Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-13
IN LABOR CIRCLES
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prospect of solution Only in the past few
days have news dispatches been received
relating incidents of the most fragrant
character. How long before the demands
of the miners are acceded to and stop
put to the lawlessness which has been run
ming rampant on the calendar can only be
eonjectured.
An investigation of the present diflcul-
ties is now being conducted under the per-
sonal direction of Commissioner OF Labor
Wright and a competent corps OF ASSIST
ants. An exhaustive report will be made
shortly outlining the present conditions
as they relate to the labor troubles IN IN
that state. This report will be awaited
with the keenest interest by those VINO
hope for happy solution Of the present
difficulties.
+? Among other things which 1t will be the
duty of the commissioner of labor to inveS,
tigAte the most weighty. 1t Is thought, Will
be the legal aspect of the part taken by the
state militia. under command OF Ao3t- zen;
Bell, and the deportation of miners ana
men because they belonged to unions. It Is
urged that should the investigation snow
that the state militia acted with legal au.
thority in breaking up the union miners
meetings, deporting miners and leaving
their families destitute. and engaged In
the closing of mines at will, the individual
miners and mine owners whose mines were
closed, 1t Is said, will have sufficient ground
for redress at law.
The executive council of the American
Fedora ton of Labor has issued an appeal
to all International unions and central la
Dor bodies in the country to assist fnan-
cially the miners in Colorado who are tight
ing to establish the eight-hour working
day law.
President Gompers. in the last issue OF
the Federationist, says that while certain
policies have been adopted by the Western
Federation of Miners which run counter to
those followed by the American Federation
of Labor, there should not be two kinds OF
justice. He arraigns in vivid style the law
lessness Of the Citizens Alliance. whose an
tagonism has sorely embttered all union
miners. He also scores Gov. Peabody for
permitting the state troops to assist In
driving miners from their homes and leaV-
ing their families destitute and uncared for.
Various estimates of the cost of the great
strike of the Colorado miners have been
made by statisticians, but accurate ngures
have been compiled which show that the
strike was first called. This is small clue
to the damage wrought by the continued
strike as the monetary loss to the miners
is one Of the smallest items of expense In
the whole proceeding.
The brotherhood of Painters, Decorators
and Paperhangers have sent the following
notice to secretaries Of all local unions with
instructions that 1t be read at next meet
ings:
In consequence of a number of costly
damage suits which have been instituted by
former members against our brotherhood
for having been fined and expelled by the
local unions of which they were members,
or district councils with which the local
unions are affiliated. without having been
given a trial. the general executive Doaro
desires to call the attention Of our district
councils and local unions to the dangers
which confront US in following such mode
of procedure e.
Article Al of our constitution clearly
states that a member Of a union who has
violated the laws of the brotherhood. local
union or district council shall have charges
preferred against him and be given fair
and impartial trial
In order to protect our organization from
costly litigation the general executive board
has directed the general secretary -treasur-
er to decline to publish In the official jour
nal the names of any persons who have
been fined or expelled unless copies or the
charges and trial proceedings are forward
ed to the general office, and the general
secretary trea surer has been furnished with
positive evidence that the member has been
given a trial in accordance with the eonSt1-'
tuition and laws Of our brotherhood. 49,
The question of the affilia ton of the
Bricklayers and Masons International
Union with the American Federation OF
Labor has been submitted to the refer
endum vote of the subordinate unions.
The question was ordered by the conven-
ton of Bricklayers and MaSonS lnterna-
tional Unions held last January at Tren-
ton N. j.. which by practically unani-
nous vote adopted resolution to that
effect.
The question was submitted to the
bricklayers in 1899. and for the second
time the proposition was overwhelmingly
defeated: when the question was again
submitted 1t was defeated by only 5h
per cent Of the 722 unions voting on the
question.
This question comes up before the next
meeting of the Bricklayers Union No. l.
which will meet in special session next
Friday evening.
The local labor organizations have re-
ceived communication from the United
Labor League of Birmingham Ala. So
Letting funds for the defense of G. B.
Raines a mine worker; Robert Mitchell,
textile worker: F. Waldhorst and c. S.
Mosby carpenters, and Joseph Frantic, a
brewery worker. 1t is said that these
men have been arrested for a violation of
the anti boycott law. The law in question
was enacted at the last session of the
state legislature and is being enforced
rigidly.
The following are the officers of Central
Labor Union recently elected to serve for
the ensuing term: John B. Dickman of
printers union. president: w. s. Crown Of
musicians union. vice president; Charles
w. Winslow, secretary; John G. Schmidt,
financial secretary; ]. M. Heisley, treas
urer; Samuel Beckett, .sergeant-at-arms.
Following trustees were selected: j. H.
Babcock. n. c. Sprague and Fl. Z. Leclair.
The brickiayers who quit work last week
at the residence of LarZ Anderson for the
reason that stonemasons were not employed
to do the pointing off of the stone work,
have returned to work.
The trouble came about result of let
ting the contract for the pointing Of the
stone work to members of Boston firm,
who. it is claimed. are not recognized by the
Bricklayers and Masons International
Union. The pointing of stone work is said
to be the work of stonemasonS exclusively
and when the Boston pointers were employ
ed the local stonemasons protested and to
enforce their claims the bricklayers who
are allied with the stonema sons, were also
called Off.
All matters at issue. it is stated have been
adjusted to the Sd tiSfaction of all by the
executive branch of the BrickIayers' Ma
tional Union and the men have returned to
work.
The Washington Branch, No 10, United
National Associa ton of Post Office Clerks
held meeting Friday evening and elected
the following officers: President E. A.
Helig: vice president, Frank Reamer; re-
cording secretary. J. b. Corridor: financial
secretary. j. III. Collier, and treasurer, w
w. Mills President Heilig was also select
Of deleRatp to reDreSent the local hra nch