The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1903-08-08
COMMITTEES n ATS ION ...:. Z. !. !.
CARPENTERS UNION
BIG Meeting IS HELD AND MUCH
INTEREST is SHOWN, =:
Trades Assembly Committee Gives Its
Version Of Dispute Over Delegate
kieIIey's Refusal to Take Oath.

version OF Dispute Over Delegate
kieIley's Refusal to Take Oath.
The Carpenters union will stand by
Elk delegate S. M. Kelley and until
such time as the Trades Assembly re-
sends it's former action and seats Mr..
Kelley without taking the oath it will
refuse to send delegates to the Trades
Assembly. In other words, the Car
penters' union has withdrawn from the
Trades Assembly.
The Trades Assembly committee
consisting Of President Henry Per-
eault, Vice President Thos. Freshney,
Secretary j. A. Barron, Reading Clerk
Jos. Pratts and Delegate w. E. NC
Even, were. admitted into the hall of
the carpenters with positive prompt
ness. There was 4 large attendance,
and considerable business was before
the meeting, but all was cast aside to
hear what the bearers of Trades AS
sembly greetings had to say.
Secretary Barron was the first spea-
ker. He gave the records of the
Trades Assembly from the time a
committee was appointed to draft
new constitution, until after it was
ratified by the unions and finally
adopted by the Assembly. He told Of
the motion made and adopted which
required every delegate to take the new
oath. He showed by the minutes that
Delegate Kelley himself had made the
motion instructing the secretary to
notify the unions of the refusal of GER
tain delegates to take the OATH and
asking that new delegates be sent in
| fh0i o1oo ~
refused to take the oath were from
the plumbers, stear1fitters and car
penters' unions. The plumbers and
steamfitters had sent new delegates,
but the carpenters had decided that
Delegate Kelley would not be COM
PEELED to take the oath, and therefore
refused to elect a aew delegate.
Mr.. Barron then read the oath, which
is as follows:
"a do solennIy pledge my word and
honor as man that | will obey the
rules and regulations Of the Assembly,
| and to~the best Of my ability perform
all tho duties incumbent on me as a
member thereof. i do further promise
that when purchasing goods of any
description ] will at all times procure
those bearing the union label whenever
! possible. do further pledge that
| when employing labor ] will employ
union men in preference to Others"
| President Pereault was the next
| speaker. He referred to the estrange-
ment in feeling terms. He answered
| several accusations that had been made
| against him on the streets. He said
that one member of the union had been
reported as saying that it was the
Cigarmakers' union that destroyed the
Trades Assembly ton years ago, and
that the Cigarmakers were trying to
do 1t again. Mr.. Pereault grew elo-
quent in defense Of his union, when he
was interrupted by President Lowe of
the Carpenters union who asked:
Have you proof, Mr. Pereault, that
d member Of the Carpenters union
said that?'' :"
Mr.. Pereault-"I haven't it here but
I can produce it,
| With this the matter was dropped
Mr.. Pereault closed by asking the car
penters to again send delegates to the
Assembly,
Reading Clerk Pratts said that he
was sorry that he was not at the meet
Ing on the evening when the carpen-
ters' delegation walked out of the AS
sembly. He regretted that such OLD
veterans as Mr.. Baker and Mr.. KEEL
ley who thirty years ago shouldere6
| their guns to prevent the disun.
ion of the United States, would by one
act in moment Of passion DESTROY
so far as they were concerned, the
very principle for which they gave the
early portion Of their lives.
Vice President Freshney referred tc
his close connection with the carpen-
tiers. He said that it was trifline
matter over which they were fighting
and expressed the nope that they al
could get together on common
ground.
Delegate McEwen spoke for harno.
ny. 1.-THE interests Of both were toe
important for a DIVISION" he said
Never in the history of the labor
movement was there such a necessity
for labor to get together. We can't
afford to quarrel over trifllng matters
Mr.. Kelley himself embarrassed thu
assembly when he made the motion
advising the unions to send new dele.
gates in place of those who refused tc
take the new obligation. :.
When all was over President Lowe
| Of the union asked the committee
whether or not Mr.. Kelley gave any
reason at the meeting why he would
not take the obligation. To this Mr.
Pratts replied by stating what oc.
Cured, when Mr.. Kelley arose an:
said: MIR. President I object to the
statement, he is only trying to evade
the question. Let him state positive
ly.''
The chair said that he would let Mr.
Pratts make the explanation.
j. H. Baker wanted to know who
was responsible for the article in the
News Tribune which~stated that Mr.
Kelley preferred not to bind himself
to purchase union label goods, but he
wanted the privilege to buy what he
pleased.
No one knew anything about this