Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-13
CENTRAL LABOR UNION
Arrangements Being Made for Lecture by
Eugene Y. Debs.
Advance in Wages Solicited by Labor
ers in Government Printing ONCE
Other Business Considered.


| trail Labor Union and Mr.. John H. Brink
man was secretary. Delegates from thirty
four unions were in attendance. A large
amount of business was transacted and it
was midnight before adjournment was
reached.
| Before the regular order of business was
taken up Mr.. L. W. Rogers, president of
| the Michigan Federation of Labor, who
came to Washington to arrange for a date
| upon which Eugene V. Debs shall lecture
| here, was admitted to the floor. Mr. Rog-
| ers submitted a proposition to the C. l.. L.,
under the terms of which it could secure
| Mr.. Debs. The proposition was accepted.
and a committee was appointed to make
arrangements for a lecture to be given some
| time next month.
communication was read from Mr.
Frank Morrison. secretary of the American
Federation of Labor stating that he had
received a letter from Henry White gem
eral secretary of the United Garment
| Workers of America, in which the assist
ance of the label advocates was requested
/ in the effort to have the Garment Workers
| label recognized by the letter carriers, in
stead of a K. of L. label used by the firm
which makes the uniform for the carriers.
The communication was referred to the
label committee.
| Communications were likewise read from
several merchants relative TO the closing of
stores Saturday evening at O'clock The
| letters stated that the writers would do so.
In this connection a resolution was adopt
ed by a unanimous vote pledging the
patronage of organized labor to those firms
who close at the hour named.
Advance in Wages.
A copy of a letter sent by the laborers in
| the government printing office to Public
Printer Palmer was laid before the union
Those who signed tho letter requested an
advance of wages. amounting to % per
cent
The letter recited that in 1877 A. NJ.
Clapp, who was then in charge of the Of
| fee, arbitrarily reduced the wages of the
| employees. Recently the compositors. book
binders and pressmen had their pay re-
stored to the rate paid previous to the re-
duction; also, that while we are classified
| as laborers, you aware that our ser
vices are as necessary as are the services
| of the skilled employees, and as the resto-
ration of the wages of the employees re-
ferred to was regarded as an act of jus
| tice, we therefore think it no more than
| justice that we should receive the same
consideration.
within a recent period the cost of liv-
| ing has advanced p per cent or more
and to maintain ourselves and families in a
decent manner and meet the increased ex-
penditures is a matter of imperative ne
cessity. We hope we Will not be CLASH
fed as the common faborer, who, because
of insufficient wages is compelled to live
in crowded and insanitary tenements in in
sanitary surroundings
Asylum Employees.
The report of the committee appointed to
call on DR.. Richardson, superintendent of
the Government Hospital for the Insane
near Anacostia, for the purpose of secur-
ing, if possible. less hours of employment
for the attendants was submitted. The re-
port stated that DR.. Richardson assured the
committee, if it could be arranged to work
the attendants eight-hour basis
making three shifts during the twenty-four
hours. he would be satisfied to do so, as he
believed lessening of the number of
hours of service would give increased eff
cheney among those affected by the change.
He also assured the committee that the
attendants were laboring under a false i'm
preston If they believed he wanted to
lengthen their hours of work, and that he
had no desire to do so. He further ex-
pressed himself as being favorahly dis
posed toward organized labor, and stated
that he would be gratified if the eight-hour
law could be applied to the institution.
After this report was made it was stated
that DR.. Richardson had not been frank in
his statements to the committee, and that,
so far from being friendly to organized
labor he had had circulated paper among
the employees at the hospital, which they
were asked to sign, pledging themselves
not to combine or unite with any labor
organization 1t was further stated that
quite recently the time of the service of
some of the female attendants had been
extended.
The electrical workers reported that pre-
vious to. DR.. Richardson's SUPPLEMENTARY
three electricians were employed at the
institution at the rate of s. day, but
Gently two were discharged, and one is re-
CURED to do the entire work, day and
night, formerly performed by the three,
and at the rate of $50 per month.
Violations of Hack Law.
The committee appointed to see the Dis
trict authorities relative to the alleged vio-
hacks are permitted to stand in front of
hotels and in other public places. reported
that the matter had been brought to the
attention of Maj. Sylvester. superintendent
Of police. and also the District Commits
sioners. The statement was made that
Maj. Sylvester and the Commissioners
promised to give the subject attention at
the earliest practicable moment and that
they would prohibit the maintenance at un-
licensed stands of such vehicles.
A delegate from the Hackmen and Cab
mems Union stated that Friday last an
order was issued prohibiting the stands
complained Of but that the order was re-
scinded Saturday, and the condition of at
fairs Is the same as before the committee
visited the police authorities in reference to
the matter
The committee asserted that it is almost
impossible to secure a warrant for the ar
rest of those who are maintaining unli-
censed vehicles, and the committee was
finally instructed to swear out warrants for
all offenders at the expense of the Central
Labor Union.
Free Trade With Porto Rico.
The cigarmakers submitted a communi
cation from G. w. Perkins. president of the
Cigarmakers' International Union of Amer
ica& stating that from recent advices and
from what 1 could learn in Washington
an effort will shortly be made by Congress
to pass bill to admit the product of Porto
Rico free Of duty. AS the settlement of this
question is very likely to set the precedent
and establish the future colonial policy of
the government especially in the Philip
pines, where large quantities of cigars are
made, and as quite number of cigars are
now made in Porto Rico. where more will
surely be made If admitted free to this
country, 1 suggest and urge you to at once
adopt resolutions protesting against the
admittance of cigars free of duty from
Porto Rico and forward them to your sem
ators and representatives in Congress"
The matter was referred to the legislative
COMMITTEES, which was instructed to prepare
a suitable resolution on the subject and
present the same to the s>en O fore -.