Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-11
READY FOR THE FRAY
Leaders in Local Labor War
Active Last Night.
NOW A TEST OF STRENGTH
Baltimore Builders Confer With
Washington Employers.
UNION MANAGERS SANGUINE
Confidence Expressed That Organized
Labor Will Win-Master Me-
chenics Also Hopeful.
NOW A TEST OF STRENGTH
UNION MANAGERS SANGUINE

Lights burned brightly in, the hea.lquar-
tiers rooms of the Employers Association
until late hour last night. and Secretary
Hall and his assistants were busiiy en-
gagged In preparing for the morrow when.
1t Is said, the struggle for and against the
open shop in the District of Columbia Will
begin in real earnest
There We're also signs of unusual activity
at the places where the members OF or
ganized labor congr gate and the indIca-
lions were that they, too. were Tightening
up their lines for the promised fight TO q
finish.
Acting on orders from the executive Of
hcers of their unions. one hundred more
union mechanics Joined the building trades
strike yesterday. According to the labor
leaders every building under construction,
where non-union mechanics are employed Is
now tied up and nearly three hundred men
have quit work.
One of the most important happenings
last evening was conference between rep
resentative committees of the Ba timore
Builders Exchange. comprising a large ma
Jority of the employers Of that city, and the
Employers Association of Washington. Fee
iicitations were exchanged and the most
cordial relations established. IT IL said.
Resolutions were unanimously adopted by
the Baltimore organization and sant 10 tina
local employers.
1t was resolved that the Builders Ex-
change of Baltimore has observed with
great interest and concern, the arbitrary
and unlawful conduct of the building trades
unions of the city of Washington in Their ef-
forts to force permanent c.osed shop sys-
tenn upon that city, and believes that the
issue is one that vitally affects the building
industry of the whole country; and this as
soc!ation desires to express to the Employ
ers' Association of the building trades OF
n 10 ,,f nd
mlration and appreciation for the deter
mined stand that it has taken in opposition
to tnIse efforts"
Encouraged to Hold Out.
The Baltimore builders further resolved
that this association urges upon the Em-
p.oyers Association of the District of CO.
| lumbia that it maintain to the end It's
stand for the ipdepe ndence of it's m mbers
and the welfare OF the building industry,
and this association pledges itse f to rem
der any practical assistance in its power TO
| its sister association whenever It may be re-
quested.''
A copy of the resolutions as adopted by
the Baltimore builders handed to the
committee of the local Employers Associa-
ton and viii be spread on the records Of
the organization by Secretary Hail.
The executive committee of the Electrical
Workers Union held a meeting last night
and made arrangements for a general strike
of that craft in the District tomorrow.
Many of the workingmen who have been
ordered strike assembled at CostelIos
Hall last night and discussed the situation
The leaders encouraged the rank and file
with the belief that If the building trades
Will give "a long pull. and a strong pull
and a pull all together" as one of them ex-
pressed it. victory will perch on the banner
of organized labor.
One of the officers of the Employers AS
ISOLATION explained the scarcity of nom
union bricklayers by saying the employers
did not expect the brickayers, If they went
out at all, to lay down their trowels until
yesterday afternoon. Hence, particular
effort. he added, was made to bring out-of-
town men here.
At Academy of Music.
He said full force of mechanics of all
trades was at work on the Acad 2niy OF
Music job, which is indoor work. Most o.
the other work is outdoor. and 1t is the ex-
pectation to have 1t in opera ton as soon as
possible after today.
I'VE do not expect a large per cent OF
the union men to be at work Monday morn
ing it added. but it will not be long
before many Of them will want to return to
their old jobs
1t is said Secretary Hall was kept busy
yesterday registering mechanics, principal
ly carpenters and painters. and before he
closed his registry last evening he had en-
tered the names of thirty-five carpenters
who desired TO start to work tomorrow
morning He said he also had quite a list
of painters. but that SO far but one job was
affected by the strike Of painters.
Official Labor View.
In discussing the strike the Trades Union
list of yesterday. the official organ Of the
Central Labor Union and the Allied Build
ing Trades. said:
1.-The lockout-strilie has gone into general
effect To attempt to review the causes
which have led UP to the drastic action
70 10, htE rod IN lny- oil
space In the columns of this paper That or
ganiZed labor exhausted all the means in
its power to bring about peaceful settle
meut there be no doubt; that the en-
ployers defiant and arrogant, have been do
ing and intend to do al in their power to dis
rupt organized lahor there also can be no
doubt; that the association has been in
touch and is receiving aid from outside
sources is firmly believed by many. we be-
lieve is true. and the appeal of its member
sh TO the business men of Washington to
lend them aid and moral support should
receive scant attention. The responsibility
for the dispeace and financial loss to the
community rests with the Employers Asso-
citation, in its eadeavor to accomplish an
impossibilty-the destruction of organized
labor. Let us add to ;he business men
who listen to its specious arguments and
side with II in this fight rather than
lend your aid in bringing about a speedy
and satisfactory settlement. II you get
caught between the upper and neither mill
stones you have no one to blame but your
self
Tabor omnia vincitr'
"The question of TIE open closed shop
is the factor in the fight. and that the bat
tie is to be fought was definitely settled by
the action of the carpenters at their joint
meeting in the armory Tuesday night and
the bricklayers at their meeting Wednes-
day when Il was uecidcd to strike nobly IN
defense of the right 10 organize ana stay
orga nizud. This paper was in hopes that
the contending factions might get together
and avert the strike. but the defiant attitude
Of the Employers Assocl ttion has preclud-
ed a peaceful settlement.
MR.. DowNEY'S VIEWS
Saws His Position on Labor Situation