Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-19
IN LABOR CIRCLES


Labor, now being held at Typographical
Temple on G street. These happenings
occur usually in the broad Railways Of the
temple of labor or on the shaded sidewalks
in front Of the brownstone structure, which
stands as a monument to the progressive
ness and earnestness of the typos Of the
capital.
AS the members Of the council lined up
yesterday on the portico of the building to
have their pictures took by press asso-
citation photographer a fidgety old gentle
man who had been standing in the shadow
of great tree in the pension bureau park
opposite quickly crossed the street. He
drew near to the group of labor leaders as
they posed for the picture and scanned
the faces Of the national 'councilmen, or
senators Of the workingmen." as they
have been termed. Then turning to by
stander. he asked:
(Which one of them Is President Sam
Gompers ?"
The one near the center Of the front line
with a black fedora and a pleasant smile, "
replied the bystander.
Ipointing)?"
Eyes: that Is the king Of the labor world"
well. I'll be dodblasted." calculated the
fidgety old gentleman. II missed it again. y
Missed what?' oueried the bystander,
whose curiosity had been thoroughly arous-
ed.
Missed my mind picture. Have you
never formed an impression Of what man
you had never seen looked like? A man
who has been in the public eye as much as
President Gompers has Of late. Well. I'm
Jerseyman here on a sightseeing visit and
decided to see Samuel Gompers before re-
turned to my home. For a long time, but
particularly during the past six weeks. l
have been reading lots Of articles in the
newspapers about Mr.. Gompers political
work up in Maine. I pictured him in my
,f,,I toll 1vv,o trtcy n
broad shoulders and weighing from go to
2I5 pounds. with massive head, broad
features and a full black beard. That was
my minds ideal of the fighting president OF
the American Federation of Labor, but
find he Is a man comparatively small in
size"
''tte may be small in size pardner." in
terjected a man in the garb of a working
graphing process. but he is mighty big in
action and accomplishments. He's the big
gest little man in the labor movement to-
day"
camera had sounded and the crowd faded
away.
Two nattily attired young men stood in
front of the headquarters of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor yesterday en-
gagged in earnestly discussing subject
that was evidently of much interest to
them. They wore stylish suits of gray
and might have been mistaken for the
youthful sons of wealthy parents on an
outing. But they were nothing of the sort
On the contrary. they were Boston news
boys and officers of the Newsboys Union
of that city One was Nathan S. Sodekson.
treasurer Of that organization, and the
other was former president of the union.
Simon Rubinovitch.
They are here to appear before the ex-
ecutive council of the A. F. L. The lads
are intelligent, and when called before the
council they presented their case WIN
marked ability. A colored newsboy of this
city with bare feet, torn trousers and one
half of the crown of his soiled hat gone,
CAPPED at the fashionably clad Bostonese
newspaper purveyors for a few moments
In open-eyed establishment. and then turn
Gee. Isaiah, de newspapah bizness up
dar in Bosom mus be like de Stan'ard He
scheme 1 hears so much erbout"
President Gompers has sent kilograms of
greeting to the convention of the United
Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners at
Niagara Falls, and also to the convention
of the United Association of Plumbers. Gas
Filters. Steam Filters and Steam Filters
Helpers of the United States and Canada,
now in session at Toronto. Canada.
Mr.. Samuel De Nedrey OF Columbia Ty-
biographical Union, who is the legislative
agent Of the Central Labor Union OF TINS
city, will. it is said. be employed as LABOR
speaker in several congressional olstric.s
during the pending elections. He was one
of President Gompers' assistants In the re-
cent fight waged by organized labor against
Representative Littlefeld of Maine. He De-
lieves Mr.. Littlefield was elected py re-
duced majority because he gained from the
prohibition party enough votes to onset
the labor ballots that were cast against
him.
The brotherhood of Carpenters and Join
ers, now in annual convention assembled at
Niagara Falls, was organized in chicago III
1881 with II local unions, representing d
total membership of 2.O42. From 1881 to
1900 the union gained 6,421 men. In 1903
there were 1759 locals and the membership
had increased to 1927. 1t has CONSIDER
able membership in Canada, but 1t was es,
ia blished there not to fix international
wages, although Canadian rates are less,
but to prevent Canadian labor from lower
ing the wage scale in the United states, Tor
on the border the tendency would De 10
have the Canadian rate prevail
LIQUOR sellers are not admitted to mem
bership In the southern states there are
sixteen unions of colored men. The Broth
erhood claims jurisdiction over, journeymen
joiners, mllwrights. planning mill bench
hands cabinet makers or men running
woodworking machinery. But their claim
to this extensive jurisdiction has not been
undisputed. The Amalgamated Society OF
Carpenters, an English organization, and
the Amalgamated Woodworkers have both
contested it before conventions of the
American Federation of Labor. The en-
nifty of the Brotherhood and the Amalga-
mated Society was one Of the main causes
of the New York building trades strike IN
1903. The American Federation has not yet
decided the jurisdiction dispute, but both
sides are now working amicably under a
compromise. The Amalgamated WOOD
workers dispute the authority Of the Broth
erhood over men running woodworking ma
chinery.
The Jurisdiction dispute between the sta
tionary engineers and stationary firemen's
unions and the United Brewery Workers
over the control of fremen and engineers
employed in breweries is one of the most
important questions under consideration at
the convention of the International Brew
cry Workers. now in session at Toronto.
The question has come before several con-
yentions of the American Federation of
Labor. but a straight-out decision has
never been rendered At the Pittsburg con-
yention it was left to the central bodies to
deal with. The brewery workers. however.
have not been permitted to organize along
Industrial lines. They say that they will
keep the fight up until they are granted