The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-30
AN AGREEMENT REACHED
The Building Trades Council War
Practically at an End.
Representatives. of the Two Factions
Again in OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ton to Shut Out the DisturIcrs-
Individual Unions Must 8ct-Origin
of the Long Standing Trouble.

The representatives of the two factions
of local building trades. at joint meet
ing last night. agreed upon terms for a
settlement of the differences that have
long existed between them. 1t only re-
mains now for the individual unions to
rGtify the action of their representatives
and then Il general meeting of the dele
gates will be called for the purpose Of or
ganizing a building trades council com
posed of all the unions of the two fac
tons From what was stated by the lead
ers OF the factions there is no room TO
doubt that the dissensions which have
kept the building trades apart have been
satisfactorily adjusted. and in the new or
g2nization the different local bodies VIII
be more firmly bound together than ever
before.
The disruption OF the Building Trades
Council in March last was the result oil
4 discussion in relation to the admission
of a new organization to membership. AT
the time the council was broken there
was due it several hundred dollars as its
share of the profits of the last Labor Day
excursion, in which it participated with
disruption the unions of which the Build
ing Trades Council was composed formed
two organizations. each of which claimed
to be the legally constituted Building
Trades Council in the District.
The circumstances surrounding the
breaking # the old council we're reported
to the National Building Trades CouLciI,
which declared that it would not recognize
either Of the factions. The Central Labor
Union. however, recognized one OF the fac
lions as legally constituted and later this
faction made a demand upon the central
body for the funds which were due the Old
building trades council from the Labor Day
excursion fund. James l.. Feeney VS.
treasurer of the fund. and refused to pay
over the money. In defence of his acuon
he stated that he did not believe that the
members OF one of the factions had any
more claim on the money than the o:he-.
In his effort to settle the matter MI.
Feeney submitted a resolution to the Cen
tral Labor Union suggesting the app )int-
ment of a committee to endeavor to effect
a settlement of the differences between the
two factions. The resolution yas adopted.
and Messrs. Street and HammerstTom
were named, with Mr.. Feeney, TO act for
the Central Labor Union. On the follow
ing night the committee was given an aud
fence at meetings OF the contending fac
lions, and as a result each appointed COM
mittees TO act with the committee of the
Central Labor Union for the purpose Of
bringing about harmony.
The representatives of the three bodi-s
met several times in joint session. At the
first meeting eight propositions were sub
mitted as a basis of settlement. These
were referred TO the two factions, and w=re
amended several times. AS whole, the
terms proposed were satisfactory, but for
two or three weeks matters of minor i'm
portance were discussed which caused de-
lay in arriving at an agreement
One of the most important features in
the plan of settlement is believed to be
that which bars any Of the delegates now
representing their unions in either of the
faction from admission as delegates TO the
new council when formed. This restric-
ton. however, only refers to the election
OF delegates during the first year after
the organization of the new council. This
stipulation was made, it is said. to try
and prevent clashes between the delegates
of the opposing factions which represented
their unions in the old council.
1t is expected that the new organiza-
tion will be Of great usefulness to the
building trades OF the District Not be-
cause the unions will be more firmly
bound together. but because the council
will be materially increased numerically.
The two factions will meet again next
Tuesday night Each will report the pro-
posed terms of agreement TO the re-
spective unions. They will then adjourn
for thirty days and await the report from
the different unions upon the PROPOSE
lions The reports will be sent to Mr.
Feeney as chairman Of the joint confer
enee committee. who. in the event that
the terms are accepted by the individual
unions. will issue a call for a general
meeting Of delegates from the building
trades for the purpose Of organizing a