Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-07

of the local Drug Clerks Union relative
to the bill before Congress to amend the act
regulating the practice of pharmacy IN
the District of Columbia, the officers ana
members of that organization are OF the
opinion that the members of the congress
sonal committees will recognize union LABOR
by reporting favorably upon the bill
The pending measure in which the union
drug clerks so greatly interested pro-
vides: That from and after the passage OF
the act it shall be unlawful for the pro-
pretor of any drug store pharmacy to
require any registered drug clerk employed
in such store or pharmacy to work more
than ten hours in any one day, so arranged
that said registered drug clerk shall have
not less than three evenings off duty IN
each week, the term evening to mean
from pm. Any person or persons Flolat-
ing the provisions of this section shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and on
conviction thereof shall be liable to
fine of not less than SIS nor more than 500
for each and every such offense.
Section provides that Immediately after
the passage of the act, and annually there
after, often as necessary, the commas
sioners of the District of Columbia shall ap-
point two registered drug clerks to be ad-
ditional members of the board of pharmacy
for the District of .Columbta said addl-
tonal commissioners of pharmacy shall
render their services without compensation
and shall hold office for the term of one
year. and until their successors are aR-
pointed and qualified. Said registered drug
CLERKS shall have been residents of the Dis
trict of Columbia for five years, and of at
least six years practical experience in their
profession The fact of any registered drug
clerk having become proprietor shall not
invaliGate his serving commissioner OF
pharmacy until his term of office has ex-
pired.
When the bill was introduced in the
House and Senate it was accompanied by
statement which is, in part, as follows:
1.-THE Registered Drug Clerks Association.
composed of over So per cent of the regis
tered drug clerks of Washington, d. c., aim
not alone to better their condition, but to
obtain necessary legislation for the general
good and the better protection or the PUBIC
against the evils that exist in their profes-
sion and the consequent danger to- pubnc
health and life. A majority of the regis
tered drug clerks in this city are required
to work from fourteen to seventeen hours a
day. Their duties are not only manual, but
to decided degree mental. The long hours
and continued nervous strain must neces-
sarily incapactate them from rendering the
careful and correct service that is required
In the compromising and dispensing of med
icines and physicians prescriptions. In the
absence of the proprietor the registered
clerk is responsible for the proper conuuct
of the business and should he make an err
ror he is criminally liable. If the owner or
a store is not qualified pharmacist the reg
istered drug clerk is alone responsible
Should he sell poisons without making the
proper entry in the poison register, buy i'm
pure drugs or make mistake in the COM
pounding of a prescription, again he alone
Is responsible, and by existing law crImi-
nally liable For the foregoing reasons the
Registered Drug Clerks Association of the
District of Columbia respectfully and ear
nestly asks your Endorsement and co-opera-
ton in the passage of this bill. AS to their
having representation on the pharmacy
board, they surely are as well equipped and
as much interested in seeing that those who
are registered are properly qualihed as are
the physicians who decide as to who shall
practice medicine In the District of Column
bia or as the proprietors of drug stores VINO
decide to who shall conduct the drug
business in this city, and II is but an act OF
Justice that the registered drug clerks of
the District of Columbia should be given
representation on the pharmacy board.
Robert A. Callahan, president of the Hotel
and Restaurant Employees international
Alliance and Bartenders' International
League of America, was among the LABOR
leaders who visited the city during the
week He has just returned from an IN
spection tour through the west. and reports
that the international body Is steadily grow
ing, and that the present membership en-
titled it to seventh place on the list OF labor
organizations affiliated with the American
Federation Of Labor
President Callahan addressed the members
of Bartenders' League. Local No. rs, at
of his remarks he acquainted the local
craftsmen with the conditions In the west
and spoke In advocacy of the furtherance
of the use of the union blue button. At
the regular meeting of the local league.
Sunday afternoon, plans for the establish
ment of the league club house were con-
stdered, and the special committee in charge
was continued. AS yet the objection to
the establishment of the club house at sos
Il street has not been entirely removed, but
in view of the assurances that the league
has in its possession, the path is regarded
as clear. and it is thought the new club
house will be ready for occupancy within
few days.
A movement has been started by the
league to organize all walters mattresses,
cooks and the chefs employed in the local
hotels and restaurants. Some of the local
leaders look upon the task that the union
league has taken upon Itself as one of great
magnitude. in view OF the fact that the
majority of walters and chefs of the local
hotels are well paid and will. therefore, be
reluctant to join the union ranks. The
officers, however, express the belief that
within the next year every person thus en-
plOyed will be adorned with the union
blue button.
A bill bearing on child labor has been in
troduced in both houses of the legislature
OF the state Of Alabama. According to re-
ports the measure was framed in such a
way to meet with the approval of the
manufacturers and union leaders in the
state alhe. Inc eCerdtlOn OF WOmenS
Clubs is cooperating with the labor leaders
in the crusade against child labor.
The United Mine Workers of America
which recently held a convention in In
dianapolis, Ind. indorses the movement
against child labor and adopted resolutions
requesting the legislatures of every STATE in
the Union to pass laws prohibiting boys
under sixteen years Of age from working
in the mines.
Union labor has won another victory. The
senate of the state of Arkansas a few days
ago passed a bill designating the first Mon
day in September in every year as Labor
day"
The present year will mark an epoch in
history OF organized labor If the plans Of
the various labor bodies over the entire
country materialZe. In nearly every prin-
cipal city in the land many labor organiza-
lions have notified the employ erS that an
increase In pay will be looked for during
the coming spring. Washington is no ex-
ception, many local employers of union
labor having been requested to consider
such a proposition.
Sheet Metal Workers Union No - to
which nearly every sheet metal worker and
timer in the city is affiliated Is among the
latest to inform local employers that n
new scale Of wages will be inaugurated
May /. According to information the union
metal workers and timers expect to have
their pay raised from S. to $3.50 per day.