Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-04

to press the advantage appearing to them
In the premises. and the Plumbers and
Gasf1tters Union conceiving that they
had been unfairly deprived OF the prin-
ciple of the closed shop. which they
would under no circumstances Willingly
have yielded, 1t became evident to the
allied trades and the unions representing
those trades in the District of Columbia
that the next step Of the employers
would be to carry out the plan, to at
tack the successive trades in detail.
In Imminent Peril.
Each Of the allied trades and unions be-
came accordingly convinced that the pres
ervation of its own organization and Of
the interests Of its members, in accord
ance with the principles of trades union
ism. were at stake and in imminent peril
For this reason and wholly without any
purpose or desire to injure any employer,
and solely from the conviction that self
preservation demanded such action, the
defendants say, the allied trades consid-
cred the propriety. and, indeed, the neces-
sity. Of presenting united front in the
contest thus seeming to be on. The en-
ployers it is alleged, through the Master
Builders Association of the District Of
Columbia, for the professed purpose of
promoting and improving the building in
dustry in the District of Columbia. but 1t
is declared. for the real purpose of.estab-
fishing an organization the more success
fully to oppose and combat the trades
unions of the District, counting upon the
temporary advantage gained by the Mas
ter Plumbers Association. thereupon re-
solved to press the fight upon the unions.
and before the subject matter of the con-
troversy between the Master Plumbers
Association and the Plumbers and Gasf1t-
ters' Union had been finally removed from
the field of arbitration, May 10, 1907,
adopted, through its board of governors,
resolution, the purport and intent of
which was and the effect of which, If
carried into execution, would have been
to lock out June 6. 1907. six other of the
trades in the District Of Columbia and
to force the open shop therein.
Purpose to Crush Unions.
"In defiant confidence of success in it's
plan and purpose to crush the trades
unions. the defendants aver, the Master
Builders Association of the District Of
Columbia prepared and caused to be cir
culated certain letter rendering more
critical and acute the contest which 1t had
forced upon the trades and unions. AS q
matter of necessary self-defense on the
part Of the trades and unions, it Is de-
clared, the proceedings described in the
bill of complaint followed, and the trade
conditions existing in the District Of Co
lumbia at the time of the filing of the bill
were brought about. Finally the Master
Builders Association of the District of
Columbia caused to be prepared and dis
tributed to the men in the employ of its
several members and associates, includ-
ing the compliments, another circular
letter. it is alleged. wherein and whereby
the association sought to create the false
impression that unions Of other trades
than the plumbers had submitted to the
arbitrament of the conference committee
and umpire. had been directed to return
their men to work at once, and had vio-
lated all the arbitration decisions, and
several Of them had also broken their
trade agreements.
Argument on the application Of Rich
ardson G. Burgess and other employers
for an injunction against the Brick.ayers'
Union. Local No. I. and others. was COM
menced late this afternoon before Justice
Gould in Equity Court No. 2. The hear
ing will probably continue throughout to-
morrow's session of the court. Attorney
Leon Tobriner represents the complain
ants and Attorney Henry E. Davis ap-
pears for the labor organization.
Thirty-five affldavits were filed by the
defendants in support OF the allegations
of their answer and to controvert the
charges contained in the compliments
bill and supporting afiidavits