Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-09
No. 1859.

that the open-shop fight is now on, and,
while regretting II, expressed determine
ton to stand by those who are now locked
out. A new feature of the situation was
noted last evening when the hod carriers,
composed of colored men, who heretofore
have not been taken into consideration,
asked their status, stating that they had
been locked out for two years, and wanted
to know If the conditions of the past were
to be eliminated; that is, if bricklayers were
to be served by non union bod carriers they
felt that union hod carriers could with pro-
priety serve non-union bricklayers, If such
were to be put to work.
After the adoption of the preamble and
resolutions by unanimous vote the following
committee was appointed to take charge
OF the lockout from the Central Labor
Union standpoint and bring about settle
ment: John H. Brinkman, ]. w, Considine.
J. j.. Purcell, Frank Mckenna. ]. G.
Schmidt c.. w. Winslow, J. j. McCracken,
N C. Sprague E. L. Mcclellan and Secre-
tary Sam De Nedrey.
Confronted With a Conspiracy.
that organized labor in the District OF
Columbia Is today, We believe, confronted
with a conspiracy on the part of the En-
ployers Association of the Building Trades
to enforce the open-shop principle, and
through it's fundamentally accomplish the
disintegration and destruction of the trade
union movement of Washington, one of the
cleanest and most efficient movements of
labor that can be found anywhere in the
world. 1t would, indeed. be criminal if the
representatives of labor did not give this
matter the consideration it demands, for
while the percentage of employers is small,
yet we believe their alliances are SUCH as
should cause grave concern among the la
Dor forces of the District. We maintain
that the letter this association forwarded
to the business men of Washington is
misstatement of fact and the resolution
adopted by their organization uncalled for
and .unwarranted. They have endeavored to
prejudice the public mind against organized
labor by stating that it was engaged in
campaign of obstruction of building opera
tons and business in general, when the fact
is the building trades have only assumed
that position in the economic world as
seemed to them to best protect their inter-
ests and their homes.
Not only have they been interested in
themselves alone, but realizing the fact
that the wage-earner is the greatest dis
tributor of the wealth they create they
have endeavored to prohibit reduction in
wages. knowing full we'll that such reduc
ton would precipitate financ al stagnation
in which all would share. Organized labor
cannot view the open shop in any other
light than the disintegration of the work
mems organizations. and that proposition
they will combat and fight to the last ditch.
We maintain that the plumbers have been
eminently right in the position they have
assumed In refusing to work for any en-
ployer who employed non-urion labor and
that their fellow-workers in other trades
pursued the right course when they re-
fused TO work with the building trades
workmen who did not carry cards N their
respective organizations.
Decision of Arbitrators.
The decision of the tribunal that arbi-
trated the differences between the journey
men and master plumbers cannot be dis
torted to mean that union plumbers should
under varying conditions and for varying
compensation. That decision plainly stated
that those shops that worked exclusively
union men previous to the lockout were to
continue working exclusively union men. and
that the contracts of June ., 1902, and April
IA. 1903, with the shop rules adopted there
under, dated November g, 1903, are he'd to
be In force. notwithstanding the departures
therefrom by either of the parties thereto.
Those contracts never for a single moment
contemplated the open shop, or in other
words, nonunion men working for the same
party with union men, whether on one
job or upon a different construction where
nothing but non-union men were employed.
The journeymen plumbers organization
was willing TO live up to that award, but
the master plumbers were not willing 20
stand by the decision of the arbitration
tribunal, and endeavored 10 compel union
plumbers TO work in the same shop with
plumbers who were not members of Their
organization. When the building trades
workmen who were allied with their re-
spective organizations rebelled there Is lit
tie wonder, because it is one of the cardinal
principles of organized labor that only union
men shall work with workmen who are
listed in the same category.
Dealing Fairly With the Public.
1T has been the object of the District
labor movement to deal fairly with the
public. and at all times merit their COM
mendation. In very many instances it has
been supported by the best citizens who
have given unstinted consideration to all
economic matters. and it is to this class of
thinkers We appeal, realizing that in the
last analysis labor has supported itself
in every trial, and has measured up to
every emergency. No one should be more
Interested in us than we are In ourselves
and we must depend upon the patriotism
their duties to their organizations, their
families and posterity. Every organza-
ton has a responsibility to discharge, and
ii should not hide behind subterfuge for the
purpose of lodging that responsibility. but
should enter the fray upon equal terms
with every other body of workmen.
1T is a notorious fact that while many
organizations have been importuned to re-
spect their contracts made with their en-
ployers, yet 1t cannot be said that those
same employers are not in league with
combinations having for their purpose the
destruction of trades unions.
1t cannot be said that when these con-
tracts were entered into there was
knowledge of the fact that the parties
thereto should not combine with their
fellows to maintain their respective To-
calls and reap the benefits that flow from
them. There Is not an organization in
the city OF Washington that can stand
alone, but depends upon the sympathy
and cooperation OF other unions In
this fight, where the open shop Is in
volved, unions have not the right to
stand upon ceremony if they wish to
maintain their status in the labor move
ment and share in its benefits.
Entertainments Of Capital.
las intelligent men we realize that this
is not a fight upon the building trades,
but upon every organization Of labor in
Washington and to resist the encroach-
ments of capital upon our rights We must
resort to every lawful means to protect
our respective interests. The man or
the organization that does not realize
the magnitude of the situation, or who
VIII SIT supinely by and permit This
ChatiehSe TO pass unnoticed, cannot helm
put merit the condemnation of all INTEL
hsent men, and should not request or
receive that support that is rendered
every true and tried organization We
lament the condition that has brougbt
about this unhappy episode in the In
dustrial affairs of the District NJ CO
lumbia. and stand