Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-10
WANT EFGHT-HOUR DAY
STATIONARY. bFIREMEN A UNIT
IN SUPPORT OF CHANGE.
Question Of Jurisdiction Considered by
international Brotherhood-Mr.
Gompers Takes Part.

Ffremen. In session at Typogra phical Tenn
pie, are almost a unit in favor Of the adop-
ton of an eight7hour day for that craft.
To emphasize this feeling each delegate has
the legend Eight Hours inscribed in let
tiers OF silver. at the top of his official
badge of blue
At the forenoon session of the convention
today resolution was introduced which
provides that after May 1 next no station
airy fireman who has a continuous position
Will be allowed to sign a contract with any
employer which specifies or admits Of more
than eight hours as a days work. The
resolution was referred to committee for
consideration and report
Iwenty-seven resolutions were introduced
today by delegates from different sections
OF the country. They referred principally
70 the hours of labor and rates of pay.
President Healy assigned these papers to
d1Herent committees
A report was received from the commit
Tee on per capita tax. 1t recommended an
increase OF the international tax. which Is
now IL cents month for each member, in
oroer that defense fund may be estab-
llsneo. For purposes of defense in strikes
ana iockouts it is now necessary to draw
on the general fund. President Healy ia
vors an increase as he believes defense
Iuno IS one OF the best safeguards for
ganized labor. 1t is predicted that the tax
shall be increased
Question of Jurisdiction
After the transaction of routine business
recess was taken until o'clock this aft
ernoon. when matter regarded as Of great
Importance was brought before the inter-
national body as a special order of bust
ness.
The question under consideration is that
of jurisdiction, and the particular case
which Is being generally discussed by the
officers and delegates is the trouble be-
tween the international ffremen and the
International Union of United Brewery
Workers. The brewers claim that all en-
ployes of any beermaking plant. including
the hremen. should be members of one of
the brewery workers unions.
The international firemen dissent from
this view. and claim they are sustained by
the action of the American Federation of
Labor at its session in Boston last Novem-
ber They claim that all firemen. whether
employed in a brewery or elsewhere, should
logically become members Of the firemen's
unions under the International brother
hood.
To settle the mooted question so far as
tine hremen are concerned, President Sam
uel GOmpers of the American Federation
of Labor took part in the proceedings IN
Typographical Hall this afternoon it is
expected that he. will eventually settle this
jurisdictional question, and the outcome Is
awaited with interest.
The international brewers, 1t is said. will
fight any decision that may be unfavorabie
to their organiza ton. This question of
jurisdiction has been the cause of consider
able trouble and much claSning between the
International officers of the two organiza-
tons.
The first speech of the afternoon was
made by Secretary Conroy of st. Louis
union. from whose city one of the cases IN
dispute comes. Mr.. Gompers followed. and
in the course of his remarks he is said to
have favored the contention that the flr.-
men at breweries should hold membership
in their own organizations as firemen and
not as brewery workers.
Local Strike Discussed.
1.-The talk about the alleged refusal of
the international body to indorse the
strike of members of Washington local,
| No 63. who were employed at the Heu-
rich brewery, k.nonsense," said an officer
of the general association today. The
matter will be considered tomorrow after
noon by the convention. when representa-
tives of the local and those of the Central
Labor Union will be heard; and 1t Is about
foregone conclusion that the Internation-
al Brotherhood will fully indorse the action
of it's president and the Washington
union in declaring the Heurich strike
The delegates were entertained at a
smoker last night at Costello's Hall, 9th
and G streets northwest. under the aus
pieces of Firemen's Local Union, No. g. of
this city. The Central Labor Union was
represented "a the function by MessrS.
Harry w. Sherman, interna tional secre-
tary of the electrical workers; E. J. Roche
of the Bookbinders Union, Mr. Mcclure
of the upholstesers, Thomas H. Brinkman
of the carriage and wagon workers and
Mr. Ross of the sheet and metal workers,
all of whom addressed the assembled dele
gates and their friends and bade them well
come to Washington. Mr.. l.. s. Crown,
secretary of the firemen's local, was in
charge OF the function.
A resolution indOrSing the action of the
packing house fRemen in going out on SYM
pathetic strike in aid of the cause of the
butchers was agreed to. A committee was
appointed to raise a relief fund of s., 600 to
aid the firemen in this strike in South Oma-
ha, Sioux City and st. Louis. The Chicago
Firemeu's Union has 26S of it's members out
in this strike. but declared itself able to
take care of them.
Efforts are being made by the cities of
Cincinnati, Indianapolis. Milwaukee and
Omaha to secure the next annual conven-
ton of the organizat ton. The election of
officers will take place Saturday. Two can
didates for the presidency are mentioned
Timothy Healy, who now holds that office.
and James W. Morton of Chicago.