Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-02

from a labor viewpoint occurred Thursday
morning. when a sympathetic strike, affect
ing about 500 workmen Of various crafts
affiliated with the Allied Council OF the
Building Trades of the Central LABOR
Union was declared at the New WIZARD
Hotel annex and the new District pumping
station at Sd and Trumbull streets north
west, full account Of which was published
in The Star at the time. The cause OF the
general movement was. it is said, an at
tempt on the part of the George A. Fuller
Construction Company to ascertain wnetner
or not members of the United Brotherhood
of Carpenters and Joiners Of America
would work beside those Of the Amalga-
mated Society of Carpenters and Joiners
The brotherhood men refused, and to en-,
force the dismissal of the Amalgamateo
workmen a sympathetic strike was de-
clared.
The history of the war between these two
organizations goes back many years, anu
has been the source of much anxiety 10 the
American Federation of Labor. recently
the agitation broke out afresh In new YORK
city, and for many days the construction
of many of the large buildings of that city
was almost entirely blocked. tortunately
the dispute in this city lasted put a rev
hours, the Amalgamated men being dls-
missed by the contractors.
The outbreak in this city was a great
surprise to International labor leaders. The
| differences were for the second time aired
! before the quarterly session of the execu.
| Labor at Toronto last week, and mutual
agreement had been reached between the
| dual organization looking to settlement OF
| the controversy for all times.
The matter was first taken up by the
American Federation of Labor at its last
convention at New Orleans in December.
| When first preached the representatives or
| both organizations at the convention WERE
tn II frr,,, tixyaJry OF n cyCn
| and 1t was with some reluctance that the
| officials of the organizations considered
overtures for peace.
| Vice President James Duncan of the fed
| GRAFTON acted mediator and received the
| consent of both parties to arrange con-
| ference. Mr.. Duncan's plan was that the
| workmen of both organizations should work
| together by temporary agreement until the
| matter finally adjusted. This appar-
| emily met the sanction Of all parties con-
| cerned, and a resolution was passed by the
| federation providing for the appointment
| Of board Of arbitration to consist OF
eleven members, each organization to elect
| five members and the ten thus constituted
| to choose the eleventh, a referee This
action tended to placate the warning fac
| tons for time, and up to the time of the
| recent strike in New York city it was be-
| lieved, the controversy had been satisfac-
tOrily adjusted.
When the quarterly session Of the execu-
| tive council of the federation convened at
| tives of the two carpenters ordinations
were among the first to appear with griev-
ances. All members of the council are
! thoroughly conversant with the contro-
versy, and Immediately upon suggestions the
representatives of the two factions decided
| to accept the proposition made in Deem
| Der by Vice President Duncan.
| Accordingly President Gompers ordered
| the appointment of the board of arbitration
| referred to, with instructions that it should
| hold a conference within twenty days from
| the date of agreement. In conformity
| with President Gompers instructions nego-
| tiations are under way for the selection Of
| the members Of the board. Should the
| board fail to reach an agreement, 1t is in
| timated that the federation will take hold
| of the matter and perhaps deal out punish
| the present negotiations will result in the
| amalgamation of the two organizations. 1t
| is not generally thought that the local oc-
currence will have any detrimental influ-
ence upon the exchange of overtures
It Is probable that in the future the trade
| relations between the employer and en-
ploye Of the building trades will be deter
mined collectively between the council of
| building trades Of the Central Labor Union
| and a local builders association. This as
ISOLATION. it is stated. is composed Of and
| represents the organizations of the en-
! ployers of the various building trades
committee representing the Allied Coun-
| Gil of Building Trades recently con-
| ferred with committee Of the employers
association relative to the terms of a gen.
| eral agreement which would provide for the
| submission of all matters in dispute to a
| board of arbitration. Other matters of
| trade relations were also considered, but no
definite agreement was reached. 1t was
| decided, however, that the employers would
| submit the draft Of an agreement to the
Allied Council Of Building Trades for con-
| sideration, the action upon which, it is I'M
derStood, Will be reported at a conference
| of committee of the council and of the
| employers which will be held at date not
yet determined.
| The committee in charge of the arrange
| ments for the entertainment which will be
| given by the Women's Label League has
| extended a general invitation to attend to
| all persons who are in sympathy with the
| objects Of the league Arrangements for
| the entertainment have been completed.
| Through the courtesy of the Central Labor
| Union the use Of the large hall in Tyno-
| graphical Temple is rendered the league for
| the occasion, the central body having de-
cided to convene at o'clock next Monday
| evening and adjourn after a business SEES
| sion of an hour, when the entertainment
Will commence.
! The committee announces that Mr.. Sam
| uel Gompers, president of the American
Federation of Labor: Mr.. H. W. Sherman.
| general secretary National Brotherhood of
| Electrical Workers, and others prominent
| in organized labor will deliver addresses
A committee of the Central Labor Union,
composed of Milford Spohn, J. M Heisley
and e. J. Ratigan has submitted to Post
| master General Payne a number of charges
alleging various offenses committed by GER
| tain employees and subordinate officials in
| the mail bag repair shop Of the Post Office
| Department..
| The committee also submitted to Mr.
| Payne the complaint of those employees
whose wages were reduced several years
| ago. with the request that the wages be
restored to the previous rate. The Post
master General assured the committee of
| the Central Labor Union that the matter
submitted would be given the earliest pos
Sible attention.
| Mr. Frank Morrison, secretary of the
American Federation Of Labor, reports
relative to the conditions of employment
| during March, 1908. that 81 per cent of
| sc, 293 were without employment. In Feb
ruary of 40, 100 reported 81 per cent were
unemployed. 1t is also reported that dur
| ing last March 157 charters were issued by
| the federation, as follows: National and in
| ternational unions. 2; central bodies, IL;
| federal labor unions. "a; local trade unions,
| 50.
| Much space in the current issue of the
| official journal of the American Federation
of Labor is devoted to a symposium on
| child labor. denoted by the compilation as
| 1.-THE industrial crime" by industrial and
economic writers and international labor