Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-08

The signing of the agreement between
the Council of Allied Building Trades OF
the Central Labor Union. representative
body of the American Federation Of Labor.
and the Employers Association OF the
Building Trades of the District of Column
bia. announcement of which was printed
exclusively in The Star at the time, Is con-
sidered by employers and workingmen
alike as the crowning event in the history
of organized labor of the District OF Column
bia 1t is regarded also as in part the
realization of the suggestion Of President
Roosevelt made in an address during ms
recent western trip. At that time Presi-
dent Roosevelt is quoted as having sA'd'
among other things, that he hoped the DIS
trict of Columbia would soon be given laws
bearing on the relations of capital anu
labor thereby affording for the national
capital an ideal solution of the labor prob
lem, the all-absorbing topic of the day.
Much significance attaches in the minds
OF the local employers and labor leaders 10
the suggestion of the President That soiu-
ton Of the labor problem in the District
would furnish an ideal object lesson LOT
the entire country. Taking cognizance OF
the Presidents remarks, the employers ana
labor leaders, it Is stated, made an extra
result that the agreement referred to was
signed. AS heretofore indicated in the
Star, this agreement carried with 1t the
formation of a board Of arbitration, com
posed of representatives Of the building
trades and the Employers Association, y
which all grievances and disputes Will be
submitted for adjudication, thereby obvlat-
ing the necessity of strikes and lockouts:
In connection with the formation OF the
board of arbitration 1t was considered wise
by the Employers Association to enter into
individual agreements with tn, severaA
labor unions composing the Council! OF Al
lied Building Trades of the Central Labor
Union, thus bringing the separate crafts IN
to more direct communication with the
Employers Association. To carry out TINS
phase of the proposition an agreement TOT
the establishment of a joint Cancellation
committee was framed. 1t is understood
that all grievances arising will first pc SUD-
mitted to this committee. and should the
matter fail of settlement, 1t will then De
taken before the board of arbitration the
action of which shall be final.
Already agreements have been enter,d
into between the Employers Associa slon
and the Electrical Workers Union and the
Steamfitters' Union. Reports are to the
effect that the results thus far attained
exceed expectations. and that Indications
bid fair to prosperous future for all LABOR
unions which become party to such a
compact.
An important point In the agreement to
which the labor leaders and employers at
tach Importance Is that,1n which IT is
agreed that the parties Involved shall give
preference to and for each other in work
and employment; namely, that the union
will endeaYor at all. times to supply the
Employers Association and ITS individual
members with the number Of competent
workmen desired. and In the event of fail
ure or inability so to do. will not object to
working with men not affiliated with the
union. In return, the Employers Assocta-
ton and It's individual members are to give
preference in employment to the Individual
members affiliated with the union to the
. extent Of the ability or willingness Of the
union to supply a sufficient number of salts
factory workmen.
1t is also stipulated that nothing in the
agreement shall be construed to interiors
with or abridge the rights Of freedom and
absolute personal independence OF every
Individual. ..S.s
When asked for his views On the estab-
lishment Of the local board of arbitration,
prominent local labor leader said:
1.-The trades allied in the Building Trades
Council, of the Central Labor Union should
be commended parties to an agreement
with the contracting Builders Association
by which all differences in the future will
be submitted to arbitration. If faithfully
observed by both parties we will locally
have Industrial peace without the sacrifice
Of a single principle Of organized labor. 1t
means the meeting of the employer and en-
will lead to e. better understanding of their
relative conditions and tend to establish and
maintain amicable and harmonious rela-
tons between the two factors Of our in
dustrial world
'Of course, under these conditions strikes
and lOckouts would rarely occur and then
only as the dernier resort when the peaceful
method Of arbitration Is disregarded or the
refusal of a party to accept the final de-
cision OF arbitrator.
Il do not understand that the scheme OF
arbitration agreed upon will deprive men of
the right to quit work when they SO deter
min 10 ty,o1 hi VITO tIo,,
which the individual would be little less
than a slave While strikes are generally de-
plored by the intelligent and progressive
element OF organized labor, they are re-
garded as necessary evil-necessary at
times to correct abuses incident to our in
dustrial system and to secure improved con-
d1tions which are frequently denied the
workers by that class Of employers who re-
gard LABOR solely as a commodity for their
profit and who arrogantly declare, I'VE have
nothing to arbitrate," in cases of Disagree
ment and dissension with their employees.
The strike In most instances depends in
result upon the financial resources of one
party and the extent of the ability for en-
durance of the stomach of the other party
and 1t frequently occurs that the food sup
ply OF the laborer becomes exhausted be-
fore the bank account of the employer. Ar
bitratton. therefore, should be desired and
Is advised by most OF the national craft or
ganizations Of our country; it is provided in
most Of the trade agreement and when
this method of settling disputes becomes
general organized labor will have secured
full recognition"
Tine action we have taken with union
labor" said Secretary Graham of the EN-
ployers' Association, lis an ACKNOWLEDGE
ment of the fact that the employer and the
employe must work together to solve the
problem OF promoting peace.
zone cannot assume to dictate to the
other. but matters in dispute must be set
tied by each side making concessions to
the other. This cannot be accomplished
by large associations or individuals, but in
our opinion will be settled by small com
mittees of from six to ten members
I'm the arbitration agreement we recon-
mend the establishment of Cancellation
committees of the Individual trades, and
where these committees cannot agree the
arbitration committee SHOULD settle the diff
ference. We, as employers, have found
that when we meet committees from labor
organizations on equal afooting that the
union representative which we have met Is
not biased and unfairsminded man, as
generally pictured. but is,anclined to be as
fair as the employer. srThis is probably oc-
casioned from the fact tfiat the employer
recognizes the union representative, and
places him On equal footing in the confer
ence with the employer While the arbitra-
ton agreement as signed, does not contem-
plate interfering with Grade differences