Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-19
FAILED TO RESUME WORK.
Peculiar Conditions Resulting from
Labor Disagreement.

A peculiar situation prevails today in con-
nection with the controversy concerning
the jurisdiction of the stone-setting trade
in the District, in which are involved the
local branches of the International Union
of Stone Cutters, the International Union
of Stone MasonS and the International
Union of Bricklayers. Notwithstanding the
fact that the parties at issue. last evening
agreed to submit their grievances to arbi-
tration, and that the work of setting stone
should be resumed pending decision in the
matter, the workmen affiliated with the
warning unions failed, as far as can be
learned, to go to work according to the
agreement. Local contractors are some
what apprehensve as to the effect OF the
controversy upon local building operations,
as it is known that number of valuable
contracts are being held up pending solu-
ton of the difficulty.
BY mutual agreement the conciliato:y
committee representing the Master Build
ers Associa alton. the Master Stone Cutters
Association. the International Union of
Stone Cutters. the International Union OF
Stone Masons and the International Union
of Bricklayers held joint conference last
evening at the headquarters of the hrst
named body in the Corcoran building. The
representatives of the employers organlza-
lions were present as practically dls1nter-
ested parties. They are DESTROYS or nav
ing the difficulty adjusted as quickly as
in attendance.
1t was explained at the outset that each
delegation was present with authority to
acts for Is respective organization. and 1t
was agreed that majority should rule the
decisions The masons contended that the
stonecutters should be prohibited from set
tirg stone. 1t was further explained that
the International Union of Bricklayers ana
the International Union of Stone Masons
are known under one head, and are in real
ity one organization. and that the consd-
tuition of the joint organization includes a
clause which prohibits stonecutters from
infringing upon the jurisdiction of the body
by setting stone. In this connection ii was
pointed out that the stonecutters fthe
District have always set the stone they cut,
to which the masons replied that the clause
referred to has not been enforced In this
city.
The stonecutters claimed that the pres
ent date is late day for the masons to
endeayor to enforce such clause and
maintained that cutters should be allowed
to set their stone, has been the Gus
tom since building operations began to
develop Washington; The brickiayers, as
supported the latter in their contentious
in the controversy.
At the conclusion of the discussion of
the points involved, the bricl1layerS sug-
gested that the matter be submitted to
board of arbitration to be appointed by
the three iourneymen organizations In
volved. 1t was agreed that each union
should nave nVe representatives ol tic
hoard and that disinterested party should
be chosen as an umpire"
1t was agreed also that the arbitration
board should convene Thursday evening to
adjust the matter, and that work should
proceed pending decision by the board.
The resolution embodying the above pur-
poses was adopted and 1t was expected
that the workmen involved in the contro-
yersy would resume work this morning.
They failed, however, to put In an ap-
pearance this morning at the building at
which operations have been suspended for
several weeks as result OF the dimcuity.
and the contractors are of the opinion that
the efforts at arbitration will be of no
avail.