Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-15
BUTCHERS ARE IMPORTED
Misrepresentation Made to Men
Who Displace Them, Says Union.
CONFIDENT OF A VICTORY
Define Issue as Merely Question of
Nine-Hour Day-Shutout Fore
stalled by Walkout.

Alter TINS date any menDer Vi tiilS
association hiring or employing any
butcher. salesman or other employe
shall hire or employ such butcher,
salesman employe as an Individual
only and not as a member Of any body.
union or association.
With the adoption of this resolution at
a special meeting this morning the Wash
ington Association of Packing House
Managers have figuratively taken the
bull by the hOrns,'' and unitedly given
voice to the sentiment that the strike OF
butcher workmen, inaugurated by Local
Union No 14S Thursday morning. shall
be broken.
This is the employers answer to the
walkout Of the union men two days ago.
1t is couched in such language that 1t
constitutes declaration that the open
shop shall hereafter obtain In the abat-
toirs and houses of the Capital city.
For the past seven years Washington
has been stronghold of the Amalga-
mated Meat Cutters and Butcher Work
mems Union. Employers, As the result
OF hurried search In other cities for
skilled laborers to take the place of
strikers, and after their meeting today,
have virtually taken the ground that the
power of the union must be broken. One
meNlD6f uncOnSClOuSly DOTTOWcu LILO CuuIl-
der of Gen. Grant when he said:
I'VE will fight it out on this ground If
it takes all summer-and winter.
Strikers Not to Be Taken Back.
Charles G. Pfuger, secretary Of the
Packing House Managers Association. in
speaking of the probable course Of pro-
cedure of his association, said it was ex-
pected that strikers who apply for their
the next meeting Of the association. to be
held the first of the week, will be re-em-
plOyed if positions are available. Prefer
ence will be given, however. to skilled
laborers brought to Washington from
other cities. notably Baltimore and Phil
adelphia.
1t is predicted that the packing house
managers will supplement their action of
today, at the next meeting. by adopting
a rule that no member of Local No. 14S
shall be given employment if he falls to
come into the fold on or before the date
Of its next session.
Nicholas Auth of the N Auth Provision
Company, and Andrew Loeff1er OF the
Loeff1er Sausage and Provision Company
were in Philadelphia and Baltimore yes
terday. 1t is stated they brought back
with them thirty-one men who were put
to work Immediately in the places OF the
strikers appOrtiOned to the different abat-
toirs and packing houses. Also the en-
serted the union and word has been re-
ceived from several others that they
will be ION the job Monday morning.
Besides these accessions to their forces
the employers say they have assurances
of the presence in the city Monday Of
fully 200 skilled artisans. if such num-
Der should be needed. One member of the
Managers Association was in Geographic
communication this morning with pro-
fessional strikebreaker in another nearby
city.
This man, it was explained. claimed to
have materially assisted in the labor
difficulties in Chicago and in other pack
ing house centers. He is said to be in
touch with large forces of capable work.
men who can be brought to Washington
at short notice.
The meeting of the packing house man.
ayers this morning was held in the Of
flee of T. r. Keane & Co. with President
NJ. A. Keane in the chair. Others present
were n. Auth. William G.. Carter of Col
den & Co., Andrew Loeffier and Charles
G. Pfuger of the ROsslyn Packing Com
pany.
Attitude of Strikers.
But. while the packers claim the fight
is practically over. the officers and men
of the Amalgamated Meat Cutters and
Butcher WOrkmen's Local Union, No. 14S,
of North America, were a unit today in
declaring the contest had just begun.
The packing house managers said the
situation in Washington was explained
to all the men who had been hired to
come here TO take the places Of the
strikers. This is denied by the union
men.
number of the latter were seen in
their Headquarters i'm Bessler's Hall, $50
PENNSYLVANIA avenue. this morning. They
were emphatic In stating most of the out
of-town men had been secured under the
Misrepresentation that they were wanted
to work in new abattoir and packing
house.
With the union men in their headquar-
ters today was man who gave his name
as Abraham Conrad of Baltimore. He
reiterated this story Of Misrepresentation,
saying he thought he was brought to
Washington to take a position in a new
Kosher plant under control of the OF
tenheimer Company Of Baltimore. In
stead, he found himself, with two other
lishment Of the ROsslyn Packing Com
pany.
He worked there half day. and then
appealed to the union for transportation
home. President James Iaonhardt and
Secretary George Bakersmith of Local
14S said Conrad and several other men
who came with him to Washington
would be sent home later today.
For the first time since the present
difficulty was precipitated by the walk
out of the union men Thursday the exact
position of that organization was fully ex-
planned today. President Laonhardt and
Secretary Bakersmith were the mouth
pieces of their craft. Their words were
heartily echoed by a corps of members
of the union who were assembled in Bess-
lers Hall.
"Our only demand is and has been for
nine-hour day instead of a ten-hour
day. and with no reduction in pay" they
said. "Al this talk about a So initia-
ton fee of the union being a mere subter-
fuge to keep away competition in labor
and to keep other butcher wOrkmen out
OF Washington is matter that has been
injected into the controversy by the
packers.
''In the first place, 1t seems to us that
the employers have no more right to at
tempt to dictate to us concerning the
business of the union than they would
have to say to private merchant what
price he should ask for his commodities |
And in the second place. the claim that |
our initiation fee has had the effect of |
keeping workmen away from the city so |
that help could not be secured when |
needed seems to be best answered by |
the statement issued by Secretary Pfiuger |
of the managers association, Thursday. |
when he truly said that business has been
dull for some time past. so that the |
abattoirs and packing houses could not |
always work on full time.
Not Enough Work to Go Round.