Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-07-01
President Mcdonnell Tells About Last
Weeks Conferences.
CASH REGISTER WORKS TO REOPEN
Encouraging Reports Received To-
day From Cincinnati.
METAL TRADES, STATEMENT

President James OConnell Of the Inter-
national Association Of Machinists re-
turned to Washington this morning from
New York, where he went last week to hold
another conference with the Delaware and
Lackawanna railway officials regarding the
strike of machinists on that system. No
agreement was reached, however, and Mr.
OConnell reports that the contest has re-
solved itself now into one of endurance.
About 1000 men have been out on this road
| since May s. This is one cause for COM
plaint on the part of the road officials, who
| claim they were Disseminated against. Mr..
OConneli explains the matter by stating
that the committee of machinists which
met the officials to have preliminary talk
regarding the nine-hour day were talked
| to so roughly by the officials that when
they reported their reception to the men a
strike was at once ordered. and took place
before the general strike on May 20.
Cash Register Conferences.
Commenting on the conferences held in
this city Saturday and Sunday between the
representative of the National Cash Regis
ter Company of Dayton, Ohio, and labor
representatives, Mr.. OConnell said that he
believed much good would result although
there is still differences unadjusted be-
tween the company and the metal polish
ers. The company willingly acceded to the
nine-hOur demands of the machinists and
the allied metal mechanics, about 11O0 in
number, returned to work for the company
several days ago. Mr.. O'Conneli says the
difficulty now is really the question of the
reinstatement OF four or five metal polish
erS which the company DISCHARGED a vote
will be taken by the workrnen at DAYTON
today, and it is predicted that this small
matter Will not be allowed to stand in the
way OF the reopening of the entire works
with its force of $500 worknen
The Goss Printing Press Company of Chi
cago have acceded to the demands of their
W. machin1sts for the nine-hour day, and
IN 1ne men returned to work this morning
Ihere are two nrinting press manufac &C.
turers In Plainfield. N. T. employing to-
eether about 800 men, A settlement was
reached with one Saturday. and the other
.I urn mas announced its willingness to grant
the demands Of it's men.
Encouraging Reports From Stnc,nn.+,
Ihe first encouraging reports since the
strlke began In Cincinnati came this morn
ing Mr.. O'Connell received dispatches from
tnere thls morning announcing that the men
and their employers were getting together.
There are about 1900 nasn out in that city.
ana heretofore there seemed to be no dfspo-
sitlon on the part of either to consider mat
ters.
The Pacific coast situation remains un-
changed "
President O'Connell received a telegram
from Newport News this morning denying
the report that was current yesterday that
the men there contemplated returning to
work without having gained their point.
Mr. OConnell says this report had been
used IN other places to influence men to give
up the struggle. The telegram from New
port News states that there has been no
| disposition at any time among the men to
give up the struggle. and that all are de-
termined to stand firm. This message was
indorsed at meeting Of the men held yes
terday.
Metal Trades Statement.
A statement has been given out by the
National Metal Trades Association, an Or
ganization Of employers, in which they de-
clare that their position in the present
strike Is simply one Of defense against I'M
fair and unjust demands of organized labor,
and not against unions or wages. They
charge that the general and local officers OF
the Machinists' Union did not keep faith
with their association in the matter of de-
claring the strike. In summing up the as
sociation declares its position as follows:
I'VE declare that the Machinists' Union
has through Its national and local officers
broken faith with and proven itself to
be an irresponsible body, with whom we
can make no contracts that will be binding
upon 1t. We recognize the right of any
man to belong or not to any religious po-
lit1cal or economic sect as he may see fit:
also his right to leave our employment at
his free will, and his right to sell his labor
at the best price he can command. We
maintain our inalienable rights to employ
man whether he belongs or not to any
organization and at wages mutually satis-
factory, and also to discharge him at our
discretion. We insist that the manage
ment Of shop is in the hands of the
employer and is not to be interfered with
by the employe. We insist that fair
wage, and we will give a fair
days wage for a fair days work.
We believe that shortening of the work.
ing hours or an increase of wages can only
be brought about by the hearty co-opera-
tion of employer and employe in advancing
and not in retarding production and by in
Producing and not fighting improved meth
DDS. We decry strikes and Iockouts as un-
| businesslike and unnecessary, and believe
that all disagreements can be adjusted by
other means and the condition Of employer
and employe both be benefited more by
harmonious progress than by strife and dis
cord"