The Washington times., 1907-08-17

ARE JUBILANT
OVER OUTLOOK
Mem berS of Building
Trades Declare Fight
Good as Won.
Vice President Preece
Here and Approves
Every Action.

At no period since the strike order
was put in force. August 3, have cOndi-
tions been more favorable, declared
members OF the building trades today,
and IL was said prospects are bright for
winning their fight against the Employ
ers' Association and their principle Of
the open shop.
First Vice President Thomas r.
Preece Of the Bricklayers and Masons'
International Union Of America arrived
in the city last night and presided at a
conference Of the executive beard Of his
organization. He said thIg morning
after conference with the business
agents Of the local building trades, that
lie was perfectly satisfied with condi-
lions here and that he approved the
policy OF the local managers OF the
strike 10 pull such buildings as they had
and not making their strike order gen
eral and simultaneous so as to effect
every building I'm the city. He ex-
pressed the opinion that organized labor
had the best of the fight 50 far and be-
heves that they will win in the end.
Matter Of Policy.
In answer to the claim that the policy
Of The building trades managers in per
Inittng union tradesmen 20 work on the
Parsons contract on the new Municipal
Building with non-union plumbers Of the
James Nolan & Sons concern shows an
abandonment Of the policy of the gen.
eral strike order Of the labor conven-
ton. as well as that Of the universal
union card and al admission OF defeat,
leaders OF the building trades say that
PaTsOnS IS a stanch friend OF union
labor Tney say permitting him 10
work non union plumbers on that job
s Fart OF the policy Of the strike COM
mittee not TO order strikes on any build
ings where similar conditions prevail
and where, by permitting one or two
trades OF 1On-union men 70 do work the
the general work Of the contractor that
is favorable to union labor can be
pushed aneed. They say that they VIII
not strike buildings where conditions
prevail as they do on the Parsons work,
and that there are number OF such
Jobs
Have an Ace in the Hole.
The business agents Of the building
trades were in conference this morning
with these officers OF the international
unions VINO are in the city, and while
they had little to say for publication
one member intimated that they had a
strong card that would be played either
today or Monday which would be a
coup that would be the winning card in
the contest. What that is no one has
been able to surmise
At the headquarters OF the Employers
Association it was stated this morning
by r. X. Hall. secretary Of that asso-
citation, that last night a dozen brick
layers applied for work and as many
moro this morning. He says these men
have come 10 Washington in response
10 advertisements running in the East
ern papers, and were not brought here
by the association. He claims that he
has more than twice the men needed
registered, ard that applications art
coming in with every mail. The only
line Of men that there is not a surplus
OF Is the plasterers
String Of Houses Fully Manned.
Work on the Kennedy & Davis resi-
dences. thirty-odd in number, near Lin
coin Park. which were struck the first
Of the week, are said TO be manned with
a full force OF non-union men since
yesterday
Z. c. Graham, of the National Elcc-
trical Supply Company. and president
OF the Employers Association. said this
morning that with the exception OF a
few buildings the first day the strike
was made operative. the strike had
practically had no effect on the build
ings Of members Of his association.
There was a meeting Of the master
bricklayers last night when that asso-
citation made its first entry into the Ia
hor controversy officially. II was or
ceTed that advertisements be placed In
o line Of the big city papers calling for
Continued on Second Page)