Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-24
CRUCIAL POINT REACHED |
IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS IN
LABOR TROUBLE EXPECTED.
International President of the Brick
layers in the City Going Over
the Situation.

According to statements emanating from
authoritative sources In the labor world. 1t
Is almost certain that the crucial point in
the unsettled conditions which have OBJ
tained In Washington has arrived. In fact
1t may be determined before the end Of the
present week whether the National capital
shall be plunged INTO labor war of far
reaching effects whethe rthe frequent
recent declarations of several large employ
ers in favor OF the open shop will be ac-
cepted by the working masses without a
struggle.
Because bricklaying is one OF the most
important phases OF all building construc-
| tlon. and because the local bricklayers'
union. consequently. Is dominant factor IN
the present situation. the result of the
meeting of the bricklayers local tomorrow
night will be watched with anxious eyes.
One of the best evidences of the gravity
of the situation in Washington probably is
Bowen. the principal officer of the brick
layers union In America, came to Wash
fngton yesterday, and has been I'm almost
constant consultation with members and
of1cers OF the bricklayers' local and with
prominent representatives of the building
interests.
| Mr.. Bowen will be present at the gath
ering tonight OF the arbitration and
executive boards OF the local. which are
always held the night before open meet
1ngs Of the union. and he is also expected
to attend the union meeting tomorrow.
Reply Of Employers.
Still another feature to the present sit
uation lies In the reply Of the Employers
Association to the recent request of the
union for conference.
The proposition Of the union was, In ef-
feet, that the unsettled conditions should
be discussed at a joint meeting of the en-
ployers and the working men. The reply
Of the employers went forward to the union
YESTERDAY and , while the text Of the letter
known that 1t contained an absolute re-
fusal to meet the union on that ground.
AS indicating the stand of the building
interests. 1t was stated today by a repre-
sentative Of the Employers Association
that there is not now and never has been a
fight by the employers for an open shop:
that all that has been done has been the
employment of non-union men upon jobs
that have been left by the union men. and
that the fight has all been on the other
side, namely. determination by the unions
to force forward the principle of the CLOSED
shop"
The position Of the unions equally
strongly defined today by a man who Is In
close touch with the labor situation. and he
declared that the whole problem was re-
solving itself into fight by the working
men for self-preservation. 1.-THE unions In
Washington have membership of between
5000 and 26O0O.' he said, land in addition
to them there are always, in the summer
seasons. about Is to 20 per cent of union
card bearers at work In the capital
I'VE call them 'fiOaters,' and they repre-
sent the class which travels about from
city to city. wherever their union papers
tell them work is plentiful.
Composition of Unions.
Altogether you will find the unions
are made up of honest, Woodworking
American citizens. Nearly all of them
have their homes and families. which
thew tTy To SunnOrt the hast nj THAR
ability.
1T may safely be said at the present
time that the union workmen in WASH
ington represent daily wage earning
capacity Of 100000, and a yearly pay roll
Of more than $35,000,O0O. Ali of this
money they spend in the community, and
the business men Of the city reap the
benefits. On the other the 'scab' labor Is
grants from European countries, all Of
whom are well satisfied to work longer
hours and for less money because they
live in the alleys and under such condi-
lions that 1t costs them only a fraction
as much to live as 1t does the American
workman
ut has been estimated that the weekly
pay roll of scab' labor now In the capital
is approximately $4,000. and I will venture
to say that not more than 10 per cent of
this amount finds its way into circulation
again through the medium Of the business
men. AS far competency is concerned,
it may be declared without fear of contra
diction that only the exceptional scab' is a
good worker. a credit to the community
and to himself