The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-23
WHAT'S A BREWER?
A. F. OF |. POWDERS
NINTH YEAR OF DISPUTATIoN
OVER AN OLD ROW.
Is a, Brewery lTeamster q Brewery
Worker or just Teamster, and
Why So, If so7--Convention Won't
Close Before Saturday Night.
Yesterdays late proceedings o.
Page IL. IL =. =.

rage IL. -. ..z@.tE.l.~
"Who is a brewera'' This is the
question which absorbed the attention
in its convention session in Normanna
hall today. Unless the federation
should depart from the precedent of
the eight preceding conventions and
take action which will force conclusive
decision on all points in dispute, the
answer will still be, Because"
Four unions are involved in their
perennial controversy-the brewers, the
engineers, the fremen and the, team;
sters. The brewers contend that all
men engaged directly or Indirectly
union. The three other organizations
contend that the members of their
trades now affiliated with the brewers
should belong to the more closely clas-
sifed unions,
Incidental to the main conflict is
host Of local tangles caused by the ad-
mission to city and state central bodies
Of representatives Of the unions in
yolved in these jurisdictional disputes.
between the crafts union and the
trades union ideas has been dragged
into the debate. It appears also that
the struggle for jurisdi ction in certain
localities has been carried so far as to
involve employers who desire to be
"fair' in the dispute and get them on
the unfair' list Of one or more Of the
rival organizations despite the fact
that they were doing their best to run
a strictly union shop.
A Sea of Talk.
This is the ninth time this question
has come before the federation and ex-
cept for the delegates of the involved
Speaker after speaker rose to s"say
just few words in correction Of the
impression left in the mind of the con-
ventlon by the remarks of the delegate
who spoke next before the last one; -
talked the full ten minutes, got his
time extended and talked some more.
The net result Of three hours of this
sort Of work has been to get the four
contending unions deeply involved in a
seemingly hopeless tangle and reduce
the convention to a state Of lethargic
indifference. Beginning yesterday: af-
@oTnns, snd continued pR again this ta a
ternooon, the debate shows no signs of
termination. The only !. remark to
arouse interest today was that beer was
q product which could not be success
fully boycotted.
All hopes Of concluding the business
Of the convention today or tomorrow
morning at the latest have vanished
before the enduring eloquence of the
delegates from the brewery workers, the
engineers, the fremen and the team
sters. There are still thirty mine resolu-
lions to be considered by the conven-
ton, as well as the disposition of new
business, the selection of a meeting
place for the next convention, and the
election of officers. 49, 7,
Politics7 Hardly Any.
Politics are not being pushed to the
front. No one is making a campaign
tor anything in the open. From time
to time one standing just outside the
door of the hall may see a confidential
confab IN progress on the gallery
stairs, but it may only relate to the
pest place to procure, souvenir post
cards or to which car will take the
sightseer to Minnehaha Falls.
Little change in the personnel Of the
executive council is expected.
- Norfolk, Washington, Atlanta and
Tampa are all hard after the next con-
vention. Norfolk, the leader last week,
seems to be dropping to the rear. At
lanta, coming in last, has all the ad-
vantages OF dark horse. The possible
political effect of a meeting in the ma
gress gives Washington strong
chance, while the climate of Minnesota,
is fighting hard for Tampa and a biz
card tomorrow would probably carry
the day for the cigar city in the land
Of flowers.