Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-21
IN LABOR CIRCLES


Labor and the officials of the Southern Ex-
panded Metal Company. looking to settle
ment of the dispute which recently devel-
oped in the erection of the Portner Hotel
Annex at 10th and streets northwest. The
trouble arose over the employment Of six
teen knights of Labor fathers by that COM
pany in the fireproofing of that structure.
The legal phase of the controversy came
to a close Thursday when Justice Hagner
of the Supreme Court of the District OF
Columbia refused to grant an order enjoin-
Ing august F. Getz & Son, contractors for
the work of erecting the annex. from inter-
fering with the fireproof workers employed
on the structure by the metal company, one
OF the sub-contractors. Judge Hagners &C
ton was regarded as a signal victory for
the Central Labor Union. and as result
the pending negotiations for an amicable
settlement of the dispute were begun and
an informal meeting was held Thursday
evening No definite plan was decided upon,
put another conference will be held within
day or two.
Labor leaders familiar with the status or
affairs state that in their opinion the out
come of the present negotiations will be
that the knights of Labor men will be-
come affiliated with the American Fedora
ton of Labor through the Central Labor
Union. Under the terms of Judge Hagner's
ruling according to the labor leaders, this
is the only way by which the perpleXfng
controversy can be solved. The Central
Labor Union officials say the decision Of the
court Is regarded as recognition of the
validity OF labor union contract which re-
quired that none but local Union labor af-
filiated with the American Federation of
Labor. shall be employed by a contractor
me decision is also regarded by the labor
leaders as applicable to those having sub
contracts, whether this requirement of a
general contract is specifically stated or
not This, they say. is plainly evident from
the Iact mat the court sustained the con-
tention OF Getz & Son that there is no prior
lty or contract between a sub contractor
and the owner of a building and that
contract requiring work to be done by a
certain class of labor is also binding upon a
sub-contractor. 1t is learned that a further
attempt Will be made to have all local fire.
proof workers become identified with the
American Federation of Labor, as stated,
through the Central Labor Union.
At the next meeting of the Retail Clerks
Union, No. 262. one hundred and sixty-fiye
new members will be admitted, an election
to fill the offices Of president and recording
secretary will be held and the membership
VIII be asked to vote on two amendments to
| the constitution and bylaws of the body.
The amendments are that 1.-The minimum
dues Of this union shall be 81 per month
Tor each male member and so cents per
month FOR each female member, payable
quarterly, in advance" and that "any mem
Der purchasing goods after the prescribed
hours g and o'clock. from a non-union
| clerk or from house falling to observe the
early closing, or in any way violating the
laws or obligations of this organization
shall be tried before the executive board
after charges have been properly fled and
said board shall report this decision to the
union for final action; and any member fall
ing to attend at least one meeting per
| month shall be fined 81 per meeting for each
meeting missed. Failin gto pay said fine by
the beginning of the following quarter said
| member shall be suspended from member
ship and not reinstated until such time as
the fine imposed, together with the neces-
sary reinstatement fee, shall have been
paid"
After the routine business has been trans
acted. entertainment. arranged for the
members and their friends for which no ad-
| mission will be charged, will be given. A
special committee appointed to prepare for
the occasion, has perfected a musical and
literary program which will be rendered by
talented members. Addresses will also be
| delivered by men identified with the local
labor movement
With the new members to be admitted at
the meeting. it is said. the clerks union
will rank as one of the largest labor Or
ganizations in the city. The union Is keep
ing up an animated agitation against all
establishments which are remaining open
after regular closing hours and which do
not employ union labor. This power is being
felt and the employers of the city are
watching the steps taken by the organ1za-
ton with keen interest.
Word comes from Tampa, Fla, that the
lives of two organizers Of the American
RECREATION LaDOT, now III tudC part Oh
the country, have been threatened by
committee composed Of the citizens of
Tampa and the surrounding country, who,
1t Is stated, are opposed to the labor lead
ers. A dispatch was also received in this
city Thursday evening to the effect that
many people OF Tampa are of the opinion
that the organizers wrote threatening let
tiers to themselves for the purpose of ex-
citing sympathy.
President Gompers has invoked the aid of
the chief Of the police of Tampa. and has
asked in the name Of organized labor that
full protection be accorded the organizers.
The officials at the federation regard the re-
port that the organizers wrote the threat
ening letters to themselves as an absurdity,
and assert that it must have emanated from
a most unreliable source-
BY virtue of an agreement reached sew
eral days ago at a meeting of board Of
arbitration representing the Order of Com
mercial Telegraphers and the International
Union Of Commercial Telegraphers, those
two Organizations have been merged into
one and will hereafter be known as the
Commercial Telegraphers' Union Of Amer
lea.
The question Of who should be at the head
OF the organization after consolidation was
one of the most important that confronted
the arbiters. and in order that harmony
might be preserved an executive committee
was appointed, with Messrs. Percy Thomas
of New York and 1. ]. Mcdonald of Chi
cago as associate presidents. These officers
with Messrs. Wilbur Eastlake Of New York
A. G. Douglas of Milwaukee, w. F. Craig of
Pittsburg and M. ]. Reidy, comprising the
executive council, will remain at the head
of the joint organization until next July,
when a convention will be held in New
York. at which the agreement Of amalga-
nation will be ratified and an election of
new officers will occur. Up to the present
time. and since the International Union of
Commercial Telegraphers was formed, each
body published an official journal One of
these publications will, sequence to the
amalgamation, be abolished. Mr. A. G.
Douglas of Milwaukee will be the editor Of
the joint publication. The great telegra-
piers strike Of 1883 will be celebrated upon
the occasion of the convention of the teleg-
raphers next July.
The action of Judge Hagner Of the Supreme
Court OF the District in refusing to grant
an order restraining August F. Getz & Son
from interfering with the employees Of the
Southern Expanded Metal Company in the
installation Of the fireproof1ng Of the Port
ner Hotel annex. occupied the attention of
District Assembly, No. 60. at its meeting
Thursday evening. The workmen referred
to are affiliated with the assembly
The case was thoroughly discussed, and It
was agreed that the petition was faulty.
The body has at present. 1t was stated,
such evidence as to justify the issuance of
such a restraining order 1t was intimated
that the case would be reopened by the
metal company, and that the knights of