Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-10-29
.LABORAND DEMPL LOVERS
National Builders in a Vigor-
GUS Discussion.
QUESTION A VITAL ONE
WILMINGTON DELEGATE CRITI.
CISES TRADES UNIONS.
National Association Elects Officers
and Committee Pays Visit to
President Roosevelt.

Union labor and labor organizations gen.
orally were given a severe rap by a num-
ber of the delegates to the National Asso-
citation of Builders this morning during a
discussion Of the papers read yesterday by
William H. Sayward of Boston and Thomas
Armstrong Of Philadelphia. There are pres
ent at the convention representatives from
Baltimore, Boston, New York, Philadel-
phia, Louisville, New Rochelle, N. Y, Pitts
burg. Wilmington, Del, Washington, Chi
cago, Cleveland st. Paul, Wilkesbarre,
Milwaukee, Detroit, Oshkosh, Wis; st.
Louis and other cities. The convention ad-
journed at 1915 o'clock to enable a commit
tee of twelve members to wait on President
Roosevelt and deliver to him copies of the
papers read at yesterdays session.
Before the discussion was renewed this
forenoon Samuel B. Sexton of Baltimore,
chairman Of the committee appointed to
audit the accounts of the treasurer, report
ed that everything was in a satisfactory
condition. Stephen Wright of New York,
chairman Of the committee on nominations,
submitted a report recommending the re-
election of the old officers, as follows:
President, John S. Stevens Of Philadelphia;
first vice president, Charles A. Cowen of
New York; second vice president, Samuel
b. Sexton of Baltimore; secretary and
treasurer, William H. Sayward of Boston.
The report was adopted. ST. Louis was
decided the place for the next meeting
of the association. The consensus Of opin-
ion was that February is the better month
for holding the convention and the date
was left to the discretion Of the executive
committee.
Labor Discussion Renewed.
Frank Harris Of Philadelphia led the dis
cussion of the labor issue as related to
the building trade. He said it was a pc
culiar thing that there was never a strike
when business was poor; that strikes occur
only when trade is prosperous.
The employer of labor works harder
than the humblest man in his employ lie
declared. IF we can show that the en-
ployer has the same interest in bringing
about solution of the differences between
capital and labor there will be less strifa
A Philadelphia paper this morning quotes
union leader of that city as saying that
we are assembled to fight labor. This is
not true. There is no safety except in
organization, and employers must stand to-
gether. AS master builders we must or
ganze for self-protection or the unions
will oVerrun u.s.
AlonzO Guest of New Rochelle, N. Y,
said that in Connecticut and lower New
York there had been perfected an organiza-
tfon which takes in all branches of the
building trade. This organization issues
and the cards tell whether each man has
been a disturber, whether he Is faithful
workman and all about him. The plan, he
said, had worked we'll, and he believed
that it would be good plan for all build
Ing exchanges to adopt 1t.
I'VE have no grievance against unions
primarily he said, but we do want them
to be as fair and just with us as they ex
pect us to be with them"
A. M. Struck Of Louisville, KY. told of
the labor conditions in that city. so far as
they related to the builders. Several years
ago, he said, the builders exchange recog-
nfZed the unions, but they soon found that
the labor organizations were trying to pull
down the exchange, and then the agree
ment that existed was annulled. Strikes
and sympathetic strikes followed, but the
tarily advanced the wages Of employees, he
said. and that took the wind out Of their
sails
Troubles Here at Home.
w. E. Spear Of this city said the condi-
tions were better here than they are IN
many cities. There had been a few strikes
There have been contentious among the
carpenters he said but the chief con-
tention Is that they are at ears among
themselves. The master builders declined
to recognize the Central Labor Union and
to employ men from one organization to the
exclusion of other bodies"
The master builders organization Of
Washington, he explained, was really a
general contractors association. He said
the strike that was 1naugurated was broken
by the builders Increasing the wages of
their employees.
''They are still agitating in an effort to
force the builders to recognize the one Gem
trail body" he continued I'VE are willing
to recognize union labor, properly organ
lied, but each trade separately. There are
only about forty general builders in WASH
ington, and twenty belong to our associa-
tion. This Is really more than one-half
when it is understood that those twenty do
about so per cent of all the work.
Mr.. Spear explained the workings Of the
employers association, which is composed
of three delegates from every organization
in the building trade. He said the work of
the association had proven satisfactory.
The master builders, he said, had repre-
sentation in the association.
No Sympathy With Trade Unions.
II am not in sympathy with trade unions.
On the contrary, am opposed to them. :"
A. s. Reed Of Wilmington. Del, declared
in beginning his remarks. 'They have
always been managed in anything but a
business way. There was never a trouble
between themselves and employers where
they ever pretended to do as they agreed.
uont want anything to do with them al
though have had to In the past, much to
my discontinue We have today a serious
sample of what union can do in this
country, ana 1t amects every one There
should be law compelling unions to fulfill
their contracts with employers the same
as we are compelled to carry out all con-
tracts we make"
At the close Of the discussion President
Stevens appointed these members as a com
mtttee to walt upon President Roosevelt at
the temporary White House: Samuel b.
Sexton, William H. Sayward, John Atkin-
son, John Virgins, Frank Harris D. w.
Farquhard, John H. Donahue, Alonzo
Guest, A. NJ Struck George Watson and
Stephen M. Wright. The committee was
accompanied by A. 8. Shields of Phila-
helphia, who presented the members to the
President
The annual banquet of the association
will be held at o'clock this evening at the
New Willard, where the sessions have been
held.
Admiral Evans in Command.
The Navy Denarfment was today IN