New-York tribune., 1903-04-02

has authority to take supervisory action oyer
affairs and pass the action of President
Gompers.
LABOR MEASURES IN CONGRESS
Congress will not be permitted to forget two
matters of federal legislation which have been
agitated for some time-the Eight Hour bill. af-
fecting all work done for the government by
contract. and the restriction of the broad and
general use Of injunctions against the working
men, The Eight Hour bill passed the House oe
Representatives three times. at the last ses-
sion favorabIy reported to the Senate, but
did not reach vote. The injunction measurs
has never been brought to equally advanced
stage OF completion. but particular attention
is to be paid to IL as soon as the LNIIIth Con
gress meets.
1t IS believed by some OF the government off,
ciaIs that the awards Of the Anthracite Coal
Strike Commission will operate to increase the
number of strikes. because these awards are
generally considered victory for the miners.
On the other hand, IL Is pointed out that the
cost of the victory was excessive and that IL
will take nearly three years, under the most
themselves for the heavy loss they were obliged
to sustain as a result Of their long idleness.
While it is said that the advance il the wages
received by organized labor has hardly. -
quite kept pace with the advance in the cost
OF living. the shorter workday is pointed 70 "a
a substantial Improvement OF the condition OF
the American worknsman over any previous
year in his history.
STRIKE ON DEPARTMENT BUILDING
There is a strike on the new building which Ia
being erected for the Department of Commerce
and Labor The men who are laying the mo-
sale floor. twenty-five in number almost
equally divided on the vital question OF union
ism The union men have two majority. AMI
have quit work pending their demand that the
ten remaining shall join the union De dis
charged. This demand is to be backed Up b.
the entire building trades Of the city. and the
question is to be brought to a head to-norTou
night when the contractor will be called upon
to face the executive council OF the allied unions
on the matter.
The new building is not government struct-
ire but il has been leased by Secretary Cor
teIyou. and organized labor believes = has its
department created in part for its benefit. and
should the question be referred 70 the new Sec
retary the outcome will be watched with the
greatest interest. particularly as 10 what meth
cd will be used 20 arrive at a conclusion between
capital and labor.
Strike Day in Washington was not produc-
tive of any sensational developments. The high
water mark of prosperity has been reached IN
the building trades so far as the workman l7
concerned and not a man went on strike tO-da y
for shorter hours or higher pay The stOnecut-
ters received an increase of pay of 80 cents a
day and the carpenters have the same demand
pending for May l. The latter battle Is expect
ed 10 be won without a strike, as was the for
mer. There is a membership Of three thousand
III the various building trades organizations in
the District of Columbia gain OF eight hun
dred in the year The unorganized workers IN
the same business number just half this total
The eight hour workday is universal. and the
wages paid are the highest ever received BY To-
cal mechanics.