under this method there are
less strikes and less difficulties than for
nt Tly- They favor CpuCiliatiOn and ar5i-
tFd,on, and they had had no serious strike
IN the District Of Columbia for eight years.
He believed that the economic results of
strikes had been good in the building trades
a. they had resulted in better wages. They
had used the boycott effectively and he
Sd" no legal restriction against doing
Methods of Trades Unions
In cities in which employees are organized
the trades unions agree with the employers
about May l on rates of wages for the en-
suing year. In this city. where the en-
ployers are not organized. that cannot be
done
He had been in his trade thirtytwo years,
and found that social conditions and wages
had improved in that time This change
was duly wholly 10 the organization of
labor.
Reports throughout the country indicated
that business in the building trades is bet
ter this year than formerly. on an aver
asc men in the building trades work about
uEe-third of the year.
Mr. Spohn Is d member of the Brick
layers Union, and IN that trade the maxi
mum number Of hours for days work is
>
i'm Washington the eight-hUur rule pre-
walls He believed in the six-hOur day. A
good deal Of surplus labor had been en-
I,!rS ed bv reducing the working day to
eight hours and Il great deal more would
10, done in that direction ny reduction Of
The hours TO six. He did not think this
reduction in hours would cause a reduc-
tion of wages. AS that movement would
IT, in favor OF the employment of idle men
It would rather tend to increase wages
Restriction of Immi grafton.
The Central Labor Union of the District
had favored the entire restriction of i'm
migration for u period of ten years, until
the effect of such action could be seen, and
until the surplus labor here had been dis
posed Of. II that could not be done, bs
c,susr of treaty obligations. he thought inn
migration should be restricted TO include
only those Of good. moral character, of in
duStriOuS habits and who able to take
care of themselves. The bricklayers, he
said. were little affected directly by immi-
grafton, but they realized that the interest
Of labor was a unit, ami that if immigra-
tIOn affects some other industry its effect
viii be felt on that trade.
After a recess Mr.. Spohn continued his
testimony.
Tomorrow Mr.. Samuel Gompers. president
Os the American Federation Of Labor will
appear before the commission. MIR. Com
PerS prominence ii labor circles has caused
Il great deal Of interest to DE shown IN re
latlon TO the testimony he may give.