The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-03
Their Statement of the Situation at
Cincinnati, COvingtOn and New
pO-t, Where Strike Is On.
IMPORTANT INDUSTRY PERILED
BECAUSE TRADE AUTONOMIsTs AND
OPPONENTS QUARRELED.
President GOmpers's Decision Ignored
and Fresh War DecIared-La-
Dor News In General.

CINCINNATI, April AT a meeting last
night of the Central Labor Council of Gin
cinnati, Covington, Newport and adjoining
towns, eighty-two trades and labor unions
being represented. sympathy with the
United Brewery Workers was expressed,
the boycott emphasized and war declared
on the engineers and firemen as we'll as on
the local breweries. To-day the local brew
ers made general denial of the declara-
tion Of the Central Labor Council and
adopted unanimously the following:
1.-The basis of the decision recently rem
dered by President Gompers, of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor, was that the
claim of the Brewery Workers Union to
the Jurisdiction over engineers and firemen
working in breweries is without justifica-
tion.
President Gompers decided that the ac-
ton of both the Brewery Workers Union
and the unions of engineers and firemen
was wrong, but that no blame whatever
attached 10 the brewery proprietors in
volved The Central Labor Council expelled
the engineers and firemen for alleged con-
spiracy with the brewery proprietors
against the Brewery Workers Union.
Gompers listened two days to testimony
unwarranted.' In spite of this decision the
Central Labor Council still sustains this
charge against the brewers of Cincinnati
and endeavors TO excite the prejudice Of
organized labor against them. when the
highest official and representative Of or
ganized labor. having been accepted as the
final arbiter in the matter, has decided the
charge to be false.
'All the facts were presented to Mr.
Gompers in the presence of the officers of
the Brewery Workers Union. and not one
was denied. In spite OF violations of our
contract by these officers, the brewers ex-
pressed their willingness to adhere to the
terms of this contract until its expiration,
provided some guarantee were given
against recurrence of such violations As
such guarantee the right to hire and dis
charge men-a right enjoyed, according to
Mr.. Gompers's statement, by all employers
excepting the brewers-was stipulated:
such right to take effect only from Feb. l.
1905. when the present contracts between
the employing brewers and the union ex-
pires This demand was drawn up by Mr..
Gon1Ders and was, I'm Mr.. Gompers's pres
ence. agreed TO by the representatives of
the brewery Workers Union.
During the FIVE weeks OF lockout brought
about bv this jurisdiction squabble between
two unions TO which squabble the brewers
were an innocent party. the brewing busi-
ness of the city. which the Central Labor
Council claims represents 00.000. had 10
be saved from ruin. and no other means of
thus saving il existed than by employing
new men, These new men could not have
been obtained unless pledge had been
given them by the employing brewers that
they should have steady work. provided
they gave satisfaction. 1t was stipulated
that they must join the union. the brew
ers desired that all should be uniOnized.
Admitting the necessity that had
brought about the employment of these
mountaineering +00-the Brewery Workers
Union was willing that they should be re-
tained. but demanded that the brewers
should take back a once al the old men
whose places had been filled by new ones
As this was impossible. the proposition was
made by the Brewery Workers Union
that the old men should be taken back and
simply laid or The brewery prOprietors
refused To be a party TO such a transac-
ton and Herewith negotiations ended
The battle now waged is one of jurisdic-
tion over which the employer has no con-
troll whatever IL is a controversy between
the upholders OF trade autonomy. To which
the American Federation OF Labor is
pledged. and industrial autonomy, which