The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-07-25
Building Trades Mechan-
les Hope For Aid at
Tonight's Meeting.
Walk-out of Trowel
WielderS Thought the
Only Way of Beating
Employers.

Strike in support OF the locked ont
building trades mechanics and against
the open shop. or a refusal to take that
step thereby giving support TO tho
Employers Associations nght against
the mechanics is the proposition the
Brieklayers' Union will have 10 deter
mine tonight.
The refuEal Of the Employers Asso-
ciation TO grant the bricklayers a con
ference puts an end to the armistice
that has been on Tor two weeks. and II
Is now up to the bricklayers TO act
Odd Fellows Hall will be the scene
Of one OF the most important organized
labor meetings tonight that has ever
been held in the District. when the
local brlcklayers' union assemblies TO
determine this momentous question.
The eyes Of every organized labor
body in the District Is riveted upon the
bricklayers. Their action means 10 the
building trades mechanics victory or
defeat. II the bricklayers determine 70
strike the fight will favor organized
laoor. II they refuse TO go out on a
strike the Employers Association will
most likely be the victors.
Big Gathering Expected.
The meeting tonight will be the Iars-
est attended gathering of any single
organized body OF Iaboring men that
has ever been brought together in this
city. Walter ]. Bowen, president of
the er-Briclzlayers and Stonennason5'
Union. viii, be the central figure OF the
meeting. and upon his Official decision
rests the action TO be taken by the local
union.
As a preliminary t. the regular meet
1 for gsrhF ~fr~.,
board Of the union ard the arbitration
board OF the master briclIayers and
the JOurneyfnen bricklayers held meet
ings last night 20 discuss the situation.
and the final ultimatum OF the Employ
ers' Association not 70 meet the brick
layers in conference were taken up.
international President Bowen was
present and fully informed himself on
all points in the complicated situation so
as 10 enable him 70 intelligently and
fairly hear and decide the case when 1t
comes Up at tonight's meeting.
Conference This Afternoon.
There will be a conference Of the
master bricklayers and the journeymen
bricklayers through their arbitration
board this afternoon. international
President Bowen will be there. The
masters will contend that inasmuch as
the members Of the local bricklayers'
union are under contract with them,
that they have no right to strike and
violate their contract The jouTneymen
will reply by saying that since the ques-
tion at issue Is one vital TO the very eX-
istence OF organized labor, they will
have 10 ignore contractural conditions
to preserve their existence.
General sentiment among the rank
and file OF the bricklayers favors strike.
If the call for strike comes 1t will
be with the approval OF Internal tional
President Bowen, which Will carry with
II the unanimous support OF every union
of the organization all over the country,
moral and financial TO a finish.
1t is thought that the strike order
VIII come from tonight's meeting II
the bricklayers take the other position
the Central Labor Union will take steps
10 secure from American Federation Of
Labor an order prohibiting every organi-
Zation AFFILIATED with that body 10 re-
fuse TO work with members of the Inter
Bricklayer5 Union all over the country