Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-20
IN LABORI6icRCLES
III =
g.

A lulu Is apparent On the part OF en-
ployers. especially Of the metal trades to
reduce wages and increase the hours OF
labor The situation. however. remains at
the critical stage. The preparations made
and being made by the labor unions Of the
country, assisted by the American Fedora
ton Of Labor, to carry on a protracted
struggle, 1t is believed, has had the effect
of causing the employers to call halt.
The labor leaders are keeping well in
formed as to every move On the part OF
the employers. They thoroughly appreciate
the present situation. and tt Is the prevail
ing belief in well-informed quarters that q
further attempt by the employers to ignore
the union workmen and reintroducing the
ten-hour work day and reducing pay will
be signal for general onslaught by the
labor unions of the country.
It Is rumored that the present movement
Of the employers will be brought to the at
tention OF Congress by the members OF
that body. Although nothing OF a definite
character can be ascertafned 1t Is said
that members Of Congress who were elect
ed by labor votes have held conferences
with the labor leaders as to the present
situation. which. it is "emphatically de-
clared, is direct outcome of the "open
shop" controversy. Several members of
the House of Representatives. 1t is stated,
will in the near future address that body
on the controversy and request it to define
the exact attitude Of the government to-
ward union labor. Interesting events are
expected to develop by the middle of next
month.
The American Federation of Labor will
be noteworthy exhibitor at the coming
Louisiana purchase exposition at St Louis
PRESIDENT Samuel Gompers has had con-
siderable correspondence recently with the
affiliated organizations relative to the pro-
posed exhibit at the fair, with the result
that the contributions to that exhibit are
being received at the headquarters Of the
federation in this city almost daily
These contributions have arrived in s1,ch
large numbers the last few weeks that Mr..
Gompers has been compelled to devote
much or his time to them. AS the fedora
tion Will have only a limited space in one
OF the buildings of the fair it will be neces
sary to select the more representative and
distinctive contributions to the exhibit. IT
IS the purpose of the officials of the fedora
tion to have the exhibit composed Of one
contribution Of some character from e,,arv
affiliated organization which desires tn mar.
uclpate An extra force of clerks is at
work at the headquarters preparing the
exhibit. LILO
-, me federation expects a prize for its ex
hpit. IL was prize-winner at the Paris
exposition. having been awarded a gold
mccall upon that occasion. The exhibit at
Sarls was also placed before the public at
tne fan-Amer1can exposition in Buffalo, at
no provision having been made for nrizes
IN that class. 1t is said the exhibit at the
LOUISIANA exposition will eclipse that shown
at the Paris and Buffalo fairs and for that
reason the federation is hopeful of receiving
substantial recognition
Information has been received In this civ
TO the effect that the supreme court of the
state OF Nevada has handed down decision
in support of the eight-hour law that Voc
passed by the state Legislature last winter
The law was declared Unconstitutional In
the district court in the western portion of
the supreme court of the state. It is under
stood the case will be appealed to the Su-
preme Court of the United States for final
disposition ~
The law is upheld under the general police
laws OF Nevada. 1t affects only miners and
milling men and fixes severe penalties upon
employers who work their employees over
eight hours day. except In emergencies,
1t also fixes penalty upon the workman
who attempts to work more than eight
hours day. ---. - -
AT the recent convention Of the Interna-
uonai association Of sAllied Metal Me-
chanics, held at Toledo, Ohio First Vice
President P. j. Conlon and James A. Rev
nolds of the general executive board of the
International Assocfa tibn. Of, Machinists
were present for the purpose of learning
the desires of the metal mechanics on the
subject of the amalgafna ton of the two or
ganiza tons In accordance with an agree
ment reached at that time a referendum
vote Is being taken among the members of
the two organizations, on the imagination
proposition. The result of the vote will be
known the last day of February . ,--.
-r - 500 '--- - % ~-r''"'
The officials of the International Associa-
ton OF MachiniSts have been much ANNOYED
recently by alleged official reports published
in various newspapers throughout the coun-
try to the effect that the organization has
declared off all strikes. 1t is claimed that
such reports are circulated by the manufac-
turers in an effort to have strikers return
to work.
President OConnell of the international
association has addressed the following cir
cular letter to all vice presidents, business
agents, organizers, etc, Of the various af
Inflated unions throughout-the country:
1T has come to my notice that an ard-
Gle is being published generally throughout
the country by the newspapers, that a cir
cular has been issued by me to our asso-
clat1on at large, in which all strikes have
been declared off. In other words, an eff
fort is being made to lead the public to be-
lieve the l. A. of N. has declared off all
strikes, and by this means undo the effort
we are making to publicly notify all men,
bers to keep away from places where we
have strikes, lockouts, etc: 800
You are especially notified to pay no at
tention to any statement published in the
press. or by other means circulated. that
we have declared off any strikes. Where
strikes are declared off you will be officially
notified, either through the Monthly Maya
zine or by special circular from me.
You are hereby Instructed to contradict
any statements being published that all
strikes have been declared off by our asso-
citation, for it is only an effort being made
by the officials of the N. M T. A and other
organizations to induce men to go to work
where strikes are in existence, believing
that the same have been officially declared
off by our association
The annual smoker of Local Union, No.
1873, of the Journeymen Tailors of America
was held Saturday evening after the regu-
lar meeting of the organization at Build
ing Trades Hall, 9th and G streets. The
program of the evening consisted Of adj
dresses by Mr.. E. ]. Roche of Bookbinders'
Union. No. 4; Mr.. John Brinkman Of the
Carriage and Wagon Workers, and Mr..
Harry w. Sherman, secretary treasurer OF
the Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and
president Of the local Central Labor Union,
and vaudeville numbers by Frank Hagan.
Harry Mace. Harry J. X ahler, Alfred Mel
sen, Bond Browning, E. Lawrence Phillips
and others. The officers of the union are:
President. A. N. Roberts,; Wee. president,
H. Staffell: recording secretary. Lgnatius
Geraci: financial secretary, r., Kinsey, jr.;
treasurer, William E. Terry , ,as
Since the beginning 81 hespSfesept indus
dol do cyrp.B H.-:z