Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-18

i AVW yVoA0 attcNnPtS udvo SeV0EAl Il10S DG61
made on a large scale to induce workmeu
/ to make greater output. One Of these
schemes ID the premium bonus system,
| said to be an American Importation
some time ago agreed to a trial Of this sys-
| tenn on a modified scale, and as result
| demands were made by employers to ex-
tend It to other trades. including those af-
fliated with shipbuilding
THE matter was taken up by the En-
gineering and Trades Federation, which is
| composed OF twenty-four different trades
unions. The committee of the federation
| months. and 1t has recently made report
| emphatic condemning the system as be-
| ing an adaptation of the most pernicious
| and degrading condition of employment In
| system" There is little doubt that this
decision will be accepted by the engineers.
| and 1t Is probable that 1t will become the
declared policy OF British trade unionism
| generally. The attitude of British work
men, and particularly of British trades
| unions. toward piece-work has been gener-
| ally that of hospitality, although, of course,
IN certain lines of work payment by the
| piece or job prevails as being the only fair
| and practical method"
| The Dering Coal Company has been or
gained under the laws of Delaware with
an authorized capitalization of So, 900, 600
all of which is said to have been paid into
| the treasury of the company. The offices
are to be located in Chicago
| me organization of this immense coal
mining corporation is said to mean the
consolidation under one management of
fourteen of the leading coal mines on re
line of the Chicago and Eastern Illinois
| railroad in Illinois and Indiana and the
| Evansville and Terre Haute in the latter
state Tangible information as to the full
extent OF the consolidatio of these coal in
! terests is lacking at this time.
| A bill has haon nfPorad ~, ~, Too,o,-oo
| legislature at the instance of the Bakers
| Union of Memphis which if passed will af-
| rect every bakery in the state, and will 1t
is said, insure to the consumer of the staff
| OF hfe the most wholesome, pure and
| cleanly prepared bread possible The bill
| Calls for the appointment of an inspector
| or oakeshops, whose duties shall be to visit
every place where bread is baked for pub
| lie consumption. Every shop must reach
| certain standard Of cleanliness, and the
| sanitary conditions must be first-class No
| workman Is to be allowed to continue in
| the bakery who has any skin or blood dis
ease, and every precaution will be taken to
| make the output pure. The inspector is to
| De invested with authority to enforce the
| provisions of the law, and must make his
| inspectionS every six months. The passage
| OF this Din will benefit the banker as well
as the day laborer, and should pass both
houses of the legislature without oppos-
| ton. 1t Is not strict labor bill, but 1t
comes from labor organization. If it is
passed 1t will secure better shop conditions
! for the bakers and safeguard the con-
! sumers against unclean bread and infec-
| tiouS diseases
| The BARRIERS of Tennessee also have a
measure which they wish to see Incorporate
| ed among the laws Of the state. One of the
provisions is that all BARRIERS must stand
an examination. and successfully meet the
| requirements, to be allowed to pursue that
avocation. This bill also looks to the well
! fare of the public as we'll as the tonsorial
artist. 1t calls for absolutely perfect SAN
| itary shop conditions, certain hours for
| labor and Sunday closing If 1t is passed
some of the cheap shops where cIeanli-
| ness is not regarded as of much Importance
Will nave to conform to the law as an Off
Ger OF the state will be appointed to see
| that it's provisions are carried out. This
bill failed of passage at the last session,
but 1t is understood an effort will be made
this year to have it placed on the statute
| book.
Persistent efforts are being made. It ia
stated, to get the fire fighters Of the big
cities to form organizations or unions and
combine with organized labor. So far as
can De learned from correspondence with
| officials of seven fire department employees
unions or associations in the country the
| f1remen In first, second and third-class cities
are looking to Chicago to introduce the two
turn or two-shift assignment for the MEM
| bers Of its fire department. The recent
convention Of the American Federation of
Labor took up the question on the intro
duction of resolution by Frank G. Jones,
delegate representing the fire department
employees Of Pittsburg. The resolution, in
structing the organizers Of the American
Federation to organize and bring within
the folds of organized labor the members of
city fre departments, was Endorsed with
out a dissenting vote, and circular letters of
instruction to this effect have been mailed
to the ninety-nine salaried and LOGO vol
untary organizations laboring in the United
States and Canada.
The tWO-Shift assignment of roa,,ber, 80
the hre departments is made a law by the
legislature of New York. There one set of
men works ten hours and another fourteen
hours day, changing about every thirty
days. Reports from the fire chief of New
York city, recently to hand, show that the
innovation is a success.
Railroad men throughout the country
were surprised and pleased over the de-
c1son of Chief Justice Fuller In the United
States Supreme Court in the case of john
son agt the Southern Pacific Railroad Com
pany. Under the decision all cars. incIud-
Ing locomotives, must be equipped with uni
form automatic couplers The court also
held That dining cars are not exempt from
the requirements of the safety appliance
law when in USE even though empty
President Roosevelt is receiving the credit
for forcing the fight which resulted in this
decision. Not only did the President direct
his EFFORTS to securing an early hearing and
decision of the case. but at his direction
the Attorney General took charge of it.
Attorney General Moody and Solicitor Gen.
eral Hoyt both signed the brief in the case
and the latter made argument before the
court in support of strict enforcement Of
the law.
All the labor organizations in Washington
are manifesting deep interest In the Powers
Lodge child labor bills now pending before
Congress. The last Endorsement given the
measure by District body were resolu-
tons adopted by local division 378, Order
of Railway Conductors. Similar action is
being taken BY labor unions in all parts
of the United States.
Literature purporting to come from Eu-
gene V. Debs of Chicago, urging the for
nation of trades unions that embrace the
socialistfc idea, have been received by sew
eral Washington workingmen.
The latest thing in novel trades unions"
is an association just formed by the women
fancy dancers of Paris, France. The dan
GERS union is said to be affiliated with the
Paris Labor Exchange.
The Chicago Federated Trades estab-
lished the precedent of admitting clergy
men fraternal delegates. and this is be-
ing followed by the central bodies of other
cities. The Milwaukee Federated Council
is discussing a proposal to allow the minis
tiers of local churches to attend its meet
ings, to discuss labor questions from the