Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-24
IN THE INTEREST OF PEACE
Executive Council, "A. F. of l., to Act as
Mediator.
Differences Between Two Labor
Bodies Matter for Discussfon-An
Early Meeting Probable.

1t Is understood to be likely that special
meeting of the executive council of the
American Federation of Labor will be held
in this city in the near future for the pur-
pose of discussing the strained relations
and the threatened war between the Inter.
national Machinists' Union and the Inter.
national Typographical Union regarding
the trade standing, after July 1 next, OF
the tenders to linotype machines. full
account of the trouble between the machin-
lists and compositors was printed in The
Star Of Wednesday.
While the officers of the A. F. of L. re-
siding here are reticent on the subject, II
is pretty well known that they would much
prefer to have the difficulties between the
two big organizations tremendously adjust
ed without it's fnterposition. 1t is further
stated that 1t Is probable the executive
council of the American Federation of La
Dor will ask the executive boards, respect
lively, of each of the other organizations
interested to confer and see If a state OF
affairs satisfactory to all concerned cannot
be brought about.
The observant members of other organ
izations which are allied with the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor have become in
terested in the question at issue between
the machinists and the printers. The local
sentiment generally seems to favor the
claim of the machinists.
The opinion in reference to the matter
as,eXpresSed by those connected with local
labor organizations is that the printers are
infringing upon trade privileges by requir-
ing members of another organization to
leave a union of their craft and place them
selves under the absolute control of body
having trade interests in common with their
craft.
One View of the Case.
1t is asserted that If the action of the
printers can be justified logically the au-
tonomy of trades unionism will be de-
stroyed and the weaker organizations could
be imposed upon whenever it was to the
advantage of the membership of the strong
er body to absorb or control the other
The suggestion was made today by a
prominent trades unionist that it would
be we'll for the printers to consider the
matter very carefully before insisting upon
forcing the machine tenders to unite with
the typographical unions, and a printer re-
marked that he knew the effect of the defeat
of the stereotypers in Chicago some months
ago is still being felt by the printers of that
city. The stereotypers, an organization
which is allied with the International Typo
graphical Union. asked the newspaper pub
fishers of Chicago for an increase of wages.
The demand was refused and they then
appealed to W. B. Prescott, then president
of the International Typographical Union.
Mr.. Prescott decided that the action OF
the stereotypers was not legal, and as the
result of the decision the printers of that
city would not support the stereotypers in
their demand The lockout of the latter
and the employment of non-unon stereo-
typers in their places by the publishers fol-
lowed. and for period of about six
months union printers and non-union
stereotypers have worked together in the
same newspaper offices in Chicago.
Not only is this the case, it is further
stated, but a demand by the Chicago Typo
graphical Union that the stereotypers'
union be recognized by The Publishers
Association" has been fatty refused by the
latter, and, it is understood, the action of
President Prescott not only made enemies
of the stereotypers, but failed to gain the
friendship of the publishers.