The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-03-01

of sheet metal workers union elected
Geo, Bradford Of Hartford president.
Louis Thorpe of Providence vice pres
ident, John T. Kennedy OF Boston
secretary and treasurer, William
f. Burnham of Waterbury and
Charles Jewell of Stamford trus-
tees, Joseph Rogers Of Providence.
William de Wolfe of New Haven and
William Walters of Quincy executive
board.
Memphis, Tenn,-The biennial con-
y@ention OF the Order Of Railroad Con-
ductors will be held here beginning
May II. and Mr., Garretson will be
elected with little or no opposition.
He has had ne opposition for the of
ice of assistant for the last seven
years, but for head Of the organization
there are always a few candidates, He
is popular with the conductors
throughout the country and especially
In the west.
Washington Chairman Payne OF
the house ways and means committee,
after a visit to the president, express
the opinion hat there Is no chance
at this session OF congress Of the en-
aotment of legislation increasing COM
pensation of government employees
as proposed in the bill now before
congress. He declared there IL no
need of the blanket increase OF salar-
les, and that as a rule, government
employees were amply paid.
Chleago--The %Journeymen Stone
Cutters association has by a referen-
dun vote decided to affiliate 9Th the
American Federation OF Labor. A
charter will be issued at the next
meeting OF the executive council. Tho
stone cutters have In the past re-
Trained from Joining the family OF
trade unions In the American Fedora.
ton Of Labor, partly because OF dis
putes on jurisdiction with the granite
cutters, marble workers and others.
Chicago.-There Is trouble In store
at the post Office unless the officials
there prove equal to the occasion Of
treating with q union Of women clerks
organized in the post office during the
postmaster's absence In Washington.
Despite the commonly accepted opin-
Ion that a woman cannot keep q
secret. the 100 girl employees In the
post office successfully kept dark the
fact that they had Joined the ranks Of
organized labor. The women's union,
which Is the first OF It's kind among
the public service employees In tho
country, has now become a full
fedged labor organization. At a meet
ing OF the regular post office clerks
nnion--composed heretofore exclu-
slvely OF men--the girls were taken
into membership.
New York.--To establish perma-
nent peace between the employing
printers OF New York and their en-
ployes who are members OF Typo
graphical union No. 6, about so own
ers of New York printing establish
ments have adopted bylaws and part
Of q constitution. The new organiza-
ton will be known as the Printers
League of America. Charles Francis,
president, said that II Its plans were
carried out by the employers there
will be nc more strikes among print
ers In New York. Mr.. Francis de-
cIared that In the last big strike.
which began In January, 1905, 49,
100000 had been spent by employers
and employees. In addition to It's main
object, Of avoiding strikes by concilia-
ton and arbitration, 1t Is the inten-
ton of the Printers league to discard
individual labor contracts and instead
introduce the system OF collective la
Dor contracts.
New York.-The officials OF the old
and new unions Of plasterers, which
have been engaged In a warfare for
more than a year, have come to an
agreement, and the fight, which re-
suited In many building strikes ended.
The terms Of settlement provide that
the union is to form two locals with
charters from the international union.
There will thus be three locals Of the
one international union In New York
city which will recognize one anoth-
er's cards.
Washington. -Under the executive
order issued by President Roosevelt
some time ago the eight-hour law
must be observed by contractors do
Ing government work, whether being
done by contract or day labor. When
negotiating for the last wage agree
ment a year ago the dredgemen made
a stand for an %eight-hour day, but
finally were forced to yield It In con-
slderation for other concessions. G.
u. Newell, OF Buffalo, first vice presi-
dent OF the organization, will have
charge OF the negotiations for the
dredgemen, and win be assisted by
T. J. Dolan, OF Chicago. secretary of
the steam shovel mems international
union.
Pittsburg, Patio hodcarriers In
this vicinity will ask for an increase
OF IN cents an hour, to take effect
May J.. They are now receiving IS
cents an hour for an eighthour day.
Boston.--Great activity Is being dis
played In an effort to absolutely union
lie the Hebrew workers. Several
unions In various crafts which had de-
clined in membership and power have
been revived, and great success is be-
ing achieved. The unions which have
retained and represent a virtually
complete organization Of their lines
are the most active in the work for
the helping Of the others.