The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-26
A FLAG OF TRUCE.
Waves After the Con-
ference With La
Dor Leaders.
Ashley & KORAN SIGN PAPERS.
Another Meeting to Settle
Matters viii Be
Held Today.

Peace was within hailing distance
when the conference between Drs. KEEL
ley and Delehanty and the committee
from the Plumbers Union adjourned
last evening, The flag of truce will be
out today, and will fly until peace is
firmly established or an agreement to
disagree is made.
When the conference got under way
yesterday morning at 10 o'clock in Dr..
Delehanty's office, members of the firm
Of Ashley & Koran were present. After
the sizing up process had given away
to discussion of the case, everything
bowled along towards settlement.
The plumbing contractors expressed
willingness to abide by union-made
laws, including the payment of union
wages, hiring none but union men, and
working union hours. These unionisms
in themselves appeared strong, but the
committee insisted that helpers should
be union men, in accordance with the
rules Of the Journeynlan Plumbers
Union
This was the first stumbling block in
the path of the messengers of peace
The plumbing contractors could not be
impressed with the necessity of hiring
union helpers and paying them on an
average $3.50 per day. Ashley & Koran
hire helpers at boys wages, on an aV-
erage considerably less per week than
would have to be paid under union reg
ulations.
The question as to whether Ashley &
Koran had in their employ bona tide
union men wasted several hours in dis-
cussion Members of the firm argued
that there were three union plumbers
working on the building. Members OF
the committee said that two of them
had been union men until they entered
the employ of Ashley & Koran, hrm
recognized by the union as unfair TO
organized labor, and that they were
expelled from membership. The other
Humber possesses a union card which
the committee claimed he obtained
frauduIently.
National Secretary and Treasurer
William j. Spencer of Chicago gave
facts concerning the standing OF the
men which knocked out opposition ar
Elament He said that James Barrett
had Obtained a card Under the pretense
that he had received job in Boston
with union firm. Barrett pleaded Tor
the card and it was given, but When ne
entered the employ of Ashey d. Koran
ha was no longer a union man accord
man Plumbers Union. President /. +.
Harvey talegraphed Secretary and
Treasurer Spencer and Barrett's name
was removed from the rolls of the ma
tional Organization. The cases or the
other two pretended urionists had been
similarly treated, and therefore none OF
the men held membership in the union.
Secretary Spencer's concluding state
1naY,t was. 1--WE know who our mem
hers are. and it is not within the power
of any one to have man become d
member of the union and continue as
such without the national officers
knowing it." That put quletus on the
oppoSition argument
II the afternoon, the session was con-
ttuued. the facts reviewed and memoir
ized and again discussed 1t is said that
~ This conference, diplomatic procedure
"a the part of National Secretary ana
Treasurer Spencer resulted in members
Of the firm Of Ashley & Koran signing
their names to a document which con-
famed all the charges made by the
iourneyman plumbers, and the tenor of
yyhich is that Ashley & Koran believe
and are sorry that they have opposed
The Journeyman Plumbers union. Drs.
Kelley and Delehanty and the commit
fee promised to observe strictest silence
in regard to this, and of course Ashley
& Koran did, but when questioned re-
garding the drawing up and signing of
such statement members of the com
mittec said: I'VE ere not croaking.
Ashley & Koran were willing to hire
none but union helpers when they nave
completed contracts now on hand, but
would not consent to abide by the rules
Of the unior touching upon this point
at present, as such action would result
in the loss Of hundreds of dollars. 1t is
still a toss-up as to whether Ashley &
Koran will continue the plumbing work
in the advent of a settlement.
Inasmuch as the firm has partially
agreed to abide by the decision of the
union regarding the employment OF
men. the payment of wages and work
ing hours, 1t does not seem improbable
that the firm will be restored to stand
ing in the union, and allowed to con-
time the work. But this belief was
shaken last night when it was an
noainced that there would be another
meeting this morning, and that Law
yer John B. Ratigan, who has acted as
the physicians counsel, will be present.
Unless Ashley & Moren are adjudged
recognizers of union help and the Jour
neyman Plumbers Union, the legal
mart OF the conference will be brought
into play in deciding whether Drs
Kellv and Delehanty can drop the
nlunbing contract and give union
Arm the plumbing work on the build
ing without fear of being targets in a
lawsuit. Lawyer Ratigan has given
the opinion that Ashley & Koran have
already broken the contract by hiring
non-union men.
The BricklayeTs' and Plasterers I'm
ION met last night to take action upon
the strike. National Secretary and
treasurer Spencer Of the Plumbers
Union, President T. #. Harvey Of the
Journeyman Plumbers Union, Daniel
F. Coogan, President P. b. Keefe of the
Carpenters and Joiners Union were
present. Mr. Spencer gave review of
, the causes leading up to the present
controversy and short speeches were
MADE By I've other visitors.
When the delegates had left the hall,
the Nsnion discussed the situation. Act
ing under the advice Of the speakers, no
action was taken. A special meeting
has been called for tonight, and an eff
fort win be made to have an attendance
of Moro than two-thirds of the member
ship. The union sentiment was that If
peace Goes not come, the bricklayers
and plasterers will be called off the
building
The Carpenters and Joiners' Union
met In labor headquarters, and Presi-
dart Irepfe QaVe a report of the t,ro