The Washington times., 1907-09-15
BUILDING STRIKE
ENDED DECLARES
SECRETARY HALL
Union Completely Whip
ped, Asserts Employ
erS' Representative.
Union Leaders Say Claim
Is FalSe-Aid for
Operators.

THE building trades strike, or so
called strike. is completely broken. and
there is not a vesuge OF it left, either
in theory or practice" declared Seere-
tarv Hall, Of the Employers Associa-
ton last night. 1--WE have whipped the
unions completely, and the open shop
for washington is forever a fixed con-
dition that the building trades me-
cbanics cannot break away from, and
they have no one to blame but them
selves"
Continuing, Secretary Hall said. Not
only is the strike broken, but our bust
ness is running along normally. The
frantic attempts OF the trades unions
TO take n0n-uniOn men off the Jobs Is
merely incidental. and does not AFFECT
the work OF its prosecution
I've have some 1900 non-union men
working in this city, and the fact that
occasionally the trades union induces
2 man 10 quit does not afect the prog
ress OF the work or the the ultimate
result-open shop.
Circular to Employees.
circular was inClosed in the pay
envelopes Of Tho GyELuiOn mechanics
working for the members OF the En-
movers Association yesterday afternoon
when the men We're paid. II tells me
nonunion men that the "open shop has
been established in Washington; that
the Employers Association viii have
nothing 20 do with the unions that
wages will not be lowered. nor hours
increased. that the union men have no
right to ask nCnUniOn men 10 give up
their Jobs and leave the city, that tne
nonunion men are not taking the bread
out OF the mouths of innocent women
and children, as the strikers are being
led By q strike fund enabling them 10
walk the streets in idleness because
thew will not work with nOnunion work
men; and that union men have not The
exclusive right to labor because they
belong 10 a union.
Say Employers Are Blufdng.
At Iabo- headquarters it was stated
last night that the claims made by the
members of the Employers Association
that they have broken the backbone
Of the strike. and that it is a thing of
history, is a big blun that viii be
promptly called early next week. Labor
leaders assert that the Employers As
ISOLATION members erecting buildings IN
rfJs CITY are not working half forces,
and are sorely pressed for men. The
strike committee claims that II Is IN
ducine the non-Jnion men 20 leave their
jobs by the dozens
Walter Costello, proprietor Of the Cos
telo restaurant. headquarters for many
OF the strikers. said last night that for
the past week there had not been
dozen men around his place and that
mis- telephones were almost constantly
in use with calls from outside asking
tor all kinds of building trades mechan-
les, particularly briczlayers, carpenters,
stonemasons, and painters, which de-
mand could not be supplied, as all of the
men are at work on jobs going up by
the large contractors out Of the city.
Aid for TelegTaphers.
A check for $500 was received late yes
terday afternoon by the striking COM
mercial telegraphers for the paying Of
the strike benefits. A like sum was re-
ceiVed earlier in the week for the same
purpose. The fund came from strike
headquarters.
Information comes from the president
Of the striking operators that the Amer
lean Federation of Labor has added its
financial support and that an order will
be issued early next week for an assess
ment, which will bring into the hands
of the striking telegraphers over $4,000
at once.