The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-01
NO MONUMENT
TO STEEL KING
Metal Trades Workers Desire
No Gift From Andrew
Carnegie.
MUST PAY POLL TAXES
Provisional Organization o
Unions Effected. Subject
to Ratification.

10 MULTIPLICATION.
strong opposition to any revival of
Mans for erection of pubic library
n Richmond which would be in any
sense monument TO Andrew carnegie
Vas voiced by r. c. Dawson, president
Of ;hc state Federation of Labor ana
other speakers at a conference OF repre-
sentatives OF the various metal trades
Of Richmond last night The confer
erce effected a provisional organiza-
TON of a metal workers council. sub
,eot 10 ratification by the various local
unions
No Monument to Carnegie.
While outlining what such an afnia-
.,ou OF the various trades Of metal
workers might accomplish Mr.. Dawson
said
We want the citizens of Richmond
~ the CITY TO pay for public library
There Is not room IN Richmond for
botb a weli-organized metal trades
council and a Carnegie library We
will gladly DO our part 20 help builn
3 public library. and when 1t is opened
We viii patrOnIze II If IL Is PROVIDED py
c,tizcns Of Richmond. but we want no
monument here TO the man responsible
for the Homestead strike. or for the
conditions that still prevail 10 some
extent among the employees of the
United States Steel Company One OF
the objects of our organization should
be 10 place in oblivion any politician
who dares 70 vote for acceptance of
Carncgie's offer.
Every Man a Voter.
Mr.. Dawson other suggestions
were practical and direct
we want" he said, every metal
worker in Richmond to carry in his
pocket d receipt for his poll taxes,
showing that he is a qualified voter
in this community. We want an I'M
mediate nine-hour day for every metal
worker in the city. OF course. an eight
hour day would be preferable, but we
must remember that in some trades
men are now working even longer than
nine hours We want blanket agree
nent TO cover every metal worker
with uniform conditions throughout
the CITY We do not want charity.
but We do want justice. We do not
want big contributions to public chart
ties from people who have gotten rich
through failure to pay their employees
d living wage.
4. J. Berries. of Washington. secre-
farv of the metal trades department
of the American Federation of Labor,
Endorsed the position taken by Nlr.
Dawson. telling briefly OF conditions
that now obtain at some of the plants
Of the Steel Corporation. Affiliated
labor. he said did not need the death
bed contributions of those who after
a lifetime of oppression were giving
away a small part Of their gains as a
sop TO their own consciences before
passing into the beyond.
Unions Represented.
The meeting was composed of dele
gates from the local unions of black
smiths. machinists. electrical workers
boflermakers. stationery engineers
steam filters plum bers and pipe Filters,
noulders and patternmakers.
Mr.. Wilcox of the moider's union
was made temporary president. and
Mr.. Whitlock of the Blacksmiths' union
temporary secretary. kilograms OF
regret at being unable 10 be present
were read from Joseph A. Franklin OF
Kansas City. president of the Brother
hood of Boilermakers and William Ii
johnson. OF Washington, president OF
the International Association OF Mach
inists. both indorsing the plan of feder-
ating the various crafts now engaged IN
metal working
John Hirsch berg. president of the
Central Trades and Labor Council and
member OF the Administrative Board
spoke briefly. advising the trades TO
&c; together and 10 stick. 1t was worse
than useless he pointed out. 10 vote
for . new organization with enthusiasm,
and then TO drop il as soon as formed
Thomas Flanagan. OF New Orleans,
vice president Of the brotherhood of
Blacksmiths and Thomas j. Garvey,
president Of the southern Federation OF
RAILWAY AIachlnists were among the
speakers
Railway Men May Not Come In.
II appeared Z mas some of the delegates
present had no instructions from their
local trades unions, and were not
authorized 20 take any definite action
The general discussion also brought out
the point not before raisei that the
various unions of railway workers
already have their affiliations and that
the building trades are organized into
q Council. making 81 desirable that the
proposed Metal Workers Council should
T. made 40 OF those trades which are
engaged ~ contract work. or are
rioycd bv Industrial corporations.
such - the American Locomotive
Works Some Of me speakers thought
tins meant mere affiiatiOu Of the
local unions now employed at tho
Locomotive plant. bur it was explained
that while d was NOT necessary that the
railway employees and building trades
men Join IN the Metal Workers Council.
their presence and aid would bc APP
prcciated.
4 temporary organization was cf-
frffed on Tins basis. and The temporary
officers asked 90 act until permanent
organization De- effected and 60 arfargs
tho time and place. Of the neat meeting
Tho organization viii ne on basis o'
sir represenfativcs 81 each craft. " he-'
there are several local unions in ONE
craft. these locals viii lc entitled ff
hut six delegates between them. The