Evening star., 1907-09-03
PICKET SPOTS twPOSTOR
UNION NWARNS STRAN-
GER TO DROP THE GAME.
Warfare Between Local Employers
and Journsymen Develops Importa-
tion and Expectation Tactics.

The building trades lockout and strike
appears to have resolved itself into a game
of importing and exporting non-union me-
chanics. The Employers Association does
the importing and the grievance committee
of the Building Trades Council claims to be
doing something in the exporting line. The
employers advertising extensively. 1t
is said. for mechanics who have no union
afaliation. and inviting them to come to
Washington and go to work on the build
ings in course of erection here. Certain
employers organizations in other cities are
assisting their brethren here to procure
the desired help.
On the other hand the grievance commit
tee is said to have a corps of skilled pick
cts, comprising a sort of emergency COM
mttee, and the members of the corps
kept busy at the depots. steamboat wharves
and other places intercepting the nom
unionists as they arrive. The prisoners
thus taken are lectured on tire alleged
evils of nOn-unionism and invited to join
some labor union. If they profess con-
version to un!onism. they are furnished
their railroad fare back to their homes.
if desired, but before leaving the city
in many instances they are turned over to
the seeing Washington committee" and
usually have a good time before their de-
parture.
It was stated today that the local unions
also have some of their pickets stationed in
other cities to head off, the nom n-unionists,
where possible. or at least to advise the
home pickets of their coming.
At labor headquarters this afternoon it
was hinted that several strikebreaking
bricklayers and carpenters. some of them
from Frederick. Md. were captured" by
the union ptckets today at the railroad de-
pots and persuaded to return to their home
cities.
Interesting Experience.
1t also leaked out that one Of the pickets
had interesting experience with an al
legged imported workman near the fountain
at 1th street and Pennsylvania avenue.
which has long been sort Of mart for un-
employed workingmen. The picket sighted
a man wearing the overa,ls and jumper of
either brickiayer plasterer and carry
ing on his back lime-stained canvas sack.
containing the tools of his craft. The
appeared to be a stranger and was gazing
anxiousy about when the picket APP
preached him.
Looking for work." euered the picket.
Yes" came the reply.
whats your trade?"
"Plasterer," replied the stranger.
Where are you from?'
New York"
Union or scab?''
The stranger replied that he guessed he
was In the 'sca.b class. and intima ted that
it had cost him Sl2 to come to Washington
for the purpose of playing strikebreaker.
"1f the unions here will give me S12, he
added. Il will go back to New York Other
wise / will have to take the place of some
union workman.
Picket Grows Suspicious.
The picket at once began to size up the
alleged non-unionist. He first glanced at
the shoes of the out-of-town man and then
examined his hands. After critical ex-
animation the union picket said:
why, sou are not plasterer. You don't
know the difference between mortar and
asphalt, and while you might fool the bosses
for awhile, you cant fool me for moment.
of this strike by pretending you are a me-
chanic. No doubt the employers have found
you out and you are now trying to work the
other end of the line. We wouldn't give you
II cents. much less $12, and what's more.
If you don't make tracks from around here
L will put the gang on you and you will get
a free trip to the Emergency instead of to
New York"
The alleged workman made tracks. and 1t
was afterward learned that that he had also
tried to raise some money from the en-
ployers on the pretension that he was
non-union plaS Sterer.
The picket explained that he knew the
fellow was not a plasterer because he did
not have what are known as plaSteer's s
knuckles'-that is, hardened surfaces on
the sides Of the joints of the thumb and
forefinger. caused by the constant holding
the stranger did not have on ''plasterer's
Shoes
Many Distinguishing Marks.
He added that there are many distinguish
ing marks by which the real workmen can
distinguish the bogus article every time. 1t
has been the experience Of those who are