The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-27
WANT TO HURRY THE ISSUE.
LABOR UNIONS 8LAY NOT WAIT IN
TIL. MAY 1ST TO GO OUT.

Builders Are Ready to Settle the
Matter Nov-LabOr Organizers Adj
dress the Unions in Mass Meeting;
The Situation Very Little Changed
builders Exchange to Olsen a Reg
lister for Laboring Men.
The labor problem continues to drag ts
weary length along with but few changes
on the part of either the unions or the
Builders Exchange. There was a slight
difference yesterday between Contractor
Armitage and his union carpenters, who,
when they found that he had subiet a
part of the interior work of the houses
on which they are engaged, at the demand
of the Building Trades Council quit work.
They returned. however, upon Mr.. ArmH-
ages assurance that there would be no
further subetting.
The Builders Exchange held its dA lily
meeting, but transacted little business OF
importance. A resolution was read anu
passed TO open a bureau of information in
connection with the exchange, for the pur-
pose of assisting both the members who
are in need of workmen and workmen
who are in need of jobs. The idea is 20
establish a register where any mechanic
of the building trades, who is in need of
work, may give his name, address, and
trade, and thus furnish the contractors a
ready and up-to-date register of all work
men In the city who can be secured; at
the same time giving the workman an OPP
portunity of bringing his name and occu-
patton before possible employers without
the trouble of a weary tramp from place
to place wherever building may be going
on in search for work
The Exchange members also arranged
for q blackboard to be put in their meet
ing room for the purpose of posting such
Information as may be of general interest
TO the members.
Though the majority of the union men
are at work they continue to hold many
meetings, of which the transactions are
kept as secret IS possible. Last night there
was a general mass meeting, at which
many of the unions or some of their repre-
sentatives were present 1t was addressed
on the question of strikes I'M general, and
the proposed ole in particular by F. L.
McGruder, Sou -hern organizer of che
American Federation of Labor, and also
by a number Of other speakers, among
them r j. NaU ghtin, who has lately re-
turned from Phil adelpha where he went in
the interest of he Carpenters Union, OF
which he has become the Southern or
ganizer.
The impression Is out that the plans Of
the unions may be changed, and that in
stead of waiting for May 1 for the limit
of their demand fer more money and less
hours, they may decide to hurry up mat
tiers and anticipate the original limit by
several weeks if not couple of months
They fear that the contractors, having so
much time in which to prepare for the
strike, that they are led TO believe ineVita-
BILE may so arrange their plans as to
make it difficult, If not impossible for the
strikers to secure their demands
The builders. on the other hand, view
the situation with equanimity; If the union
men go on a strike now, when business
is comparatively dull, enough non-union
men can be had to Gerry on the work,
while any further contracts that are made
will have embodied in them special
clause protecting the contractor against
any demurrage that may be incurred by
a strike or other labor trouble. Under
these conditions they are satisfied to wait
and see what the turn of events will
bring forth