Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-22
IN LABOR CIRCLES

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Trouble Is threatened in the central Penn
sylvania bttuminous coal fields. according
to reports received by labor leaders here.
At the conference of operators and miners
to be held March II the operators will de-
mand. 1t Is said, reduction of the pay for
mining. One Of the operators Is quoted as
having said recently:
THE past year, in spite of the revival
in the latter part Of It, has been one of the
poorest for long time for the coal oper-
ators Of this district.
"One Of the rea sons for this Is the lower
price at which the operators in the south
ern district. including the West Virginia
field. are able to sell their product, by rea-
son of two years contract with their
men. While we are paying our miners here
on the basis Of 81 cents ton, those people
are able to put coal on the cars for as
low as 81 cents ton. That includes the
royalty, which in this district Central
Pennsylvania is uniformly 10 cents ton.
Moreover, there is a freight differential In
their favor"
The operators, it is believed, will no doubt
use this argument at the conference. They
intend to ask the miners to accept 80 cents
a ton for mining, which would be 20 per
cent reduction from the price now paid,
mise on SO cents, which would be a reduc-
ton of between and per cent.
Leading miners declare with determine
ton and significance that they will resist
these demands ito the last ditch"
The present month has been the most I'M
favorable to the building trades of the Dis
trict of Columbia from a weather stand
point, 1t is said. Nearly all building opera
tons have been suspended for greater or
less periods, as it has been almost impossi
Bile for men to perform outside labor. The
bricklayers and carpenters report work
practically at a standstill, there being
modicum Of jobbing The old adage. its
an i'll wind that blows no one good" has
been verified so far as the plumbers are
concerned, as the several freeze-ups has
caused considerable iactivity in their trade.
With the approach of spring and extern
sive building projects In view, the mem
bets Of the outdoor crafts are looking hope
fully ahead to a dong and busy season. The
outlook for the building trades in Washing
ton for the coming season is said to be one
of the brightest for several years as con-
tracts for numerous buildings have al
ready been made.
Announcement is made of two trades con-
ventions. The Amalgamated Association of
Iron, Steel and Tin Workers will hold it's
annual national meeting at Detroit May 2.
The 1919 convention of the blacksmiths'
union is scheduled for next October, at St
Paul, MINI.
Union deny the story in circulation that the
organization contemplated affiliating with
the American Labor Union. Steps will be
taken, 1t Is said, to form union in Wash
lnSton or ShoemakerS and repairers. There
was such an organization in this city sew
eral years ago, with John Ebert as pres-
dent. The union started out with good
prospects, Mr.. Samuel H. Reeder, one of it's
members said. A uniform scale of prices
was adopted. The influx in this city of
cut-rate shoemakers and cobblers of for
eign extraction principally was said to have
been the undoing of the trade society of
the knights of st. Crispin. The cut-rate
workers are said to have hung out placards
and banners advertising that they would
do shoe work at scale from 80 to 40 per
cent less than that prescribed by the union
shops. Tie disintegraton of the organza-
ton followed. Now certain labor leaders
say another effort will be made to see If a
shoemakers' union cannot be successfully
established here. They believe the game is
worth the candle.
An eastern labor organ In a recent issue
published the following paragraph, which
is of local interest: There is a pronounced
rivalry between q number of cities to be
recognized as the headquarters of organ
lied labor. Among the prominent candi-
dates for the honor are Chicago, New York,
indianapolis, Detroit and Washington. The
latter being the nations capital, It's labor
men believe it possesses advantages as the
legislative and administrative headquarters
of unionism not possessed by it's COM
petitors."
In Atlanta Ca there Is union of col
ored bricklayerS, which, after several years
Of struggling, has Won a position full of
promise.
Two bills affecting labor unions are now
pending in the Colorado legislature. One is
intended to prevent boycottng and pro-
hibits the distribution of unfair lists with
a penalty of $3.50 to $500 fine or sixty days
imprisonment for violation The other bill
requires labor unions to incorporate and
provides that certified copies of the minutes
Of union meetings be furnished on request
to corporations employing members of such
unions.
The official journal Of the International
Alliance of Hotel and Restaurant Employees
and Bartenders' League has warned the
members of that organization of an i'm
pending fight with the employers.
There was an attendance Of about sixty
delegates and eX-delegates at a recent meet
ing of D. A. No. g. Knights of Labor, at
their hall in this city, to witness the install
lation of officers for the ensuing term. The
ceremony was performed by General Secre-
tary-Treasurer Thomas H. Canning, after
which an "all-around good time was en-
1oyed by the members present. Despite re-
ports to the contrary, the order of the
knights of Labor is said to be in better
condition today than at any time in the
past ten years. Two new local assemblies
will be instituted in Washington within the
next three weeks. 1.-THE general secretary
is busy at presenh issuing charters and sup
plies to new locals throughout the United
States, and is making arrangements to start
local in Canada.
Local Assembly, No. 1905, will celebrate
it's anniversary en- the evening Of March 10.
The building comanittee of the Central
Labor Union. which is charged with the