Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-09

There IL a possibility that President e. r.
Francis and other officials Of the Louisiana
purchase exposition will be called upon to
repudlate or recognize organized labor In
connection with the arrangements for the
fair in st. Louis next year. So far as Is
known and can be ascerta1ned. however, all
work on the buildings composing the expo
sition Is being and will be done by union
labor in accordance with the desires of the
officials.
In awarding the contracts for all supplies
work etc. the officials of the exposition, 1t
is said. exercised great care to see that
such contracts went to firms and establish
ments which were in sympathy with the
trades union movement. 1t has developed,
however that the contract for the ma
chinery, power and electrical work incident
to the exposition was given to the west
fnghouse Electrical and Machine Company
of Pittsburg, Pa, which at present IS IN
yolyed in a controversy with the lnterna-
tional Association of Machinists over the
question of wage.
Recently the Pittsburg Manufacturers
Association signed an agreement with the
International Association OF Mach1nlsts IN
which 1t was set 1orth tnat ennpioyss "a
work only nine hours day, and shoulo re-
ceive an increase of IN per cent In pay. AS
the proprietors of the Westinghouse Com
pany are now members or the manutacIu-
rars, association an attempt was made by
the machinists organization to reach an IN
diyidual agreement with that company on
the same basis as that with the manulactu-
rers' association. All attempts to this end'
A. ia learned were without avail, ana as
result the 500 union machin1sts OF the west
inghouse plants were called out on strike ;
All efforts on the part OF the iaoor Vi
c1als to bring the struggle to close. II Is
said have been unsuccessful. Within the
mast few days the controversy mas assunsu
q critical aspect and it Is learned In an au, ,
thoritative quarter that heavy pressule VIZ
be brought to bear upon the Westnehous
Comnony in connection with the contracts
The labor leaders. 1t is said have no de-
sire to delay the work OF erecuns .ns e,. pu ~
ings of the exposition. but to cope with the
situation. should 1t be found necessary 10
adopt stringent measures. 1t Is learned, IN
strnct;ons have been issued to the laDor
officials at St. Louis to gamer ,a ebta am
tion on the status of AFFAIRS oDtaindpie.
The controversy was the basis OF d
cent lengthy conference between Presloeht
Samuel Gompers Of the American I euS'a
ton of Labor and PRESIDENT 1aG .io, nf
nell of the International Association VI
Macbinists No definite plan or proceouto,
If is said. was outlined at that time. owing
to the fact that the attention OF all lapor
officials was taken up py the af au Pres,.
for the celebration Of labor Gay @
dent Samuel Gompers Is expected to return
10 washington from the west In DAY uI
Two when he will confer further Wltn
President O'Connell to oeseri nh 30 tn1 Innress
the Westinghouse Company with the gray
ity of the situation \ n D.,a.,+
O'Connell deem IT. exponent. .ne nn ~
viii be laid before tho executive counciI Oh
the American Federation or LABOR, az
cOmpanied by a request for oecis i,,
should the council adopt the course. Wnic.'
-, <,1sAT 10 q N
evitable. the Westinghouse Company wlii
be placed on the unfair Ist OF oLsan1o
labor of the United States. At the -, sam ne
time it is likely, that an order Will ~. pe
,nsn9b of organizatiohs animated with the
federation from, handling the products Oh
the Westinghouse plant. Sucn an o, ,l,,l
would affect every electr1cal "orhe,, o"e 81
neer machinist in fact. every class OF
workmen which is, in any manner. snaps VI
form. identified with the mechanical ere
ment of organized labor. 1t Is also polntYu
ont that such a course would completely
tie I'D all work in connection with the mt
chanfcal features of the exposition.
THE American Federation OF LABOR Is
sending out circular letters to every inter
national and national labor organization IN
the country inuuiring as to whether or not
thew intend to contribute some article or
document for the exhibit of the Federation
at the Louisiana purchase exposition at 81.
Louis next year. 1t Is also set lortn IA
these letters that 1t Is highly important that
such contributions should be at the once
of the Federation as soon as possible. that
an accurate estimate of the space required
for the exhibit at the fair might be made.
1t il the desire of President Gompers and
other officials Of the Federation to get up
an exhibit that will commend itself TO the
general public. The task of arranging such
exhibit is one OF great magnitude and re-
uuires considerable time. For this reason
President Gompers Is now sending out the
4 ~l,,<v t,~,vr, 10 a
1t has been realized that to evoke the m
terest Of organized labor generally into the
project 1t will be necessary to procure from
every international and national organiza-
ton some sort of a contribution. AS there
are about a hundred international organ
izations affiliated with the Federation. 1t Is
obvious that a contribution from these
alone will make up neat display that Will
require considerable space in the hall to be
allotted to competitors.
The placing of an exhibit at St Louis Is
in keeping with a precedent established at
the time Of the worlds fair exposition In
Paris. and pursuant to instructions Issued
at the last quarterly meeting OF the execu-
tive council of the Federation For Its ex-
hibit at the Paris fair the Federation was
awarded a first prize-a handsome gold
medal A fac-simile of this trophy-an
official recognition Of organized labor-oc-
cupies conspicuous place on the wall OF
President Gompers' Office In Typographical
Temple, while the original medal is in
cased in a magnificent plush box in one
of the strong boxes of the Federation SAFE
With the hope of gaining additional laurels
the labor exhibit upon the conclusion Of
the worlds fair in France. was removed to
the pan-American exposition at Buffalo in
1901. The officials of the last-named fair
did not make any provision for any prizes
for such exhibits, and in consequence the
display by the labor unions received no
official recognition there beyond an honor
able mention.
The exhibit of the federation at Paris and
Buffalo was composed Of a complete set of
the proceedings of the convention of the
organization. literature ION the labor move
ment and economies the method of book
keeping In vogue amongtthe labor organiza
tions lengthy description of the operation
and perfect conduct of such bodies and the
like. Such an exhibit however, it is under
stood, will not be considered circumstance
compared with the display to be placed be-
fore the people of the country at st. Louis
next year. .
It is more than likely that President Will
liam J. Kerngood of'the local union of the
American Federatio oPl Musicians will be
called upon by characterization to assist
the national officers iax their fight before
Congress this winter against the acceptance