Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-20
CENTRAL LABOR UNION
Representatives Of Thirty-Two 0rganisa-
tions Attend Meeting Last Night.
Appeal Read From Carpenters and
Joiners of Chicago Respecting
LOck-Out-Other Matters.

LOck-Out-Other Matters.
President H. W. Szegedy occupied the
chair at the meeting last evening of the
Central Labor Union, and Mr.. ]. H. Brink
man served as secretary. Representatives
from thirty-two allied organizations were
present
Communications were read from several
merchants. stating their willingness to
close their places of business at o'clock
each Saturday evening. In this connection
it was also reported that a number of 9TH
ers had agreed to close at that hour.
The Central Labor Union extended a vote
of thanks to the merchants referred to, and
it was ordered that a list of those who have
closed their stores at the time agreed upon
be printed. with the recommendation that
organized labor patronize these establish
c.ents.
A communication, which was referred to
the business agent, was read, in reference
to lock out of the building trades in Chi
cago. 1t was stated that 10000 men are
now out of employment in that city by
reason of the stagnation in building opera
lions due to the controversy. The commu-
nicatfon in part was as follows:
THE 1ong-deferred and much-advertised
lockout by the Chicago Contractors
Council Is now upon us. and although this
contractors during the past five months,
We are able to report on this seventh day
Of lockout that the movement is an alb
ject failure
THUS far not more than 200 of our mem
bers are actually locked out, and less than
800 of all building trades are affected by ac-
ton of Contractors Council, whom we are
happy to say are not representative of rep
utable builders and contractors of this city.
But there is another serious condition
confronting US; to meet it We ask your as
sistance. Owing to the agitation of the
bosses. their misleading statements and TN
just accusations against the objects and
methods of our union, and the threat that
the building industry would be tied up for
an indefinite period, many prospective in
veStorS. contemplating building have post
poned their work. with the result that the
market is overstocked with resident labor
of all crafts.
THAT we may defeat the contractors in
their attempt to crush our organization it
is necessary that all building workmen
should stay away from Chicago not Only
during the controversy, but for many
months after, until such time as the build
ing industry shall have resumed its normal
condition.
Asks That Order Be Recinded.
A letter was also read from a baker
whose name was placed on the unfair list
by the Central Labor Union, asking that
their previous action be rescinded. In his
letter the baker denied that members of
the Bakers and Confectioners' Union had
been discharged because they belonged to
that organization. AS the writer of the let
ter made no suggestions as to how the .ex-
isting trouble between himself and the
Central Labor Union may be settled and
as the grievance committee which made
investigation of the case stoutly maintained
that the charges were well founded the
communication was ordered to be placed on
file
The resolutions of Columbia Typograph-
lcal Union, protesting against the use of
'type-setting machines in the census bureau,
to which reference was made in yester-
days Star. were Endorsed.
The legislative committee, to which was
referred the request of the president of the
Cigar Makers International Union, that
the committee in behalf of the Central La
Dor Union protest against the introduction
of Porto Rico cigars into the United States
free of duty, reported that organized labor
is opposed to any measure which will per-
NIT the competition of the product of I'M
organized and underpaid labor with the
organized labor of this country. The COM
mittee further reported that 1.-The question
Of the imposition of duty upon Porto
Rican products, we'll as the general
question of import rates, being partisan
question. which is the stock issue of polti-
ment. we do not think it proper that it
should be considered in relation to those
comprehensive matters which engage the
attention and earnest efforts of organized
In conclusion the committee asked to be
relieved from further consideration of the
subject, and the request was granted.
Mr.. Harry L. Eichelberger secretary of
the Baltimore Federation of Labor who
was admitted to the floor with Mr.. William
Edwin Boyd of Syracuse. N. Y, introduced
the latter to the union. Mr. Boyd made an
address, in which he stated his purpose To
be to interest the members of the union in
the publication of an illustrated history Of
the various trade organizations in the city
A committee was appointed to confer with
MIR. Boyd, and subsequently an agreement
was made with him, under the terms of
which a history as proposed will be printed
and distributed.
Question of Union Labor.
Mr.. Emmett L. Adams, business agent
for Virginia and the District of Columbia
for the International Association of Ma
chinists, and representing the Central La
Dor Union of Newport News, was also in
troduced and he conferred with the BODY
relative to Its action in placing a brewing
firm on the unfair list. He stated that the
agent of the firm in Newport News, where
considerable quantity of the product of
the brewery had previously been consumed
desired to know what conditions it would
be necessary to submit in order to have
the name or the manufacturer taken off of
the unfair list. Mr.. Adams was informed
that the matters at issue could be adjusted
If the brewing firm would agree with the
Central Labor Union that in all future con-
tracts for building construction, in which
the parties are interested, it shall be pro-
vided that none but union labor shall he
employed; also that all labor in the brew
cry shall belong to those trades which are
affiliated with the Central Labor Union
A committee was appointed to arrange
for a lecture to be delivered next month by
q. v. Debs under the auspices of the Cen
trail Labor Union. The committee is com
posed of Messrs. Dennis Ferry, Samuel d.
Nedry, John H. Brinkman, Milford Spohn
and John N. Wright. AA