Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-04

how unreasonable and uncompromiSlng the
| acts Of violence invariably puts the strikers
in the wrong. The public absolutely closes
| it's eyes to the merits of a controversy when
one party or the other has actively sum s.
lated or has condoned acts of violence. The
use of force Is properly considered sign OF
weakness. The leader who desires to carry
strike to a successful conclusion must,
therefore, even as a matter Of policy, en-
| deavor to prevent the commission of such
acts.
ut is sometimes claimed that no strike
can be won without the use Of physical
force. I do not believe that this Is true,
but IL 1T is, it is better that the strike
be lost than that 1t succeed through vio-
lence and the commission of outrages The
cause of unionism is not lost through any
strike or through any number of strikes,
and If 1t were true that all strikes would
fail If physical force could not be resorted
to it would be better to demonstrate that
fact and to seek remedy in other directions
than to permit strikes to degenerate into
conflicts between armed men"
It is understood that violence in labor
troubles will form the subject of an ex-
tensve report to be submitted to the annual
convention of the American Federation or
Labor in Boston next week. 1t is further
understood that the federation will again be
asked to give a ruling on the subject Inc
federation stands for peaceable methods in
all labor disputes. 1t is likely that the
coming convention will provide penalty
for any member Of an affiliated union who Is
found guilty of any act of lawiessness In
such disputes.
The long standing controversy between
the Journeymen Tailors of America and
the United Garment Workers OF America
involving trade jurisdiction, is practically
a thing OF the past, and preliminary steps
are being taken looking to the consolida-
ton of the two organizations. The men and
women employed in making suits which
are sold under $25 in the United States and
$1S in Canada are to be under the jurisdic-
ton of the United Garment Workers, while
those making suits sold above that price
must be members of the journeymen tailors'
union
At the last meeting of the Central Labor
Union resolutions were adopted setting
forth that the Post Office Department hav-
ing recently let a contract for the supply
| Of 5000 catcher mail pouches to firm en-
ploying prison labor and as pouches made
| by such labor can be produced much cheap
! er than can be done by the employers of
other labor, thus in many instances secur-
| ing contracts to the injury of honest labor,
| the Central Labor Union Of Washington,
| D. c., hereby requests the tWenty-tnlro an
nual convention of the American Feoera-
| ton Of Labor to petition the Congress OF
| the United States to so amend the law ap-
! plying to public contracts as to restrict the
| letting of such contracts only to the en-
| ployers of honest labor.
| The proposition for utilization with the
| American Federation of Labor which was
| recently submitted to the vote OF the SUD
ordinate unions of the Bricklayers ana Ma
! sons International Union was rejected py
| a majority of forty unions out or 1913, the
| number of unions IN the HalioNd1 VI sdAiNa
| ton. A.,
| In referring to the result of the vote the
| current issue of the Bricklayer and Mason,
| the official journal of the Bricklayers and
! TV,fa a nj
| 1.-THE rejection of this proposition was
| most unexpected by a great proportion OF
| our members, and no less by the ofhcers OF
| the B. and NJ. 1. U. While we bow to the
| will of the majority, we have no hesitancy
in saying that we believe a mistake has
| been made.
| However the vote, as announced else
| where in this issue, shows that the PROPOSE
| ton has been defeated by very close
! margin-3S1 unions voted no; 34l yes rms
shows the measure to have been defeated
| by only 51s per cent of the 10 unions Vot-
| ing. Had the sixty-eight unions not voting
| taken part, this percentage might have been
| still less; indeed 1t may be said that the
measure might have been carried, for it Is
| always figured that those who are deter
| minedly against measure never fall to
| express their opposition. These figures, we
will say in conclusion, are not without
| some consolation for the friends of affilia-
| tion and that they may spur them on to
greater effort next year Is not improbable"
The question of the expulsion of the local
Steam Filters Union from the Central La
Dor Union, which is proposed by the Plumb
| ers' Association, was deferred at the last
meeting of the central body until after the
adjournment of the convention of the
American Federation of Labor, which will
meet at Boston, Mass. next Monday. 1t is
stated that the questions at issue between
| the organizations of plumbers and steam
filters will come before the convention on
appeal of the steam filters from the action
of the executive council of the American
Federation of Labor in revoking the char
| ter of utilization of the National Associa-
| ton of Steam Filters and Steam Filters
Helpers.
| At the last meeting a special committee
| of the Central Labor Union appointed to
ascertain the status of the local Steam Fit
mendation and motion prevailed to defer
| further consideration of the matter until
after the Boston convention.
The Central Labor Union recently adopt
ed an amendment to the constitution Of the
body which provides: when any firm or
individual is declared unfair by this body
all affiliated organizations are required to
| indorse the same within thirty days from
date Of such action by the central body,
and no grievance submitted by any organi-
cation falling to do so will be considered
by the Central Labor Union until the re-
quirement stated is complied with
1T shall be the duty of delegates having