New-York tribune., 1901-06-12
SAY STRIKERS BROKE FAITH.
NATIONAL METAL TRADES ASSOCIATION
CONVENTION ISSUES A STATEMENT.

The National Metal Trades Association,
which declared war on the striking machinists
recently. began a convention at the Gilsey
House yesterday 10 organize all the firms
throughout the country. Detectives were sta
toned in the corridor IF the hotel to eject union
spies If any were discovered.
The session began at IL o'clock with Edwin
Reynolds. of Milwaukee. the president, in the
chair 4 feature of the meeting was the large
number of outside employers present. They
came from every part of this country. Canada
and Mexico.
The policy of independence adopted by the
administrative committee in Chicago was
approved
When adjournment was taken there were fully
! three hundred delegates present. At the close
Of the afternoon session a statement defining
the position of the association in the pending
trouble with the International Association OF
Machnists was given out
This statement. after declaring that President
o'Connell of the International Association OF
Machnists deliberately violated the agreement
made between the National Metal Trades Asso-
citation and the International Union Of Machin-
lists, to arbitrate all disputed questions by call
ing the present strike. defines the attitude OF
the employers toward the machinists' organiza-
tion in the following words:
We declare that the Machinists' Union has
through its national and local officers broken faith
with us and proven themselves to be an irrespons-
BILE body, with whom can make contracts
that that VIII VII be binding upon them We recognze the
political or economic sect he may see fit: also
his right 10 leave our employment at his free will.
and his right to sell his labor at the best price Re
can command. We maintain our inalienaole rights s
organization and at wages mutually satisfactory.
and also & to & discharge him at our dscreton re % We
OF The The empIoyer and is not to be int intereTed with
a
give fair day: wage for fair DAYS work. We
believe that shortening of the working hours or
an increase Of wages only he brought about
& by the e hearty co-operation OF employer and en-
ploye in advancing and not in retarding production
methods
An executive session held last night by
the Administrative Council The association ad-
journed until 10 o'clock this forenoon tt ,
will also he afternoon and possibly a nr!t
session to-day. The principal work to-day will
he to pass the constitution and bylaws and
to take measures to strengthen the local asso-
Citations in the various parts of the United States.
CaEada and Mexico.
After the night session Secretary Devens gave
out statement. part of which was as follows:
At no time in the history of the National Metal
trades Association has the representation by dele
gates covered such an extensive territory I'm the
meeting held to-day. The Pacific Coast was repre-
scented by three delegates. taking in all the manu-
IartuIlng industries engaged in the machinery bus
ness The delegates represented San Francisco.
lor-and. ore, ana Seattle. Wash. They pledged
their organizations the declaration Of principies
as adopted In Chicago by the administrative council
at their meeting in that city May IS and % and
presented their credentials showing that they were
ready and prepared to stand by the National Metal
Trades Association in the present crisis.
| adhere 10 their principles for all time come
The most important matter brought up az the
convention was the adoption Of a measure for tho
immediate raising of a fund that the present
treasury fund OF the association might he increased
10 S9lp0 The raising OF this amount Of money FOR
the protection Of the manufacturing Industries Of
tho United states and Canada devoted the ma
q difficult
At the meeting to-day thIrty-hve manufacturing
establishments. employing upward Of seventy-nve
hundTed men. signed applications for membership,
| and were Immediately enrolled
The finance and strike committees well az ofber
StandinG committees. appointed by the prcsi-
the future conduct Of the affairs of the
during tho present crisis.