The Sentinel=record., 1914-07-03
THE 1,50O MEN NOW IDLE MAY RETURN TO WORK ON BUILD
 ING WITHIN THE DAY.
\ MINIMUM WAGE SCALE
Master Plumbers State They Have Given No Cause For the Strike and That Their Position is Merely One of Self-Proteetion.

The 300 men engaged in the build ing trades now idle in Hot Springs because of the strike brought about through differences between the plumbers and the plumbing contrac- tors, may all return to their work by noon or late afternoon today, follow ing a conference held last night be- tween representatives of all the trade unions interested and Messrs. George # Callahan and William Borman of the 4 Master Plumbers.
 Tie trades council had a commit tee of about twelve men as repre- sentadyes Of all the organizations in terested, and they discussed the sit nation in a general way.
 The points of demand that had oc- casioned the strike on the part of the plumbers was a full and complete recognition of the plumbers union, and a minimum wage scale of $4.50 per day.
 The Master Plumbers of the city recited the experiences they had un- dergone in the past with the organ izaton, and stated to the representa- tiyes of other unions why they re- fused to enter into a written agree mcnt, but expressed a desire to favor the union men.
 A compromise was reached along one point, in brief that there shall be a general verbal agreement between the Master Plumbers and the repre- sentatives of other organizations, that there shall be minimum wage scale established of $4.5O per day for the plumbers.
 Messrs. Callahan and Borman eX- planed to the general committee that they had been employing union plumbers in preference to others; in fact, practically to the exclusion ot z all others; that they had been paying no less than $4 per day to the men. and as high as $6 to those who were worth such price. There had been no trouble between the employees and the employed There had been x within the local plumbers union a # step taken to demand a recognition { of the union to the exclusion of non union men, the arranging of scale, and a written contract, and it was the written contract the Master @ Plumbers objected to.
 The Master Plumbers stated to the other union men that their expert p1, # union here. as local, had for the most part been dominated by float 8 CTS" or itinerant workmen, who were < here probably for only a short time, and who made efforts to enforce un- reasonable demands. They stated they had always stood by the men who were citizens here, and who wanted to rear families and be use ful as good citizens, and that they in- tended to treat such men in the fu- ture as they had in the past by giv- ing them preferences, by paying good wages, and by treating them well.
 There was one representative of the plumbers union present, and he insisted that there be recognition given the local plumbers union, and that a written contract be entered into between the union and the Mas ter Plumbers.
 The others of the committee, how ever, were there for arbitration, and one man proposed:
 Wouldn't you employers agree to
 take back the union men without
 prejudice, and to give union men the preference in the future?"
 "We have nothing against the union men, have always favored them in hiring workmen, and have
 no reason not to continue to do so, volunteered MT. Callahan, and Mir
 Borman added that his preference for union men had extended to g
 point where inc made it the custom F to ask all applicants for work if they
 carried a union card, and if so they
 were recognized as competent, ant
 were given preference.
 M. J. McMahon, deputy labor com
 missioner for the state of Arkansas who had come Sunday morning t lend his influence to settlement o the situation, was present at the con ference P. I. iIensley and Jacl Phillips represented the carpenters