Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-17
PAPERHANGERS' STRIKE
RENEWED WITH VIGoR By PAR
Elephants TODAY.
Statement Made by President Farr
Concerning the Condi-
lions.

The strike of the paper hangers of Wash
lngton was renewed with vigor today, when
President K. E. Farr Of the Master Paper
hangers Association, issued signed state
ment setting forth the side of the organiza-
ton In the controversy with the journey
men. This statement brought acuteness to
the prevailing situation. and, to use a mil
itary phrase, "hostilities were renewed
with vigor.''
President Farr. in his statement concern
Ing the strike situation, said:
The true situation of the Master Paper
Hangers Association is that every member
of the association who, before the strike
was declared, agreed not to pay the ad-
vanced wages. have kept that agreement,
and they. with the exception of three firms
which are not members of our association,
are with us on the per diem scale. but are
working their men piecework, which Is the
old scale, and two of these firms are now
very largely working their men pecework,
and l am convinced that the limitation
that was put on the men will keep them
from paying the $3.50 per day, for one of
these employers told me that he tried one
job giving the man $3.50 per day, and on
account of his slowness lost 81 on the job,
and this was firm that will not take a
job unless 1t can make a fair and equitable
profit, The members of the association are
getting their work done, and in the ma
1ority of cases the best mechanics. who left
the union, we are giving $3.50 per day and
more.
TO those the price we paid before the
strike came Off. We contend that We will
pay man On his merit and let his ability
regulate his pay. but we do not propose
to pay good. bad and Indifferent men the
high wages when their work is 50 per cent
poorer In quantity and quality. Some Of
our men got 81 $50 per year when the scale
was only $500. In almost every case a man
will get what he is worth. One man, who
is not member of our association, signed
the scale and the men went to work, but
after they found they had to pay a portion
n ftn I'll
quilt and said they may as well walk
around as work. At any rate the WALL
paper dealers that are reported to have
acceded to the demand are not members
OF our association. and almost in every case
either work themselves man and boy,
and with some of them they agree to pay
as far as the union is concerned but pay
what they please. for in competition they
always get the job, unless the customer
wants something creditable in his own
house or better class of houses, when he
goes to firm that has some standing in the
community.
ness of holding up our customers for an I'M
just demand"
Mr.. Hoffman's Views.
When a reporter for The Star called the
attention of President Edward L. Hoffman
of local Paper Hangers Union No. 400. and
Secretary ]. A Jones to the statements of
president, they made the following official
statement over their signatures:
I'm answer to the communication of the
Master Paper Hangers ASSOCIATE ton, we
emphatically deny their statement that we
have not signed any member of their as
ISOLATION. as we have signed several OF
their members.
They speak of rating man. The only
true way to rate a man is to pay him
pfecework. as then he gets only what he
earns. But that is usually more than the
day scale calls for
we very much doubt the statement of
any paper hanger receiving 81 $50 per year
when the scale only called for $500.
1--WE also deny the statement that any
man who went to work at the increased
wages quit his job on account of pay
ing portion of his wages to support the
strike.
we wish to say that the employers who
have signed our scale are adhering strictly
to our agreement and are paying the scale
demanded of them.
I'VE also deny that we are trying to drive
our employers, inasmuch as they had prom
ised us what are are now asking for.
We must say that the prospects are very
bright as we have signed over two dozen
OF the wall paper stores in town.
Both sides to the controversy declare they
will remain unyielding to the demands OF
the other side, and the outlook is that a
make or break battle will be fought from
this time on. :