The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-19
WILL DELIVER 13 COMMENCE.
MENT ADDRESSES = SENATE
ASPIRATIONS TO BE DIS
CUSSED IN TUSCALOOSA CON-
FERENCE JUNE 2


ate of the United States. Capt Richmond
pearson Hobson, hero of the Merrimac
and Sixth district congressman, came to
Alabama last night.
To meet Captain Hobson, a number of
his trusted lieutenants had gathered at
the Hotel Hillman. Among the number
were L. B. Musgrove, Charles e. Rice
and Phil Painter of Birmingham. The
party dined, discussed the political situa-
tioh. and disbanded only when IL became
necessary for the leader of the clan to
catch a train for Tuscaloosa. Tomorrow.
Captain Hobson will deliver a commence
ment address at Centrevile. During the
their power to reach an agreement with
the above named association whereby the
standard of the building industry also
the standard of efficiency of workman
ship might be maintained
Not only has this fight been made on
the carpenters alone, but there is being a
combined effort made to place all the
crafts affiliated with the building indus
try in the same position.
Dictate Price of Buildings
The Master Builders association is
not contented with having the general
building public at their mercy, they are
now insisting that they be given a like
power over the workmen, or in other
words. they wish to place themselves in
position whereby they can dictate the
price of buildings to the owner, and also
the wages to be paid to the mechanics
At this time they are closely allied with
the material men. and insisting on the
contractors who are in sympathy with and
q orb rf,,rr
paying standard scale of wages sever
their connection with the home mechan-
les and take issue with them in the en-
ployment of unskilled mechanics or they
will make 1t as inconvenient as possible
to get their job supplied with the various
materials used in the construction of the
buildings
I'VE kno wthat our friends who are in
the contracting business have been con-
fronted with this threat several times
since April ], which was the date the
increase in wages was asked by the car
penters
And we know that these contractors
who desire to be fair to their workmen,
and who are doing nothing at the present
time inasmuch as they will not antag-
onize the workmen and are afraid that
il they meet with the request of the
home mechanics that they will be put to
a great deal of trouble and expense get
ting sufficient material to complete their
work in profitable way
Refused to Adjust Grievance
Since they Nave been asked as a body
and as individuals to adjust the griev-
ance now existing between themselves
and the workmen they have refused and
we know the policy they are pursuing at
the present time is not for the upbuilding
of the Birmingham industry, and if sue
cessfully carried out will make working
conditions and wages so deplorable tlat
the better class of mechanics will be
forced to leave the district in order to
secure a living wage, Which the open
shop has never paid, and for this reason
the workmen of the Birmingham district
have been forced on a general strike as
last resort to keep the Master Builders
association from carrying out its open
shop policy, which we know would not be
to the best interest of the mechanics of
this city inasmuch as 1t has already made
conditions very bad on the building pub
lie
'The only request of the Birmingham
Building Trades council while on strike
is that the better thinking contractors
business men and citizens ask and re-
quire of the Master Builders association
that they show an attitude of fairness to
the home mechanics by making some ar
idLScuicHtS W ADJUST the grievance now
existing.
Sixteen Locals Involved
The workmen of the different affiliated
trades. which consist of 16 different local
unions. with membership of 5000 men,
have clearly demonstrated by their action
at a special meeting held Sunday morn
ing, May IS, that they have not been re-
ceiving fair consideration from the Mas
ter Builders association or few mem
bers of the above named organization by
demanding every workingman to cease
work until such time as their fellow
workmen now locked out from employ
ment are given fair consideration, and
while they know and have taken into con-
sideration that some few of their friends
will be placed at disadvantage by their
action taken by declaring general
strike. they prefer to see a few put to
this disadvantage rather than see their
fellow workmen placed absolutely at the
mercy of the Master Builders association
by Is or 20 at time. which has been the
policy pursued by the Master Builders for
the past six weeks. When the contractors
declare willingness to treat with the
carpenters of the Birmingham district
as well as with the rest of the crafts that
are now locked out, the general strike will
then be declared off. E. S. INGRAM, >
'Eirmngharn building Trades Co,,ncii