Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-02-15
BUILDING TRADES COUNCIL
Report Of Committee on Appeal for Eight
Hour Law.
Petition Submitted to Senate Com
mittee on Education and Labor
Other Business Transacted.

At the meeting of the Building Trades
Council last evening the legislative COM
mittee, composed of Milford Spohn, William
Marsh, John McVey Samuel Armstrong
and Michael Cation, reported that, pursuant
to instructions from the council, the Senate
committee on education and labor had
been petitioned to favorably report the
eight-hour BILL which is now in charge of
the committee. The petition is as follows:
The Building Trades Council of Wash
ington, D. c., a representative body of all
the local building trades, respectfully re-
quest your honorable committee to favor
ably report H. R. 1880, entitled An act
limiting the hours of daily services of la
borers, workman and mechanics employed
upon public works of or work done for
the United States or any territory or the
District of Columbia
THE beneficial Importance of this meas
IRE to the wage. earners of our country
cannot be overestimatad. AS the result
of the methods of production which prevail
in all departments of industry. the introduce
ton of labor-saving machinery and the
rule generally enforced by private firms
doing work for the government, requiring
their employees to labor from ten to twelve
and more hours a day, vast number of
our population are deprived of the oppor-
tunfty to labor and are suffering in idle
ness. They ara thus deprived of the
themselves and those dependent upon them
those moral, social and industrial condi-
lions which are consistent with our modern
civilization and the genius of our institu
lions.
Enforced Idleness.
approximately, 100000 of our wage
earning population are now suffering in
enforced idleness, while a large per cent
of those employed are working ten or more
hours a. day. Under these conditions it is
evident that those employed, by monopo
lizing the time required for alleged sutti-
cient production, are made instrumental in
forcing millions of our population into idle
ness and the reSultantS-vice and crime.
I'VE respectfully submit that in those de-
partments of labor, the products of which
are largely furnished to the government
many thousands Of workmen therein en-
ployed, under the absolute control of con-
tractors, are made unwilling accessories
to this industrial crime.
Believing that it is the highest duty of
government to secure to every citizen the
right to live by honest wealth-producing
labor, and liberty from the eXactions of
excessive periods of toll whereby he could
the better fit himself for honorable citizen
ship and the consequent happiness or con-
tentment which is the safeguard of the
state, We pray that your honorable COM
mittee will favor the measure referred to-
which, If legalized, will be more benefcent
in effect than any legislation of the CEN
tury."
Mr. Andrew hurry, chairman of the joint
excursion commission, submitted a final re-
port, which was referred to an audit COM
mittee of the council and Central Labor
Union.
A communication was read from Mr. Jas
II. Wilson, secretary of the Bricklayers'
Union Of Baltimore, which stated that
firm doing business in this city is arranging
to erect 400 dwellings in Baltimore with
non-union labor. The matter was referred
to the grievance committee for report at
the next meeting of the council.
Legislative Committee.
A communication was read from H. W.
Steinbiss, general secretary-treasurer of
the National Building Trades Council, noti-
flying the local council that Messrs. John p.
Healy and Milford Spohn had been appoint
ed the legislative committee of the national
organization at the national capital
A special committee having the matter in
charge reported that arrangements had
been completed for open social meeting
of the council. which will be held at the
hall, 12O4 Pennsylvania avenue northwest
next Tuesday evening