Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-02-28
IN LABOR CIRCLES

| The outlook for a settlement of the strike
| Of the union machinists, boilermakers and
blacksmiths of the Union Pacific Railroad
| Company is regarded as discouraging, both
| the strikers and the officials Of the railroad
/ refusing to yield one iota. The diff1culty
began June last, since which time it has
grown in bitterness, and indications war
| rant the prediction that 1t will continue in
force for several months to come-perhaps
| until next June
| This strife has attracted widespread at
tention, not only among the respective
| crafts involved, but among the rank and
file of organized labor generally. 1t has
| thoroughly tested the strength OF labor
| unionism and, 1t is claimed, proved that
| Gin union there Is strength" The officials
| of the International Association OF Machln-
lists. who are located in this city; the In,
| ternational Union Of Boilermakers ana
| Shipbuilders, and the Brotherhood or
Blacksmiths are naturally concerned, work
| men to the number of about LOCO affiliated
with those organizations being involved In
| the difficulty.
| According to statements of the officials
| Of the machinists' union, the strikers have
| not manifested the slightest desire to yield
| to their employers, and are, as a body,
firmer today than at the time the strike
| was inaugurated. The workmen afected
| by the difficulty are paid weekly strike
| benefits by their respective international
| other organizations and those persons VINO
are in sympathy with them
From a labor viewpoint 1t cannot be SAID
| that the difficulty has not been productive
| of good. When the strike was inaugurated
| the railroad officials were loath, 1t Is said,
| to recognize the union employe when con-
sidering the affairs of the company, but
| they finally relented and extended the hand
| of fellowship to the officials Of the inter-
national labor unions with which the strik-
| ers are affiliated, and made known their de-
H. 1i,,11o fnd CIt1-
sequently there have been several confer
| ences between the strike leaders and the
| officials of the railroad, but at none could
the conferees agree upon any definite plan.
| A conference was recently held in Omaha,
| the strikers being represented by men Of
| their immediate organization and several
| of the international officers of the various
| bodies. The latter were present in response
| to an invitation extended to them by the
railroad officials at a previous meeting.
This last conference was also productive OF
| no agreement, both parties remaining
steadfast to their convictions and as re-
suit the trouble is in a very entangled
| state.
The principal causes of the strike are
| that the union officials are unalterably OPP
posed to the premium system of work, the
men preferring to labor by the day; that
| the strikers believe they should receive an
| advance in salary Of at least Is per cent;
that a new system Of shop rules should be
| framed and regulations as to the number
of apprentices that should be employed be
established.
According to an official of the machinists'
| association, the railroad men are DESTROYS
Of inaugurating the premium system, which
| has been the topic Of much discussion at
| all the conferences, and have expressed a
| willingness to grant the increase Of pay
| and to frame a new set of shop rules and
| regulations regarding the employment of
apprentices upon the condition that the
| strikers shall acquiesce in SO far as the
| premium system is concerned.
| The officials Of the machinists offer sew
| eral objections to the premium system, the
| principal one being that it tends to urge
men to produce to their utmost capacity
| and ability, thus rapidly wearing them out
| mentally and physically, and, in the end,
to suffer reduction in wages. 1t Is de-
| clared that as the men increase their out
| put the company would unquestionably re-
| duce the rate of pay agreed upon. as has
been done, 1t is declared. in instances
| wherein the premium system has been prac-
ticed. The union officials also point out
| that in hurrying to make large pay the
| work turned out by the men would not be
OF as fine quality as produced under the
| present method.
| In other words, the labor leaders declare
| that there Is no stability or reliability in
The system proposed, for where men have
| labored under the premium plan there has
| been a continual change in wages and con-
ditions, workman having no knowledge
from day to day what his income will be
the following day.
All arrangements for the conference look
ing to the amalgamation of the two COM
Of namely the
raphers and the Order of Commercial Te-
| legraphers, TO be held in this city March 10
have been completed. The board Of arbi-
| traitors has been selected, and the confer
| ence will be held in conformity with an
| agreement reached between the two organ
iZations.
| Each organization has selected two arbi-
| traitors. and the four thus constituted will
select fifth The decision of this board
| will be final with locals Of both organiza-
tons. The idea of the consolidation of the
| two bodies has been discussed for some
time, and 1t is with a view to granting the
| requests of the members Of the two organi-
cations that the conference was arranged.
The Order of Commercial Telegraphers Is
| at present operating under an international
charter granted by the American Fedora
| ton of Labor, and 1t is the desire of the
majority of the commercial operators that
| the International Union of Commercial Te-
| legraphers come under that charter.
The question of charter is not at ISSUE
and it is thought that it will form only
| minor detail of the forthcoming conference
| Although the purposes OF the two organiza-
| tions are almost identical. the questions at
| issue consist solely Of who should be at the
| head of the organization The two bodies
| as they now exist are in full sympathy with
| the request for an increase of pay made by
| the operators employed by the Associated
| Press.
Mr.. Samuel Gompers. president of the
| the entire week in Chicago in an effort to
| bring about a settlement Of several labor
/ disputes In that city. One Of the principal
| purposes Of Mr.. Gompers' visit is to adju-
dictate the difficulty between the United
| Garment Workers and the Special Order
| Clothing Makers, which was the cause Of
| recent attack on Mr.. Gompers. It Is ex-
| pected that before he returns to this city
| the freight handlers controversy Of Chi
cago will also be settled.
In consequence OF conference held last
Saturday between the officials of the Anal
| gamated Association Of Street Car EN-
/ ployes and the Pittsburg Railways Com
/ pany there will be no street car strike in
Pittsburg, as was expected
It is the purpose of the Packing Trades
Council OF Chicago to erect q labor temple
/ In that city. No less than thirty-seven
| unions are interested In the scheme and
| IL is expected that great many more
| than that number will hold shares The
| Typographical Temple In this city Is owned
/ by Columbia Typographical Union. which
4 has been taught through experience that
! such investments are profitable.
A pleasant masquerade ball was held at
! the National Rifles Hall. q street. Thurs-