The age-herald., 1902-03-02
CONDUCTED BY B. ". BRUMLEY
BITTER FIGHT OF
 BREWERY WORKERS.

The bitter brewery war being waged in Cincinnati between the Brewery Work CTS Union, on one side and the Steam Engineers and Employing Brewers in the the Brewers Exchange, on the other which has been extended through the local union of Brewery Workers to Birmingham has caused much speculation. A brief re- view of the circumstances as near as can be ascertained Is here given.
 The Brewery Workers Is national un- ion, affiliated with the American Fed eration of Labor, and its membership consists of the employees in the different departments of the manufacture and dis tribution of beer, beginning with the malt ing process down to the delivery of the finished product. It has been a growing and energetic organization that has mate rially bettered the conditions of it's mem bership. The engineers, firemen and coop CTS employed In most of the breweries are affiliated with the national unions of their craft, who are also recognized by the American Federation of Labor. The Brewery Workers, thinking to strengthen their position, tried to bring these work CTS into their union, which was resisted by the men and their national unions The case was brought before the Louisville convention of the American Federation of Labor and the decision was adverse to the Brewery Workers Again the matter was brought before the Scranton convention of the Federation last Decem- Der, and in the official report of the pro- ceedings the following disposition of the fc Inhf hafn faa convention as a supplementary report of the Executive Board and read:
 ''In the controversy between the Brew cry Workers National Union and the Engineers and Firemen's and Coopers' International Unions, We regard it as a violation for any of the union engineers, firemen or coopers to be forced into the Brewery Workers National Union, and that such violation of the terms and spirit of the last decision and agreement should not be countenanced or tolerated '
 This was referred to the committee on executive council report which later In the session reported as folloWs
 We agree with the findings of the council relative to the action of the Brew cry Workers, forcing engineers. firemen and coopers into their organization. and look upon such conduct as a violation of the decision of the last convention
 
 convention.
 This did not end the strife, but imbit- tered the feeling already existing, and the fight was carried back to Cincinnati. one of the largest brewery centers and headquarters of the Brewery Workers National Union, and thrown into the cen tral body there. The central body buried it in committee, but the war went on,
 Now comes a new light. The Brewery Workers National Union sent out many circulars to different parts of the coun- try stating that there was a combination of master brewers whose object was to crush the Brewery Workers organiza- ton and asked that the Brewery Work ers label be demanded on every pack age. This statement bore the earmarks of truth in the light of events An agi- tation was started. and it can here be re- marked that this agitation got the mat CT into the Birmingham Trades Council, where 1t has been a 0lg problem for sev eral months. The Cincinnati breweries, while entitled to the use of the label, re- sisted putting it their product and cited the fact that they had a contract until 1903 which did not make 1t compui- sorry to use the label. Where the label was demanded and nothing else would be had they sent the labels out to agencies to be put on there, and this caused more tI oubls.
 But back to Cincinnati. It seems that the war continued until the Brewery Workers charged that the Engineers Union was in a conspiracy with the Mas ter Brewers to wreck the Brewery Workers. From the best reports obtain able it appears that the engineers signed up long time contract with the brew