Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-30
VIEWS OF THE EMPLOYERS
Alleged Objectionable Statement Re-
peated by the Commissioner.
ONE CONFERENCE THAT FAILED
Electrical Workers Decline to Meet
Their Employers-Rumor at
Labor Headquarters.

The action of Mr.. James L. Parsons. the
contractor. in locking out the non-union
plumbers employed by James Nolan s.
Sons, who have the subcontract for the
plumbing work on the new District gov
eminent building, was generally discussed
last night in labor circles and among the
master builders and other employers. There
was also considerable discussion concerning
the statement made by District Commits
sioner Mcfarland, and leading employers
were inclined to criticise his utterances, as
given in The Evening Star yesterday.
When inquiry was made at the Employ
ers Association office last night regarding
the developments upon the municipal build
ing the following statement was author
ized:
Our association notes with keen regret
that the action of Mr.. Parsons in violating
his contract with James Nolan & Sons and
in expellng non-union plumbers from work
upon the municipal building seems to meet
with the approval of Commissioner Mac
farland. Such action as that taken by Mr..
Parsons furnishes incentive and encourage
ment for the arbitrary methods of organized
labor and gives them their only real force.
Mr.. Nolan had contract to perform this
work, in which no particular kind of labor
unions in calling a sympathetic strike for
the purpose Of compelling the discharge of
his wOrkmen was unlawful and wrongful.
The action of the brieklayers was in direct
violation also of their contract.
Forbids Discrimination.
"It is a rule Of law we'll settled that a
government cannot discriminate between
different classes of it's citizens in the mat
ter of employment. A clause in a public
contract requiring the employment of
union men only on public work would be
I>c0l ,,%@l 80 ~3,.fA ~
were applied there should be no more dis
elimination on public work between union
and non-union men, when the work Is done
indirectly than when 1t is done directly. 1t
would seem to us that the greatest good
to the city of Washington would come
from not having his work done at all than
to have 1t done at the sacrifice of prin-
ciple and at the expense Of discrimination
among workmen and the breaking of con-
tracts.
I'VE had hoped when the unlawful de-
mand of the unions was made upon Mr..
Parsons that the Commissioners would en-
courage and sustain him in a proper stand
for his independence and his rights, and
for the good of the building Industry of
the city. His prompt action in yielding and
expelling Mr.. Nolan and his men from the
work was a matter of regret to us. but we
were wholly unprepared for what seems
the board of District Commissioners We
are of the opinion that his statement was
not made upon full consideration of infor-
nation of the conditions"
.aa , Expresses Surprise.
When informed last night of the cr:ti-
cism of his statement, as published in yes
terdays Star. Commissioner Mcfarland
was greatly surprised. "All l said was
that 1 was glad the difficulty was ended
and that the men were back at work." he
said. land knew nothing about the mat
ter except that the newsp apermen told me
the strike trouble was over.
Il have not the least idea of the merits
of the case, and a careful reading of my
statement of yesterday will show that re-
ferred to general conditions only. I knew
nothing of the terms of settlement, and 1
know nothing about it now. 1 have abso-
luteiy no desire to comment upon the
merits of the natter
The Etatement Under Criticism
Mr.. Mcfarland requested that his state
ment of yesterday be reproduced and al
lowed to speak for itself 1t follows:
Il am heartily glad to hear that the
strike trouble at the District government
building has been so promptly ended. 1t
would be a very great pity to Rave any
delay in the completion of the District
building on account of any such trouble.
1t means to me that no matter what con-
troversies might occur over private build
ings all concerned in the er sction of the
District building ought to work together
NdTuOHlOuSiy lOT us SPECIFY COMpl IlOQ dS
matter of common interest and civic
pride. 1 know that such feeling exists
among those who have had to do with the
construction of the building. making it
is notably true of Mr.. James L. Parsons
who is browning his honorable career with
this notable work and has carried it on
with such devotion and success"
Refuse to Confer.
AS phase Of the general situation it
was noted that a meeting of the concili-
alton committee of the Electrical. Con-
tractors Association and the Journeymen
Electricians Union, to take up the alleged
violation of the existing agreement to
which the union is a party, in calling off
the journeymen electricians from the Acad-
envy of Music was scheduled for last
night, but the proposed discussion went by
default the journeymen refusing to partici-
pate because they declared there was moth
ing for them to consider. 1t is believed
however. that the action yesterday of the
bricklayerS and the carpenters, in deciding
to remain at work. will have an important
bearing upon the future course of the cleo
trical workers.
May Be Unionized.
The report was current at labor head
quarters, Costello's Hall, last night, that
the work on the Academy Of Music the
Elks' Home building. and the parsonage Of
the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, for which
the Cassidy Company has the contracts
will be unionized tomorrow morning.
There was another report to the effect
that the international organization of brick
layers will order the local union to have
it's striking members to resume operations
Tuesday. 1t was added that this step will
be taken because of the nature of the con-
tract in force between the union and the
master bricklayers, which, 1t is said for
bids the members taking part in a sympa-
thetic strike.