Evening star., 1899-03-21
CENTRAL LABOR UNION
Action With Reference to Alleged Faulty
Construction of School Buildings.
New Legislation Asked FOr-Arrange-
niversary of ORGANIZATION.


the meeting last evening of the Central La
bor Union and Mr.. John L. Feeney was Sec
retary. The matter of the construction Of
school buildings was brought up, and after
full discussion the following was adopted
as the sense of the Central Labor Union:
The report of the confIafttee having in
charge the repairs of the school buildings
In this District exposes SUCH structural de-
fects as to demand the serious attention Of
the public and calls for a thorough exam
ination into the condition efrthese buildings
an inquiry into the methods of construction
and the competency of those employed as
inspectors. The condition of school build
ings recently erected Ia the result of the
public contract system and is an unanswer-
able argument againstsits continuance Tn
der this system contracts have been let to
the lowest bidder, who in cmost instances
depended for profits upon using cheap ma
terial and the employment of low-priced
and inefficient labor.
Under these conditions ,the better and
more responsible class of builders were
practically excluded from fair competition
for the work, and it has become the spoils
of those who constructed the cheaper. re-
gardless Of specifications or the quality of
the work.
This defective construction calls for 4
radical change of methods in the letting of
contracts and also of construction. We be-
lieve this can be accomplished by 5elminat-
ing the contractor and having the school
buildings constructed under the exclusive
control of the District Commissioners by
proficient mechanics in charge of competent
superintendents.
Desiring this wholesome reform in the
methods of public building construction, the
entral Labor Union hereby instructs it's
legislative committee to prepare u measure
which shall provide for the erection of all
municipal buildings in this District by day g
work and that the workmen employed
IN Hoh IN y,afa -, t,,,,,y trf,p n
rate of wages. The committee is further
directed to submit-a copy of the same to the
Commissioners and request that this or a
similar measure be recommended by them
to the District committee Of the next Con-
greSs.'
. Communications Received.
Communications were read from Repre-
rsentaives A. M. .Dockery of Missouri w.
II. Moody of Massachusetts and A., Hem
fenway of Indiana. acknowledging the re-
teipt of copies of resolutions Of thanks
passed at a recent meeting of the Central
Labor Union as appreciation of the efforts
Of those named in the cause of labor in the
District during the last session of Con-
gress. Also one from Local Union No. 4,
International Brotherhood of Bookbinders,
for assistance in getting passed by Con-
gress a bill restoring the wages of the
bookbinders and printers employed in the
government printing Office
Standard national testimonial committee
of Paterson, N. j., asking for aid to vet
eran in the labor cause, who, it was stated.
has suffered and sacrificed for the cluSe
of liberty and labor in poverty ana impris-
or ment, a trades unionist, never compro-
missing, never avoiding any responsibility
a man who has answered every call made
upon him in the name of humanity
Peace Jubilee Committee.
Messrs. Milford F. Spohn, ]. NJ. He:sley.
N. c. Sprague. John Lorch and j. A
OBrien were appointed a committee to rep
resent the Central Labor Union on the gen.
eral committee having charge of the peace
jubilee and MIR. Spohn was designated as
the member of the executive committee of
the same.
The committee to arrange for the ceiebra-
ton of the third anniversary of the organ
iZation of the Central Labor Union reported
that a meeting will be held in honor of the
occasion in the hall of Typogra phical Tenn
pie Wednesday evening of next week 10Th
instant. Those who have already accepted
invitations to take part in the program of
the evening are Messrs. John Fahey and
Charles Miller. vocalists: Fred Schultz
Harry Landgraf and William Schultz, mu-
steal quartet; J. McCabs and Fenton Crown.
trick and wing dance1s: ]. H. Williams,
popular songs; Richard |. fEorce dances
and comic songs: George r. Hagan and
brother, knocka bout comedians
During the evening the souvenir to be
presented to Mr.. j. d. Mckay by the Cen
trail Labor Union will be given to that gen.
tielnan. MeSSrS. Samuel GomperS presi-
dent and Frank Morrison; secretary of
the American Federation ofLabor, are ey-
peeted to be present ana deliver addresses.