Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-22
PAINTERS CALLED OUT
Strike Declared at Washing
ton Navy Yard.
ALL BUT TWO COMPLY
TROUBLE AROSE OVER QUESTION
OF WAGES.
Demand for Advance to the Rate
Paid by Private Firms,
$3.50 Per Day.

A strike has been declared against the
authorities of the Washington navy yard
by the local Union of the Brotherhood of
Painters and Decorators.
Business Agent William Lewis, by direc-
ton of the union. has ordered a walk-out
of all union painters employed in the yard.
and today, 1t was said. the order has been
obeyed by all but two of the men. who de-
cided to remain at work.
Trouble has been brewing, 1t is said. for
several weeks because of the failure OF
the navy yard authorities to increase the
wages of the painters to the rate prescribed
by the local union. which rate has been
accepted by the employing painters of the
District The wage scale paid in the navy
yard calls for $304 day, while the outside
painters receive $3.50 per diem.
The matter was first called to the atten-
ton Of Acting Secretary of the Navy OAR
ling. but as he made no response to the
communication from the painters union
1t was decided to take the question up with
the navy yard authorities direct Accord
ingly a communication sent to the
commandant of the yard. 1t was in the
form of a request that the wages of paint
ers employed in the naval establishment
be increased to the amount paid by private
flrms-$3.O a day.
This request was referred to Capt. r. G.
wages at the navy yard, and after receiv-
ing his reply the walk-out was ordered.
Capt. Eavenport's Response.
In his reply Capt Davenport invites the
attention of the painters union to the fact
that the wages paid employees of the navy
yard. as adjusted by the wages board, are
calculated for in accordance with spe-
clal act OF Congress governing the wages
paid all navy yard employees, and are in
no wise dependent for their adjustment on
the rate OF wages paid by other branches
OK the government In the vicinity of the
navy yard.
The data on which the present wages Of
painters Is based" continues Capt. Daven-
ports reply, was collected by the board
of wages from Richmond and Alexandria,
Va: Washington. D. c.; Baltimore, Ches-
ter. Philadelphia Bethlehem. Pa Will
mington. Del. and intermediate places and
as approved by the Secretary of the Navy
Is enective until the last day Of this year.
AS you probably know, painters In the
yard are divided into classes according to
their abilities, and the registration list is
open to any competent painter who wishes
TO register. At present the board OF labor
employment has many applicants. and al
though the rate of wages at present paid
Is below that paid to union painters the
board has no trouble in getting all the
painters 1t needs for the present rate of
wages"
Places Will Be Filled.
Officials of the yards and docks division
of the navy yard said this afternoon that
the places Of the striking painters will be
filed from the registration list of the labor
beard. without regard as to whether the
applicants are union painters or non
unionlsts.
I'VE have enough applicants on our lists"
SAID an official, almost to paint Washing
ton, with few to spare"
fIo frAfn lfno
a vigorous protest against order issued
by the Post Office Department and APP
proved by Postmaster General Cortelyou,
instructfng the rural mall carriers In all
parts of the United States to paint the
thousands OF letter boxes on their routes
The department agreed to pay them %
cents for each box painted and also fur
nish the necessary materials
The union contended that this was unfair
to organized labor and was besides a viola
ton of the civil service laws. comm,fni-
cation to that effect was sent to the depart
ment. The Washington union has just re-
ceived a reply from Mr.. p. v. De Graw
fourth assistant postmaster general, In
which he refers to the action of the union
in entering a protest against the action
of the department in awarding the contract
to rural free delivery carriers for the paint
ing of mail boxes" etc.
You advised" writes MIR. De Graw
in reply, that it is proposed to paint the
United States collection boxes located on
rural routes. The s, 735 of these boxes are
scattered all over the United States. and
they are not located at post offices, but at
different points on the various routes en-
anating from the post offices, so that a
considerable item Of the expense II painted
by contract would be the cost of driving to
these boxes. which in the aggregate would
make the painting of the boxes quite ex-
pensive-
'The carrier who daily travels the route
can paint the boxes with little or no delay
and without any undue interference with
n 10 6,ryfa Ia.
department than If the work were done
by painter who would have to make a
special trip for the purpose.
accordingly the matter of having the
carriers paint the boxes was given careful
consideration. and 1t was decided to allow
them % cents per box. the department fur
nishing the material.
Before taking this action the question
as to whether or not this course would be
in violation Of any existing law was taken
up with the controller OF the treasury who
advised that it would not"
At the headquarters Of the local painters
| union. 110S L street northwest, today. dis
satisfaction was expressed at what was
termed by one Of the officers 1.-The Cheap
John methods Of the Post Office Depar-
ment." What action will be taken at the
next meeting of the painters could not be
learned. 1t is said that repetition may
be expected by, some Of the rural carriers
OF the performance of certain postmaster
who secured from the government the con-
tract to paint the post Office over which he
presided. In describing the matter a Wash
ington painter said:
He mixed his paint with coal Oil instead
OF turpentine. and in lieu of brush used a
sort of swab made OF rags tied to the end
of long stick. With this he daubed the
building inside and out. OF course, the
colors, red and green. for he was gaudy
cuss, rubbed off on the garments of patrons
of his office and the department at Wash
lngton was flooded with complaints of per-
sons whose clothing had been ruined"