The San Francisco call., 1907-06-12
BUILDERS WILL
SEEK To MAKE
PEACE PACTs
Exchange Decides After a
Wild Session to Treat
With Unions
NO "oPEN SHOP" WAR
Those Bent on a Battle With
Organized Labor Are
Voted Down
. UEAD EMENT
z-YEAR AGREEMENT
Established Basis for Ger
tain Term Desired by
Employers

Out Of a stormy session of the
builders exchange yesterday after
noon. IN which accusations were thun-
dered back and forth and bitter per-
sonallhes flung with reckless disregard.
threatening an open rupture at dozen
stages, came a resolve for industrial
peace. The efforts of II. w. Pos
tIethwaite. w. II. George and other
radicals to declare war on organized
labor were defeated by the conserva-
tives under the leadership of ]. D.
McGiinzy and Secretary James A.
Wilson. and there viii be no death
struggle over the question of the open
shop.
Strangely enough. it was the Cart
wright law. the antitrust enactment
Of the last legislature. that indirectly
was the cause of the fierce quarreling.
The solon from the county of raisin
combines. ex-populist. democrat. re-
former and friend Of the workingman.
had aimed a xhack at capital But
here. as Calhoun was first TO suggest
as possible, that self-same law was to
be used. IL was threatened 70 give labor
unionisn it's crushing blow
Il was Postlethwaite who threat
ened that II the builders did not stand
firm for a general assault on organ
lied labor they would be prosecuted
for entering into the Illegal agree
rnnet with the unions" The conserva-
tives al once gave proof that it was
not case OF the white feather with
them They began lighting then and
there. It was battle royal for an
hour or more.
CHARGES ARE HURLED
First the committee reported It sug-
gested that steps be made TO effect
agreements with the building trades
unions looking to the reduction of
wages IN certain crafts, and agree
neuts with the material men looking
TO the reduction OF prices.
Denunciztion rang IN PostIethwaite's
words Of protest He declared that he
had II on the best legal authority that
any such agreements would be illegal
under the Cartwright law and would
render those participating liable to
criminal prosecution
McGilvrsy and Wilson were instant
II the combat They bluntly accused
Postlethwsite OF representing the citi-
zens' alliance ". H George also in
troduced resolutions formally express
sfve OF Postlefhwaites protest
Those resolutions were instigated by
the citizens alliance shouted Wilson
They were not" cried Postlethvaite.
standing with arms folded in the CEN
ter OF the crowded floor.
you complain that labor raised its
scale after the fire. retorted McGilvray.
who stood facing the line dealer In
beIIigerent attitude Labor raised its
wages Yes. but how much did you
and George add to the price Of lime
after the dre?"
President Kent kept his hammer busy
pounding on the table. The encourag-
ing cheers supporting the combatants
finally subsided and the meeting pro-
ceeded on its stormy way.
The session was called to listen to
the report OF the committee which had
been appointed 10 consider the abnor-
nal conditions prevailing IN the build
ing industries and to CLEAN from all
lines involved In the actual work OF
San Francisco's reconstruction such
dzta as would lead 20 q better under
standing OF the matter and thus aid in
6nding a remedy for its discouraging
phases.
President Kent called the meeting TO
order and asked for the committees