Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-27
IN LABOR CIRCLES


| The plumbers Of Washington are not the
only members of that craft that are having
| trouble, 1t appears. Information has been
received here that differences existing be-
| tween master and journeyman plumbers in
Omaha for nearly two months resulted
Monday morning in lockout of the latter
Eighty plumbers, representing all but seven
| shops, were locked out.
Briefly, the situation Is this: The master
| plumbers allege they have asked the jour
neymen to give a signed statement that
they would not during the year 1907 engage
In any sympathetic strikes, but have been
refused more than a verbal agreement,
which the masters refuse to consider The
1ourneymen contend they are not in favor
OF sympathetic strikes in the usual accep-
talon of the term, but will not commit
themselves to signed agreement.
Ihe seat of the trouble, the masters con-
! tend, is in the Building Trades Council.
With which organization all building crafts
except bricklayers and electric Iinemen are
affiliated.
Both sides of the controversy in Omaha
have made statements. That of the Jour
neyman plumbers Is as follows:
I'VE have been and are perfectly satisfied
with our wages and working conditions and
are not making any demands upon our en-
ployers. 1t Is a fact that a committee of
our employers demanded we withdraw from
the Building Trades Council and that we
give them signed statement not to par
tlcipate in sympathetic strikes, as they
wanted to take it before the Business Mems
Association and our union refused to do So
Inc statement that there is agreement
between the trades affiliated with the Build
Ing Trades Council that on May l next we
will support each other in a sympathetic
strike is false and this committee of en-
ployers was so notified. They this ar
gument to mislead the public, but such ac-
ton on the part of our employers will cause
all wage earners to stand shoulder to
shoulder and cause more sympathy than
anything else they can do"
The master plumbers then made this state
ment:
THE trouble has been brewing since seven
weeks ago, when an incontrovertible action
of the building Trades Council policy was
manifested on job where several carpen-
tiers and painters were not union men. The
business agent for the plumbers pulled the
plumbers off that job and the matter was
allowed to rest four weeks before we took
hold of 1t In earnest. committee of the
plumbers told us the action of that business
agent was not authorized, but We believe 1t
was, and have other evidence of a policy
existing in the trades council and which we
believe is unjust. We had numerous meet
ings with the plumbers committee, but
failed to reach any agreement. The whole
thing is now up to the plumbers. We made
our proposition in fair terms before we
decided on the lockout. The busy season Is
near at hand and we think 1t best to have
some kind of a settlement before the rush
Is on
In discussing the lamplghters Of Wash
ington and their troubles, Editor William
Upton Talbot of the Trades Unionist says:
Doubtless a great many citizens We're
surprised when they learned that the street
lamps of the national capital lighted
through contract with the American Lamp
lighting Company of Baltimore. Probably
not quite so many grew indignant when it
became known that the American Lamp
lighting Company of Baltimore would not
permit its employees here to belong to a
lamplighters union of Washington Some of
these citizens may fear that organized Ia
Dor, In seeking to secure Its ends, will at
tempt to keep the street lamps from being
lighted and inaugurate n nightly reign of
terror with foodpads behind every treebox
and housebreakers lurking in proximity to
every door and widow.
We do not think. however, that those
business men and others who have had deal
ings with organized labor hereabouts are
troubled by fears of enforced darkness a
result of the present difficulty. They know
that outside of the principles involved the
fight between the Lamplighters' Union Of
Washington and the American Lamplght-
ing Company of Baltimore is not of vast and
far-reaching Importance. 1t Is possible
too. that they do not sympathize with this
foreign company to any great extent In its
refusal to deal with local wage-earners and
Spe0QeTS, organized the purpose, per-
haps, of securing more spending money.
Seriously speaking, the lamplightng con-
test as we are aware, presents peculiar diff
ficulties. If the lampighters are not exact
ly municipal employees, they have at least
a quas-muncipal status with impor-
tant public duty to perform, SO that in at
tempting to secure their rights great care
must be taken not to offend the genera!
public. The American Lamplighting Com
pany of Baltimore Is of course aware of
this fact and will of course take advantage
of It In Washington as well as in other
cities.
I'm the meantime it should be understood
that the Central Labor Union could not,
even If 1t felt inclined, afford TO look
with approval on acts OF violence incidental
to the contest in question. On the other
hand, the preparation of unlawful acts by
union men might possibly just suit the pur-
pose of the American Lamplighting Com
pany of Baltimore.
1.-The Trades Unionist say for itself
that it is opposed. in common with the
great mass of trades unionists, to the use Of
irregular and unlawful methods under any
circumstances. 1t believes that legitimate
means may be brought to bear through
which the American Lamplighting Company
of Baltimore may be brought to terms. 1t
will certainly be disappointed II such Is
not the case; for the American Lamplight-
ing Company of Baltimore Is a labor trust
In the bad sense Of the word"
Secretary Sam De Nedrey of the Central
Labor Union has received the following
credentials of delegates:
Engineers, No. 99-L. c. Pottinger, vice
L. P Van Ostrand.
Navy Yard Helpers, No. 12421, A. r. of L.
Joseph A. Clarkson, James Carroll. Daniel
Lahey, w. H. Boswell, James ]. Sullivan.
Press Feeuers-Arthur c. Watts. Henry j.
Carroll and Charles w. Ford. vice Albert
Shafer, John Hall and James P. McGin- !
ness.
At the last meeting of the Central Fed |
Grated Union of New York city Miss Mary |
Macarthur. secretary of the Womans |
Trade Union League of England. made an |
address, asking that efforts be taken more |
thoroughly to unionize women workers in |
New York. She said women have entered |
the industrial field to stay. and they have
gained much material welfare through or
ganiZation In England.
A recommendation of the executive COM
mittee was adopted directing all unions
which were affiliated both with the c. F.
u and the Bronx Labor Council to vote for
the expulsion from the latter body Of the
Empire Association of Marble Workers or
to force 1t to withdraw from the Bronx or
ganiza ton. The Empire association, 1t was
alleged, did not belong to the A. F. of l..
and worked for lower wages than unions
which had affiliated with the national badly.
Timothy Daily of the metal polishers said
many good mechanics were compelled to