Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-16
EIGHT HOURS OF LABOR
The shibboleth of Organized Workingn q
Proclaimed by Resolution.
Mass Meeting Criticises the Commits
sioners of the District for OppO-
sitiOn to Police Bill.

An open mass meeting was held last
evening at McCauley's Hall, Pennsylvania
avenue southeast under the auspices of the
local lodge of machinists. The attendance
was very large.
Mr.. Richard II. Lewis of the Machinsts'
Union presided. After music by band
Mr.. NJ W. Fitzgerald of Chicago, president
Of the Machinists' National Union, made
an address on the labor question. referring
especially to the proposition to bring the
police force of the District of Columbia I'M
der the operation of the eight-hour law
and the bill for that purpose introduced
in the lower house Of Congress by Repre-
sentative John j. Jenkins His remarks
were We'll received and at the conclusion
he read series of resolutions. which were
adopted by unanimous vote of those pres
ent.
The preamble recites the fact of the in
PRODUCTION by Mr.. Jenkins of bill to regu-
late the service and establish the hours for
persons employ as police in the District
of Columbia. fixing eight hours as a legal
days work, and declares that the Commits
SiOnerS admitted in letter to the District
committee that they have opposed the pas
sage of the measure on the ground that it
will require double the present number of
police to patrol the city as at present.
The Only Objection.
Continuing, the preamble says: This is
the only objection made by the Commissions
crs against the passage of the said eight
hour police bill, and by their own statement
It would only require an additional appro-
rriation of the insignificant sum OF $42S. 600,
To b" borne equally by the government and
the District. While We do not crticise the
action of the government in its gift of
&.hooor to pay off the Cuban soldiers in
consequence Of their destitute condition. we
do claim the government should he just to
its own citizens who guard and protect the
property and lives of its citizens before 1t
is liberal in its charity TO a foreign and
alien people. More than 80 900 good and
respectable men of the District have petit
toned Congress to pass the cight-hour pO-
lice bill which petition is now on file be-
fore the committee.
president Mckinley in his last annual
message recommended such legislation as
would recognize eight hours as constituting
a legal days labor. and bill is in the
bands of the House committee on appropr-
atoms and they have the power to bring
It before the House on any day they may
see proper TO call ii up.
The resolutions recite that for the gov
crumcnt to demand that its police shall
serve sixteen hours in guarding its prop
erty and the lives of its citizens for a legal
days work. the plea that it is too eX-
pensive to employ a sufficient number of
men to do the work in eight hours. while
the government is giving away three mil
that such plea is a burning shame to the
government. and especially TO the District
of Columbia and the city of Washing
ton. as the capital of a free Just and
enlightened nation, and for them to de-
mand and receive such service makes them
the aiderS and abettors of the worst form
of human slavery.
Organized labor enters it's protest against
this system of slavery and oppression for
the police in he District of Columbia
which is now being enforced by the Com
miSsioners. compelling the members of the
force to either give sixteen hours of labor
out Of each tWenty-fouT or quit the service
as policemen.
Organized labor throughout the United
States in the name of humanity. and with
a decent regard for the rights of our fell
lOw-men, who are compelled to earn their
living by daily toll. appeal to the commit
tee on appropriations. and TO each member
thereof to whom this bill has been re-
terred to gee to it that said bill be re-
ported to the House for action. speedily
and without delay, to the end that it shall
become law at the present session of
Congress.
''Organzed labor in the District of Co.
lumhia calls the attention of every or
@anizauon, trades union, Federation OF
Labor and Knights Of Labor in the United
States and the 291 periodicals published in
the interest Of labor to this specimen of
cruelty and oppression, which pleads for
its only Justification that TO pass the bill
requiring only eight hours service instead
PEELED to serve, would require double the
present number Of men"
Mr.. O'ConneII's Address
Master Machinist James O'ConneH Of the
executive board Of the American Fedora
ton of Labor was the next SPEAKER He
made a stirring address. urging upon his
hearers the necessity for thorough uni
fication of labOT's forces. What had been
accomplished was by conservative and
united action on the part of organized la
hOr He closed amid prolonged applause
He was followed by Stuart Reed, organ
lzer Of The National Association of Ma
chinists. and G. II. Warner, business agent
for the lodge Of Greater New York
Mr.. Reed spoke Of his experience before
Congress as a lobbyist in the interest of
organized labor, and deprecated the fact
that the representatives of labor We're COM
PEELED to beg for recognition at the hands
Of the national Legislators. whereas in the
west, where he hailed FROM organized labor,
by an intelligent use of the ballot in plac-
ing men at the head of their municipal
government. were in position which as
sured them that their just demands would
receive proper consideration.
Among those present were a number Of
the members of the BrickIayers' Union,
No. /, Of the District of Columbia and
other organizations connected with the G..
L. L. and Il. Y. c.: President Szegedy of
the .. l.. l., eX-Presdent Sprague. same
central body. and President John p Healy
OF the Is. T G.
on the platform an orchestra discoursed
popular airs during the intervals between
speeches, and at 1910 pm. the meeting
adjourned.
AMUSEMENTs
LAFAYETTE SQUARE OPERA HOUSE
Mr.. Henry Arthur Jones has hIi1t in