Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-16
BEGINNING OF THE END
Termination of Strike of the
Building Trades.
REMARK BY LABOR LEADER
Action at Meeting Last Evening of
Business Agents.
MUNICIPAL STRUCTURE WORK
Alleged Effort at Retrenchment.
Action at Police Court in the
Assault Case.

The beginning OF the end OF the strike Is
at hand"
Emanating from one of tie best nosted
labor leaders in the city today, tn. foreso-
Ing statement was taken to mean that the
strike of the building trades in the city in
defense Of the closed shop is on the verge
or collapse. The statement was regarded
as especially significant in view of the
formal action of the meeting last night of
the business agents of the building trades
when they agreed to permit non-unon
plumbers in the employ of James Nolan *
Sons TO work on the new municipal build
ing. side by side with the union men of
other crafts. In the same connection there
We're several authentic reports this morn
ing of union men. notably brickayers. re-
turning to their former positions and one
case where a union foreman assumed
charge of gang of non-union coored
bricklayers.
Near Center of Stage.
From the very beginning of the labor
troubles in the District of Columbia the
contract for installation Of the plumbing
system In the new municipal building on
Pennsylvania avenue between 1914 and 14th
streets. has occupied a position near the
center Of the stage in the affairs of union
| ism. The refusal of union men to work
| with the non-unionists employed by the
| Nolan firm caused more than one walkout
| at the big structure. both before and after
| the award of the arbitration board Incl
| oentally, James l.. Parsons contra ctor for
| the municipal building, several times ex-
| pressed himself in favor Of the contentio ions
| OF the unions, and his reasons offered llpon
one occasion. when the workmen Of the
| Nolan nrm We're ordered off the premises
were mat the subcontractor had failed to
| live up to the finding Of the arbitrator
| throughout the controversy the Messrs
NOLAN nave had the moral support OF The
empowers Association, and 1t was init
,, this morning that the jobbers OF
| building supplies had taken hand In the
| contest and strengthened the position of
rle emp ioyers by refusing to make delfy-
ei,es OF plumbing and other supplies.
| ME- Parsons this morning wrote a letter
10 James Nolan & Sons Informing them
| that the union men of other trades had re-
/ moved the ban from non-union plumbers
s anG naa agreed to work with the Nolan
| employees The latter firm was notified to
| nave its men on the building without de-
| lay, and this afternoon eight non-lnion
plumbers were busily engaged in running
| pipe. making connections and otherwise
| doing their share toward the compJetton of
| the new home Of the District government.
Alleged Effort at Retrenchment.
In we'll informed quarters this declared
/
is believed to be the forerunner of a gem
eral scramble for their old positions Inv
| union workmen. There is little effort TO
deny that the backbone of the strike fs
broken, because the uncontested return of
hon-unlon workers to a building in which
union men have long held supreme control
speiis abandonment of the vital principle
OF the fight for the closed shop.
Rumors were afioat this morning to tbs
Gregor, both members Of the EMPLOYERS.
Associa ton, had signed agreements with
the unions Inquiry at the Employers AS
ISOLATION headquarters suff1ced to start a
lively inquiry, and within few minutes
the answer came that Mr.. Cowsiil had put
several union carpenters to work on the
new synagogue, but this action was taken
solely as ma tier of accommodation to the
congregation.
Denial of Rumor.
Mr.. Cowsfll emphatically denied that he
had signed an agreement with the unions
The report Of Mr.. McGregor's Signing up'
was treated with ridicule because Mr.. Nc
Gregor is in Europe, and his foreman has
no authority to make or mar contracts.
we are filed up with brickIayers car
penters and electricians" a renreseptati,.a
of the firm OF Richardson & Burgess said
TO-DAY, but We need d few more plaster
ers'
ne Fu!nor mat at least one of the Job
ping houses had taken up cudgels for the
Employers Association was made more
speclhc when the person responsible for
me rumor declared that plumbing supply
house had refused to deliver pipe and iii
tlngs to the new District building unless
the open shop should be declared.
AS another blow 10 unionism, it was
stated union foreman had taken emnIoy-
ment with Harry Wardman. and thai he is
supervising the work of a number Of col
ored n0n-unlon bricklayers on Mr.. Ward
mans houses.
Charge of Assault.
George Bacon, walking delegate of The
local plasterers union. against whom war
rants alleging assault and assault with a |
dangerous weapon on strikebreakers were |
issued yesterday, appeared at the Police |
Court about 10 O'Clock this morning and sur |
rendered to Prosecuting Attorney G, Fl |
Turner. Bacon was accompanied by At |
torney r. W. Mattingly. Hearings in both |
of the charges against Bacon We're con- /
tinued indefinitely, to allow for further in |
vestIgation.
The charge of simple assault in which IL |
Is alleged that Ernest Carter, a non union |
pasterer, was the victim, was filed with |
Clerk Potts today, and Bacon deposited 500 |
collateral with Financial Clerk Sebring for |
his appearance in court when REQUIRED Nh !
date for the hearing has been fixed
In the case OF the charge Of assault
with dangerous weapon in which II Il
aieged bacon struck John Ferguson with
stick, Prosecuting Attorney c. turner
decided to make a further investigation:
and on his promise to come into court al
any lime when notified, to answer the
charge, Bacon was released from cretodv
Before That case is actually filed i'm
court MIR. Turner will have a conference
with the witnesses, particularly with Po-
liceman Jones of the fourth precinct who
made the arrest, to determine what evil
dence there is to present in court when
the case is called
While Bacon did not present fully his
side OF the case today when in confer
ence with Prosecuting Attorney Turner
he maintained, il is said, that the strike
breakers were at least much to blame
for the starting OF the fight on i street
between 18th and 14th streets last Mon !
day as himself. and that he is noe guilty
of assaulting them. He has a black eye,
which, he says, Is the result of the fight. |
1t is declared that he was otherwise |