Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-05
CENTRAL LABOR UNION
CRITICISM OF CONTRACT WORK
ON GOVERNMENT VESSELS.

At the meeting Of the Central Labor
Union last night the matter of the affilia-
ton of the Railway Brotherhoods was
taken up for discussion, resulting in Secre-
tary De Nedrey being instructed to write a
letter to the locals of Washington and vi
cinity extending to them an invitation to
unite with the central body.
Mr.. George L. Cain of Lynn, Mass, pres
ident of the National League of Employees
Of Navy Yards, Naval Stations and Ar
senals and Gun Factories of Continental
America was introduced to the central
body by Vice President McHugh. Mr.. Cain
addressed the delegates, explaining the OBJ
jects Of his organization, and among other
things said: THE government loses money
every time it has ship built in the private
ship yards of the United States; that the
employees Of many government yards are
kept busy patching up the biunders of the
privately built government vessels; that
the Cleveland, Des Moines and Rhode Is
land were badly built, and that on the
latter vessel in many places where steel
filled with candle tallow and covered with
red lead to give the appearance of steel
having been used
Mr.. Cain, as he progressed in his talk,
stated that the Connecticut could not stand
a broadside from the vessel of an enemy
without sinking because of her faulty con-
struction and that thousands of dollars
were expended upon the Louisiana to make
her safe for President Roosevelt to travel
or to Panama and return.
Appeal to Central Body.
He appealed to the delegates to aid in
welding together the seventeen links where
government work is done into a great
chain and thus 'revolutionize shipbuildng
In the United States.''
Mr.. Cain is representative of the Ma
tional Civic Federation, of which Pres
of Labor is vice president, and is in charge
Of the welfare work of the Civic Fedora
tiOn He is also a member Of the Interna-
tional Association Of Machinists
The organizer for the American Fedora
ton of Labor reported to the Central Labor
Union that the American Lighting CON-
pany of Baltimore and Washington Is con-
tinuing its work of discharging members Of
membership in a labor organization, and
asked the Central Labor Union to appoint
a committee to confer with the president
of the company and endeavor to stop the
ask for the reinstatement Of those already
discharged. James L. Feeney of the book
binders, Charles Pau of the clerks and
Henry c. Stein of the carriage and wagon
with instructions to call upon Mr.. Caisweli
In Baltimore today.
Discharge Of Lamplighters.
Members Of the Lamplighters' Union re-
ported that three of the men were dis
charged last night The matter Of invoking
the law in the aid Of the men thus dis
charged was discussed, one delegate stat
ing he did not understand why there was
no course Of action against company in
the District, when the other side was re-
sorting to all kinds of law against the labor
unions Of the District The lampiighters
have retained the services Of a prominent
attorney, and upon the report Of the Gen.
trail Labor Union. It will be determined
whether or not to appeal to the courts.
The amendment to the constitution con-
sOlidating the Office Of organiser with that
Of the central body was laid upon the table.
The plumbers reported that taking the
award OF the, board Of arbitration recently
made In the controversy between the jour-
neymen and the master association "a q
whole the J0urneymen considered that It
was In the nature Of q victory for them.