Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-06

voived. and the final conferences will h
neid the latter part OF this moath in New
York city. when. it-is said trade agree
t Ments VIII De signed up by the Organise
lions interested. This action brings sew
erai Thousand more members into the folc
or the American Federation OF Labor ana
leaves i,ni but two Of the large organizations
layers and plasterers. 1t is expected that
the bricklayers and masons will follow the
example OF the soft stone men within the
year.
The federated trades OF New York city
and vicinity last Sunday Endorsed a elli
now pending In the state senate OF the New
aork ieeislature giving the right to women
OF that state to vote at all elections. The
Womens League OF Workers is behind the
movement to secure the right OF suffrage.
The officers of the bakers. union are
hopeful that their contention for an m
crease OF % cents a day in the salary OF
the 1ourneymen win be granted by the bess
pakers az the conclusion of the present IN
SeStleation. This Is being made into waEe
conditions In other large cities, and the
hours of labor In certain shops elsewhere
as compared with those in the District.
II Is said by the journeymen bakers that
their pay will not stand compa rison with
the wages received by other skilled trades
men here. They also point to the increase
IN the cost of living in the past ten years
and give the conclusion that their demands
are both just and moderate They saw the
wages or the bricklayers, carpenters paint
ers and workmen of other crafts have beer
increased, while theirs have remained for
for So.
Master printers who were dissatisfied
with the absolute refusal of the Typothe-
tae, the existing organization of printers
TO permit its members, II SO disposed re-
make settlements with their employees
nave formed new national organization
I is known as the Employing Printers
League of America, and was projected by
Putnam Drew of New York Thus far
It's operations are confined to that city and
Chicago. but it is planned to extend 1t to
every city where the Typothetae maintains
an organization.
One of its cardinal principles will be the
promotion OF harmonious relations with the
unions In the printing trades. 1t was origi-
nally intended to form an association Of
master printers which would endeayor 20
eradicate some of the evils existing In the
trade, and take no notice of the labor cues
ton. put after the movement had obtained
some neadway ii became apparent that an
organization which did not deal with the
relations between the employers and the
union could not hope for continued exist
ence
Among other points called to the nj
tention of master printers. In a circular fs-
sued by Mr.. Drew, to enlist their interest
In the new movement. are the following:
The fact that the Typothetac has I'M
equivocally declared for the open shop and
severance of any connection or recogni-
tion or union uSageS and rules leaves the
remaining employers without any means
OF cancellation or arbitration with the ex-
listing unions, and as it must be admitted
that unions have to be reckoned with, II
mas been very necessary to form a medium
of negotiation as between these bodies and
the employers.
Among the advantages it is evident that
any dispute arising between employers and
employees, either as individuals or in the
broader sphere OF wages and shop rules
could be talked over and arranged by the
two bodies affected and have the authori-
zation of representative organizations.
One thing that may be said regarding
the utility of such a league is that the
unions connected with the printing business
have been universally correct in maintain
Ing the integrity Of any agreement entered
into. and also that the present condition
leaves the unions without any authorized
information as to the condition and needs
of the employer for mutual benefit.
The International Typographical Union
as well as the subordinate unions has al
ways been willing TO meet with organixa-
lions of employers and whenever such or
CARNATIONS have been actuated by spirit
Of fairness and disposition to take up ques-
tons at issue on their merits the unions
have never been forced to resort to strikes
for settlement OF differences.
The award of the arbitration board to
which was referred the dispute of the
swftchmen In the New York harbor switch
ing district was announced IA few days ago
and is against the workmen. The arbitra-
tors in the case were w. F. Allen, secre-
tary of the American Railway Association,
representing the railroads: f. +. Clark,
formerly chief of the railway conductors
and now member of the interstate COM
merce commission, for the switchmen. and
Judge George Gray of Delaware as UNI
pire. The contention of the switchmen
was for wage increase Of cents an hour.
The railroads involved were the Lehigh
Valley, the Delaware, Lackawanna and
Western. the Erie and the Central Railroad
of New Jersey. The New York Central
road was originally involved with the
others. but withdrew and agreed to pay
the advance demanded before arbitration
was resorted to.
The railroads offered the men cents an
hour increase. which was refused. strike
would have tied up traffic around New
York, and as the dispute arose just before
Christmas, when traffic was heavy, Grand
Master P. H. Morrissey of the Brotherhood
of Railroad Trainmen consented to arbi-
trate the question of whether the men
should receive the extra 1 cent demanded.
He took the step against the wishes OF
the men. who had voted unanimously to
strike, rather because he did not want to
arouse public criticism by consenting to a
strike that would have Inconvenience
thousands than because he feared the
strike would be lost.
The award Is, of course unsatisfactory to
the men. but they will abide by the result
The decision will make the trainmen less
ready to accept arbitration in future dis
putes. as they believed they had presented
such a strong case that the award could
not be against them. The wages of the
switchmen with the increase OF cents an
hour, are cents an hour less than Is paid
in Chicago for the same class OF work
About Zoo men were involved in the dis
pute. and the wages paid are 35 cents an
hour for night fOremen, 32 cents for night
helpers. 80 cents for day foremen and 10
cents for day helpers. Judge Gray, who
acted as umpire. was appointed by Pres-
dent Roosevelt chairman of the coal strike
commission which settled the miners strike
in the anthracite regions four years ago.
In his decision Judge Gray says that the
arguments presented were so evenly bal
anced that he had difficulty in deciding In
favor of the railroads. The trainmen are
sorry that he managed to overcome the diff
ficulty.
Luke Grant the labor writer in the Chi
cage Record Herald has the following state
ment:
Conditions in the building industry have
changed since the old days" said Ben Gar
land of the Cashiers Union the other
night. Ben was in a reminiscent mood. and
he is an old timer in the labor world. Yes.