Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-17

his own 'willfuI OF fraudulent misconduct."
The committee Is divided on the question
Of the use Of injunctions In labor disputes.
Carroll d. Wright, Royal Robbins and d.
r Dewey. majority Of the committee,
favor the present law, while Henry Ster-
ling wants jury trials In contempt cases,
and William N. OSgOod wants peaceable
labor demonstrations protected from in
functions.
The official journal of the Brotherhood Of
Trainmen. citing the Miller controversy as
an instance, makes the following comment
upon the action of members of labor unions
employed by the United States government:
appears the controversy opened by the
employees of the government at Washington
for the maintenance Of their trades union
rules has been disastrous experiment and
should point pretty conclusively- to the fact
that there are some things. interference
mad better be let alone
Whether the cause Of the trouble war
ranted it or not was lost sight of In the
arguments that followed to the erect that
organized labor had no more right TO de-
mand special privileges from the govern
ment than unorganized labor had, and, as
organized labor is largely in the minority
although it represents the responsible and
more skilled class, the majority nv force
OF numbers and sentiment, expressed prfn-
clpaHy through the. employers and their
several associations, have taken the view
expressed by the President as applied to
closed shop as I'M American, coerciye and
uneconomic. and. therefore, dangerous to
the liberties of the wage-worker The posi-
lon OF the labor organization in govern
ment employ was, doubtless, honest but Ill
ADVISED 1t was the most serious organiza-
ton mistake that has been made in recent
years"
General Secretary Henry White of the
united Garment Workers of America in
the current issue of the official journal of
that organization. takes occasion to de-
nounce rabid utterances of both parties to
the labor problem. In part he saws:
There is developing on the EMPLOYERS
Sue class or extremists and irreconcil-
apies tnaf can very we'll be compared to
similar element in the ranks of the Union
BY few ffre-eating wageworkers the cam
ltallsts have habitually been denounced as
pirates, moved by malevolent motives to
wnom no quarter is to be shown. And now
py hot-headed employers. the unions are
Deing In turn publicly denounced as reyo.
iutlonary and destructive in tendency. and
consequently. never to be temporiZed with
inese two sets of fierce partisans. who
are always wholly in the right while their
opponents are wholly in the wrong, see
only the evil traits of..the men who oppose
them and are utterly blind to the good ones
In ey are responsible for much mischief
They are especially serious obstacle to
better understanding between reasonable
men.
Reckless denunciation of class by class
10 usually evidence or lack of contact
with each other Invariably when repre-
Sentat1ves of the two sides get together to
discuss differences, they realize that they
have about the same qualities: that all
are human beings after ALL and they soon
begin to see each other in totally different
light from that in which they had hitherto
CROPPED.
1T is as important for the employers to
curp the rampant warehouses; on their side
as 1t is for the union men. The Kirbys and
Parrys who have been running ami1ck of
late ought to be chained up by their friends
In the interest of industrial peace. For the
rapld utterances Of. workmen allowance
can be made owing toe their unfortunate
circumstances of education and condition
and the expression that is still quite com
mon where many of. them work. but there
can pc no excuse fer 3ih insensate rawlings
on the part OF men charged with larger re-
sponsibilities and who are SO situated as to
OBTAIN a clearer view at the large factors
OF social conditions. SGia;
:, Lawless acts havernever yet assisted
the cause of labor.1s says the official iourn-
al OF the International Association of Ma
chnists. "The journal has tried to the
from time to time. and 1t will continue to do
so. For 1t honestly and sincerely believes
that violence and ActET of Iawlessness do
harm to the cause. and that any cause
force, repression and IA disregard of the
rights of others. cannot stand. The policy j
OF the biudgeon, may succeed for time,
put II WIN sooner or lateri fail and bring
down with it the cause for which 1t was
evoked 'unwept and 'unsung.' Every work
ingman knows this. and In his innermost
heart feels that the advocacy of violence
to assist In the labor struggle can only be
detrimental -.
The Canadian government has passed a
law insuring fair wages on all works in
which any public funds are used The Do
minion Labor Gazette reprints this part of
the statute:
I'm every case in. which the parliament of
Canada votes financial aid by way of SUBJ
sidy or guarantee toward the cost of rail-
way construction, all mechanics, laborers
or other persons who perform labor in such
construction shall be paid such wages as
are generally accepted as current for COM
petent workmen in the district in which
the work is being performed: and II there is
no current rate in the district. then fair
and reasonable rate; and in the event of a
dispute arising as to what is the current
or fair and reasonable rate. 1t shall be de-
termined by the minister, whose decision
shall be final"
Reports of officers of the Iron Molders'
Union of North America for the past year
show an increase in membership for the
twelve months of 1900 In round numbers.
The financial statement of the benefits paid
by the international union Is interesting 1t
shows: Official expenses $73, 1851; strike
benefits, $184, 44S.16; death and total disa-
bility benefits. $4S,672.65, or a grand total
of disbursements for the year of 1906,
91652. Financier R.. Fl. Metcalfs report Is
also of most interesting character. After
referring to the unfavorabIe conditions that
have affected the foundry industry during
the past quarter, and calling attention to
the amount Of idleness as indicated by the
number of out-of-work stamps placed on
the members. books. "13, SIS having been
used during the quarter" the report of
sick benefits paid out Is taken up. The to- !
tai receipts of the sick benefit fund for the
last quarter amounted to S5f, 500.52;. dis
bursements. $44,S39.75; leaving a balance
for the quarter to the credit of the fund OF
Sc. 66077. During the year the immense sum
of $179,355 was paid ,out in sick benefits,
making grand total, of $7O5,S27 paid out
since the inauguration of the fund in jan
uary, 1896. There remains balance to |
the credit Of the sick fund in the hands Of |
the local unions the sum of $40. 1915.
The convention of Bricklayers and Ma |
sens International Union recently held at |
Trenton, n. j.. confirmed the referendum |
vote of the subordinate unions which was |
favorable to establishing permanent ma !
tional headquarters. The proposition was |
submitted to the various unions by order |
of previous convention held at Memphis, |
Tenn. end was approved by a majority of |
426 unions of a total of 651 unions voting.