The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-09-12
Drastic Action Taken by President
Buchanan, Of the Bridge and Struc-
turaI Iron Workers.
ILLEGAL STRIKE WAS CALLED
AND NO ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO Ar
BfTRATE DIFFERENCES.
Business Agents Permitted to Usurp
Authority OF the Executive Board
and Do as They Wished.

NEW YORK, Sept. n.-President Frank
Buchanan, Of the International Association
OF Bridge and Structural Iron Workers., last
night announced that he had annulled the
charter OF local No. 2, OF the Housesmiths'
and Bridgemen's Union, the organization of
which Samuel Parks Is the virtual head, and
had suspended the local union. This action,
he says, he takes under the authority vested
IN him by Section 2 of Article 6 of the con-
stitution of the international Association.
Nj. Buchanan's letter annllling the charter
which was sent tonight TO the meeting
place OF local No. 2 follows:
Investigation into the charges and COM
paints entered against your organization
has led me 10 the following conclusions:
That the agreement of May l. 1903, between
the international organization and the en-
ployers' association. known as the Manu-
facturers' and Erecters' Association, has
been broken and violated by the action Of
Your local IN the following particular: Your
Organization has called a strike against
members OF the association with whom this
contract OF May j, 1903, was made, which
strike has been disastrous alike TO your local
and to the international association The
contract provides that In case where mis-
understandings or disputes arise between
the employer and the mater In
question shall be submitted to arbitration
locally without strikes. lockouts or the stop
page OF work. pending the decision OF the
arbitrator.
mo effort was made on your part to ar
bitrate the questions at issue between your
disregard OF your contract obligations not
alone reflects upon the standing Of your
own local. but endangers the international
organization; Is against the principles or
trade unionism, which the international
association eSpouses, and is alike damaging
to the rank and file and it's officers.
Further investigation has developed that
your organization has to in
volve other locals OF the International or
g~anization in strikes with their employers
which would be against the agreement they
have with them, and against the interests
of the International organization as we'll
as trade unionism in general. Such action
on your part Is wholly unwarranted and
contrary TO the constitution OF the interna-
tional organization, and because of the con-
sequences. which are too apt to follow,
they must be made the basis OF action
ganization.
Investigation also has developed that
your officers have been guilty of mali
ciously false statement against the inter-
national officers, which action on your part,
IL allowed to go unpublished, must bring
the international organization into disre-
cute and weakness alike with the public
and the great body of workingmen COM
prising the membership of the locals of
our organization throughout the country.
In addition to all this, your business agent
Is violating the constitution of your local
as well as the constitution of our national
organization by assuming control of strikes
your executive board. You also have al
lowed your business agents, or they have as
sumed the authority OF so doing. to secure
the discharge OF members of your organiza-
ton who were not In sympathy with them
While these two latter facts were proper
matters for action by your local organiza-
ton your failure to remedy them has en-
'dangered the principles of trade unionism,
which the international organization is
pledged to defend and support. and per-
mitted a wrong to be perpetrated on mem
'bers of our trade union in good standing
with their organization.
by reason of the foregoing, and the
serious consequences which the interna-
tional organization must suffer If 1t per-
mits you to go unpublished, i am con-
strained, as president of the international
Association of Bridge and Structural Iron
Workers, in pursuance of the power con-
ferred upon me by Section 2 of Article {
of the constitution governing our national
association, to declare your international as
ISOLATION of bridge and structural iron
workers forfeited"
The communication from President Buch-
anan advising No. 2 local that ii was sus-
pended, when read by the chairman at the
meeting Of that local tonight. was received
with boots and jeers. j. w. Johnston, Sec
Rotary and treasurer OF the association,
declared that il had no official virtue be-
cause 1t was signed only by Buchanan,
and must come through him (the secretary
in order TO be effective. 1t was voted to
lay President Buchanan's letter on the table
for one week.