Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-29
STILL UNDETERMINED
Question at Issue Between
Masters and Plumbers
AS TO THE ARBiTRATORS
Employing Organization Registers oh.
lection to Lawyers.
LETTER SENT TO J0URNEYMEN
Committee Will Determine Whether
an Attorney Is q Business Mans
Decision VIII Govern.
AS TO THE ARBITRATORS
LETTER SENT TO J0URNEYMEN
''Is a lawyer q business manr'

IL lawyer a business manr'
This interrogatory has proved to be a
stumbling block in the way of the proposed
arbitration OF the differences between the
master plumbers and the journeymen of
that craft. AS exclusively stated in The
Star yesterday. members Of the Master
Plumbers Association have entered an OBJ
lection to the selection of Messrs. Jackson
H Ralston and Joseph C. Sheehy by the
journeymen plumbers as members OF the
board Of arbitration, not because OF any
personal reasons, 1t Is stated. but because
they are lawyers.
At q meeting Of the master plumbers yes
terday afternoon in the rooms of the Mas
ter Builders Association, 14th and @
streets. the matter Of selecting arbitrators
on the part Of the employing plumbers was
taken up for consideration. Mr.. Robert B.
Caverly. president Of the Master Plumbers
Association. called attention to the fact that
the agreement reached at the Sunday even
ing conference Of the master builders, the
master bricklayers. representatives OF the
building trades and others specifically set
forth that the five arbitrator to settle the
trade differences between the master plumb
ers and their former employees should be
business men,"
He said the question, Are lawyers bust
uSSS dCh. Ldu ARISEN. anu dSSeTteu tuat
II was necessary that the definition of
business man. should be settled before
the master plumbers could select their rep
resentatives on the arbitration board The
matter was debated. and the conclusion was
finally reached to submit the query to the
master builders and those who met with
them Sunday night for decision.
May Select Attorneys.
Should the master builders and their con.
freres hold that lawyer Is a business man.
1t is said. then the master plumbers will
acquiesce in the decision and will select
two of the ablest lawyers in the District to
represent their side of the controversy.
Thus 1t would SEEM said one of the
masters, that the decision of the matters
in dispute between the employers and their
former employees may resolve itself into
legal battle between attorneys and may be
long drawn out instead of being settled at
once"
1t was learned today at the headquarters
OF the journeymen plumbers in the Cor
coran building that they will positively de-
cline to change the arbitrator they have
selected.
ut was understood at the Sunday night
conference" said one of the leading plumb
arbitration could be composed of any men
whose business interests are outside OF the-
building trades. and we acted in good faith
on that understanding
of what constitutes a, business man" was
brought up at the Sunday night conference.
and it was decided that lawyers, doctors.
army officers or others who follow similar
occupations come within the prescribed
category.
The Master Plumbers Association will
hold meeting this afternoon. 1t is said.
when the decision may be reached to select
two lawyers arbitrator on their side OF
the matter. provided the master builders
and representatives of the building trades
maintain that lawyer comes within the
meaning of the term business man..
1t Is said a master plumber submitted the
question as to whether an attorney IL,
strictly speaking. a business man to at least
fifty men at random last evening and today
AS result of the canvass, the master
plumber said. the vote was about equally
divided"
Communicate Objections.
The master plumbers at their meeting this
afternoon framed a letter to the master
builders and the representatives Of The
building trades setting forth their obJec-
tons to the selection of Messrs. Ralston e
Sheehy as members of the arbitration
board.
In addition to the fact that they are at
torneys, it is said the master plumbers
have been infoymed that Mr.. Ralston Is
member or ex-member of Columbia Typo
graphical Union. and that he Is regu-
larly employed attorney for certain organ
lied labor bodies.
They have also learned. it is claimed. that
Mr.. Sheehy has two brothers who are
iourneymen plumbers and were among
ago by the master plumbers.
Hence the master plumbers are said to
have made the contention that the two men
selected by the journeymen cannot be re-
garded as ''disnterested parties, as was
provided for in the agreement drawn up
and signed at the Sunday night peace con-