The Washington times., 1902-05-22
Developments of the Past
Few Days They Claim
Are Encouraging.
SOME EMPLOYERS ACCEDE
They State That Number of the
Bosses Recognize Demands That
Were Originally Refused by the Mas
ters' Association-Mr. Brooks Talks.

The developments of the last few days
in the plumbers strike prove most en-
couraging to the men. number of this
employers. it is claimed. abandoning the
fight and joining those that originally re-
fused TO stand by the Master Plumbers
Association and withdrew from the as
ISOLATION as n consequence. There are
now tAirty-three master plumbers in the
city who have recognized the demands OF
the strikers and are engaged in caring
for all work that presents itself.
In the absence of any statement from
the strikers as to the situation and as to
the justice of their contentious. Mr.. Z
F. Brooks, of E. F. Brooks & Co.. deal
ers in gas fixtures, Fifteenth Street. last
night gave his opinion of the trouble.
Mr.. Brooks was one of The first to with
draw from the Master Plumbers Asso-
citation. refusing TO acQuiesce in their ac-
ton from the start. He said:
MI. Brooks Talks.
1.-THE statements given out by the
master plumbers regarding the merits OF
the situation are at the best misleading"
Mr.. Brooks stated There has never
been any contention as to the two APP
prentices that are allowed In each shop
under the union regulations. With the
hundred shops in the city this means a
schooling Mt all times of at least two
hundred boys, which will surely pro-
vide as many journeymen for the future
as the city can care for. The helpers
over whom the fight is being made have
no opportunity TO learn the trade, and are
In fact what the name implies, simply
messenger boys for the journeymen.
Under the old arrangement. when
ever a plumber was sent out on a Job
q helper was dispatched to carry the
tools and TO run such errands and do
whatever work the 1ourneyman might di-
rect. The boys naturally picked up much
information and frequently would be sent
out to do work for which they were not
fitted. but for which the public were
charged as much as though iourneyman
and helper were both sent out ON the
work.
las a consequence. in the dull season
these boys were frequently sent out on
light work and the journeymen were dis
charged. To alleviate the situation the
iourneymen now propose to do alone the
work which they have been heretofore
doing with the aid OF helper, and in
stead Of having TO pay Sc a day for
plumber and his helper the public will
only be charged s. day for the same
work.
Helper Sometimes Needed.
There arc, of course, some jobs where
q helper is needed and the old rate will
have to be charged. ] formerly did but
little plumbing. but since the strike
have been taking all jobs that present
themselves, and am now working ten
union plumbers.
THE plumbers in Pittsburg have just
won after their strike on the same prin-
ciples. and ] believe that as soon as the
Washington public recognize that the de
mands of the men are just and in the
interests of all parties except OF those
employers who have made a practice of
charging journeymen's wages and having
the work done by helpers that success
will attend the present strike"