Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-30
IN LABOR'S INTEREST
Session of Church Association in
Trinity Church Hall.
an ADDRESS BY BISHOP SATTERLEE
The Questions Brought Up for Dis
cussion Today.
MOTORMEN AND CLERKS

The conference of the Church Association
for the Advancement of the Interests of
Labor. which began in this city yesterday
morning with the celebration of holy COM
munion and the preaching of sermons on
labor and social subjects in the various
churches of the Protestant Episcopal de-
nomination, was continued this morning at
10 o'clock in the parish hall of Trinity
Church, Sd and c streets northwest. The
Church Association for the Advancement
Of the Interests OF Labor was organized in
| the Episcopal Church under the belief that
the clergy and laity should become person
| ally interested in the social questions now
| being agitated; should inform themselves of
the nature Of the issues presented, and
| should be prepared to act as the necessities
| of the day may demand.
Address by Bishop Satterlee.
| The bishop of Washington, Right Rev.
Henry Yates Satterlee, conducted the open
| ing service of the meeting this morning
| and delivered an introductory address. The
| bishops talk was one Of wise counsel He
| said the qualities of cool head and warm
heart arc seldom found in a single person,
but they should be brought to bear in deal
ing with the problems that are constantly
springing up in modern civilization. He
! spoke of the value Of prayer, and said
that If the church and Its workers were
| to accomplish anything 1t would be from
the inspiration and strength gathered In
| this way.
Rev. Joseph Reynolds of New York, vice
president and presiding officer at the pres
| ent conference, expressed the thanks of
the association to Bishop Satterlee for his
| words of welcome and counsel
| Mr.. Frank Morrison. secretary of the
American Federation of Labor, was intro
duced, and read paper upon Needs Of
| Motormen' Mr.. Morrison said the needs
| of the man who handles the levers of the
trolley car are indeed many. He is sub
jected to long hours, insufficient pay, ex-
posure to climatic changes and is deprived
| of all home life and society. His most inn
| portant need, the speaker declared, is a
| shorter working day. In many of the
| large cities motormen are compelled to
day.
| Merely Works and Sleeps.
"In nearly every CASE continued Mr..
| Morrison, "the motorman has time for
nothing but work and sleep. Surely
man who labors so necessarily and gives
| up so much of life is entitled to greater
remuneration than S1.5O to $3.50 per day.
In this connection it might be stated as
| fact that the men earning the smaller
wages are performing the greater amount
| of work. The higher pay and less work
|
| THE companies for which he labors are
| very strict with him. If he Is one minute
! late in the morning to take out his car he
Is locked days pay, no matter what the
weather might have been or what detained
| him. In some instances he may be
sharked.' which means a three days lay
Off. Organized labor he said, docs not
stand for betterment from a monetary view
! alone; it strives to bring the wage worker
| to a higher social position, give him a bet
| ter environment and home association.
| The church can help US tmmeasurably."
| The paper was discussed from the floor
| and Mr.. Morrison answered many questions
| that was propounded. The motormens
troubles We're gone into in all their details.
Department stores.
The second paper Of the morning session
| was on the subject OF Department Stores"
| by Mr.. George B. Squires, vice president of
| the Clerks Union Mr.. Squires told of the
lengthening days and decreasing salaries
that were confronting the clerks Of Wash
| tngton a year ago when the organization of
a union was decided upon The union now
| numbers 800, and it's main object is to Sc
| cure a nine-hour workday, with Saturdays
| excepted. The clerks desire a day begin
| ming at O'Clock In the morning and con-
| Guiding at in the evening-at on Satur-
day evenings. He declared that most of
| the stores were agreeing to this proposition
| quite readily. Three big firms he said in
summer close their places Of business at 5
| each afternoon for the first five days of the
| week and at / o'clock on Saturday after
| noon.
They realized the great benefit that would
| result to their employees from this action,
| and had never suffered any i'll consequences
| from the shorter hours.
| The system of fines for hardness in most
| of the stores. Mr.. Squires declared. Is out
| of all proportion to the wages paid the
| clerks. In spite of the very reasonable de-
| mands of the union it is meeting with OBJ
| stacles at almost every turn. The shopping
public, 1t was declared, could help matters
wonderfully by arranging it's hours Of buy
ing.
| A resolution was adopted declaring 1t
/ to be the sense of the conference that Chris
| tan women should not shop after o'clock
Saturday afternoon, and should refuse to
| receive bundles delivered after that time.
| The paper was discussed at some length
| Reports of Committees.
! Rev. Richard P. Williams, rector of Trim
| ity Church, read reports from committees
| of the local chapter on Washington alleys
| and the employment of children in Wash
| ington factories. In the latter instance the
committee found no children employed in
| factories and few under twelve or four
teen years of age in the stores. all In salts
| factory condition. The worst condition
among the children, it was set forth, was
found among the newsboys who are sent
| out at tender years by their parents to
| earn a few pennies to bring home Mr..
| Williams spoke of the well-known insani-
| tary and unwholesonle condition Of the al
| ieys Of this city, which were characterized
| as disgrace to the capital city. Under
| the present laws, he said. the District au-
| thorities were powerless to go any further
than they have already in remedying the
| evil.
The conference will close tonight.
miscellaneous Matters.