Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-21
in LABOR CIRCLES
c.,

The promoters of the reorganization of
the Allied Council of Building Trades pre-
dict that satisfactory and successful III m
| for the formation of an effective local coun-
| ell of building trades will be contaminated
as the final result of the several confer
eBces which have been held by the repre-
| sentatives of the various building trades,
which were called by the executive commit
| tee of the Central Labor Union several
weeks ago. 1t is said that those interested
| in the scheme of reorganization do not re-
| gard the recently organized local Structural
| Building Trades Alliance as a very serious
obstacle in the accomplishment of their
purpose. 1t is the expressed opinion of
many of the building tradesmen that the al
! lance Is solely nominal body and VIII
! soon disntegrate.
| prominent experienced and observant
| member of the building trades in review ing
| the local situation, stated that the alliance
| is an experiment, which VIII prove a fah-
ure. He remarked that 1.-THE five trades
! now composing the local branch Of the alli
| ance are all that will ever be allied there
! with. and that probably in the near future
( several organizations would withdraw. II
l is Il passive organization, whose IN e.hpdS
/ as declared, will not a all times Succs Ssful-
( ~ meet the emergencies which frequently
arise in the building trades. l. proposes
to be more of moral institution than a
! business concern. Il proposes to eliminate
strikes when any sensible. prdCticltle man.
be he employer or empioye. knows thsJ
under the prevailing industrial conditions
at times strikes and lockouts are un3yoid-
able. To eliminate the strike as the struc-
tural alliance proposes to do. simply means
that if the employer will agree to employ
the So-called several basic trades com
posing the local alliance that il * a matter
of Indifference to them whether union o.
! non-union workmen of the other building
/ crafts are employed on the same job. Il IS
! in fact. an attempt to practically apply the
ft Oh for MI
an open shop for the many. This method
may eliminate strikes. but it would dlsJ
eliminate organization
1t is reliably reported that the national
organization of the Bridge and Structural
Iron Workers has Withdrawn from tho
structural Building Trades Alliance Some
months ago. when the question of afilia-
ton with the alliance was submitted to a
number of the building organizat ions the
! structural iron workers. by referendum
vote, favored the proposition by large
majority. Since then, on the demand of a
| large number OF the subordinate unions. the
! proposition was again submitted TO ref
I erendum vote, and 1t was rejected by a
I large majority.
| This action OF the bridgemen withdraws
| Mr.. Frank Buchanan, general president of
the organization. from the board of gov
ernors of the National Structural Building
trades Alliance. The board now con-
Stltuteu IS composed of one representa- tive
each OF the painters. carpenters plumbers
hodcarrlers and hosting engineers.
The joint committee of Columbia Lodge
of Machinists and the legislative committee
of the Central Labor Union are actively
promoting the proposition for the extern
sion OF the Washington naval gun factory
winch VIII be submitted to Congress 1t is
reported that the committee has enlisted
| the interest of many Of the local prominent
business men in furthering the measure. 1t
| is also stated that the officials at the navy
fzyty. Il.
| the facilities at the yard. 1t is stated.
! however, that the Secretary of the Navy
Is not favorable to the proposition for.
reasons which the committee will not state
! ne resolutions of the machinists stating
| the oVer-crowded and unsa tiSfactorv condi-
! ions at the factory. and which were in
/ dorsed by the Central Labor Union haze
+, been submitted to a number of senators
! ana representatives, and it is said that it
I is generally admitted that the extension of
! the plant is necessary and must in time be
J provided for, but that as the proposed eX-
I tension will require an eXpen6iture of
; s2'"ooe approximately. that in the pres
ent condition of the public finances. II is
probable that the measure will not be CON
sidered during this session of Congress.
William s. Waudby, who was strongly in
dorsed by organizations of workjugmen in
all sections of the country for commission
er or labor 10 succeed Mr.. Carroll D.
| Wright has sent to The Star the following q
statement. addressed TO organized labor and
/ the labor press:
/ while not being in a position TO person
ally thank my fellow-cra ftsmen. the officers
I ana members of the labor organizations
and the labor press throughout the country
/ for their splendid expressions Of confidence
! IN my being considered as n fitting repre-
{ sentative of our class for a presidential
recognition when they requested my APP
pointment as United States commissioner of
labor, l, therefore, take this means of pub
( lIcly acknowledging my appreciation for
| their recommendations to President RoOse-
Welt Although no attention was paid 10
| these recommendations, yet the fact was
| established that other interests more power
full than labor was in the ascendancy: and
| by thus establishing this fact. labor has
been amply repaid for It's efforts in this di-
| rection.
while the President in his wisdom. has
| thought that Waudby was not the kind
of man to intrust this bureau OF labor
| to, I appreciate the trust reposed in me by
| organized labor more highly than all the
appointments that lie in the hands of a
President of the United States to bestow.
| This is my sincere expression, and trust
| that its honesty of purpose will be taken
with all the strength with which 1 am
| able to give it utterance.
Again l thank you, individually and col
leetively. for your aid in our losing fight
an entirely honorable one, however.
The enforcement of the child labor law in
| Illinois was begun last week. 1t is stated
| that the courts have sustained the interpre-
| tation of the law by Factory Inspector Ed
| gar T. Davies. that no boy under sixteen
| years of age should be allowed to work in
| the mines. Accordingly the order has gone
| forth that the children employed in these
J places should be sent to their homes. 1t is
estimated that the enforcement Of the
! statute will lake more than 1900 boys away
! from employment under ground.
The Amos J. Cummings memorial COM
mittee Of the International Typographical
Union has begun active operations to Sc
| cure the necessary funds TO build a monu-
| ment to the memory Of the dead printer
| statesman. The monument will take the
| form of library extension to the Union
| Printers Home at Colorado Springs, Col,
which. when completed, will cost. ii is esti-
| mated. about $50, 600. Appeals for funds
| are to be made to every subordinate union
| under the jurisdiction of the international
BODY.
The Walters Union of st. Louis has do
mated the services of its members to wait
| on the table at the big free Christmas din
| ner which the citizens of st. Louis are ar
ranging to provide for the poor. The presi-
dent of the Walters Union will act as head
| waiter and like the assistants, will wear
| an immaculate white jacket and apron.
| The new Washington organization known
as 1.-The -Stenographers. Typewriters Book
| keepers and Assistants Union No. lib .
| has affiliated with the Central Labor Union