Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-19

issued new song in honor Of the Grand
Army of the Republic encampmenr, entitled
Welcome, Boys in Blue"
Secretary James A. Stockman was born
in Maryland December 20, 1855. He learn
ed the trade of bookbinding In Baltimore
and for several years worked in that city
as iourneyman. In 1880 he received an
appointment in the government bindery,
and for the past twenty years he mas been
very active member in the Bookbinders
Union. In 1890 he was elected recording
secretary. In 1896 he was again elected
secretary, and he is now serving his
seventh term
Mr. Stocknan served for several years
on the arbitration committee of his union,
| and is thoroughly familiar with the tasks
and methods of binding now in vogue in
the government bindery. He represented
his union as delegate to the international
convention in Cleveland in 1900, and is now
| a delegate to the Allied Printing Trades
| Council. He resides at Laurel, Md
! 1t is said that, aside from those govern
ment employees who, because of their clas-
| sifcation under ruling of Controller
| TraceWel would be entitled to pay for a
Saturday half-holday, the building trades
| are more Immediately interested than any
| other class of workers. The recent action
| of the Central Labor Union in appointing
committee to confer with the heads OF the
| various government departments and re-
| quest that per diem mechanics and labor
! ers be given the same consideration as
| OIneT employees, SIOulu II ne ueclQeu lHdl
| a Saturday half holiday is legal, may, it is
| said, involve several questions of alleged
discrimination which have long been the
| cause of complaint by those of the building
| trades who have been employed by the
| government.
1t is said that. notwithstanding the fact
| that the law provides per diem mechanics
| and laborers shall receive pay for all legal
| holidays, the rule of the various depart
| ments requires that workr1en of that class
must work the day Immediately before and
| after the holiday to be entitled to pay, and
| in some instances it is said a full week S
| work before and after a holiday is required.
| Another cause of complaint is the loss of
| pay on those special occasions when the
| departments are closed by order of the
| President. The case is cited of the loss
| of pay by those employed in the construc-
| ton of the new government printing office,
| when, last September, work was suspended
| for three days by order of President Roose-
| Welt on account of the obsequies Of the late
| President Mckinley.
In this instance Controller Tracewell de-
| cided that per diem employees Of the govern
| ment who are not permanently and contin-
uously employed are not entitled to be paid
| for those days when public work Is sus-
pended by executive order
The decision of Controller Tracewell raised
| the very serious question as to whether
| Temporary per diem labOrers' would be
! entitled to pay for a Saturday half holiday
| should the Attorney General decide that
| the amended code legalize the same.
Secretary Winslow of the Council of Al
| lied Building Trades has, for the infOrma-
| ton of the members of the various crafts
| heading the card of the council. furnished
| to each a copy of the rules relative to the
working card recently issued by that body
| The rules quoted provide as follows:
| THE executive committee of this council
| shall consist of one delegate or alternate
| from each trade or calling allied with this
| council and under no circumstances shall
| the business agent of this council be eligi-
| bic to act on said committee Alternate to
| represent delegate in his absence.
The executive committee shall have full
| power to consider all grievances, strikes or
difficulties which may be brought to their
notice. and, if possible, effect a settlement
| thereof.
when a grievance exists on any job or
| building ii shall Immediately be reported
to the executive committee, and the find
ngs of said committee shah be final and its
decisions abded by.
mo workman will be permitted to work
on any job who is not in possession of a
working card bearing this seal or device
and where such a condition exists it Shall
be imme diately reported to the executive
committee of this council and work shall
proceed pending the action Of said execu-
tive committee
The provisions of this section do rot APP
ply to the Bricklayers and Masons' Union or
Operative PlastererS until so notified by the
council"
About 2.25O council cards are now held by
the members of the building trades, which
includes about 10 per cent of local building
craftsmen. The council, it is said, will
place a business agent in the field and it
is probable that one will be chosen at the
meeting of the body next Tuesday evening
| when officers will be elected.