Evening journal., 1918-04-11

dated December 6. 1917. signed by the
presidents OF both the International
Union OF Brlcklayers and the United
Brotherhood Of Carpenters Of America,
wherein they stated that no member
OF either organization would work on
any operation where workmen other
than those who carried a paid-up union
card were employed
In this letter they claimed that at
a meeting held on the above date be-
tween the contractors OF the city Of
Wilmington and union representatives
u was decided that this agreement
would be placed in effect on March 81,
i9is
'I wish to call the attention OF the
public 20 an article placed in all OF
the daily newspapers OF Wilmington
by inc wilmington Employers Assocl-
alton where Il was most emphatlcally
stated that no such agreement had
been entered into by the contractors OF
Wilmington.
There was no indication on the part
OF organized labor that they would
carry out their threat until Thursday,
April q. at which time carpenters upon
orders either OF the local OF interna-
tonal leaders were pulled OF Of all OF
the operations controlled by Charles II.
Brice, member OF this association,
who Immediately reported the situation
10 our body.
Upon instructions OF President C. D
GarrettsOn, OF the Employers Assooi-
alton, l telephoned to John Hickey, the
local business agent Of the Carpenters
| Union, and asked for a conference win
| him for the purpose OF having q heart
/ to-heart talk Mr. Hickey stated thai
! he could arraLSe the conference, bul
/ that the carpenters troubles were oul
OF his hands and under the contro
Of the international officers.
Il then informed Mr.. Hickey That NJ
could bring anyone with him. as VIVA
the Employers Association had to sa.
the world could hear.
"On the morning OF Monday, April .
John Hickey came 10 the offices OF TN
Employers Association, accompanied b,
Michael II Nolan. seventh vice-preslden
OF the Bricklayers', Masons' and Plas
terers' International Union, Of Scranton
Pa; George Sauter, business agent o
the Bricklayers Union, No. 1, Of VIII
mington, and Thomas Hickey, genera
organizer Of the United Brotherhood o
Carpenters and Joiners' OF America, o
indianapolis, Ind, explained the OBJ
icot OF calling the conference, namely
the cause Of the carpenters being or
dered TO cease work on Brice's opera
tions.
"The International leaders, on ever,
question, spoke for whomsoever the,
claimed 20 represent. They said tha
they were out TO make the city Of VII
mington a closed shop town. The
refused to stand for a halt-in-hal
proposition: that is, closed shop ant
open shop to be left unmOlcsted.
"I early discovered that the gentle
men present at the conference had thei
cans set for Joseph s. Hamilton, brick
layer and contractor, who Is accused o
employing nOn-union men. The laDo
representatives were asked by me
II were not fact that this supposed
agreement was to go into effect ol
March A., 1918, In Wilmington, and a
+. affirmative reply was given. then ask
ed them II It were not fact that Tn
l. lob Contractor Brice was doing for tn
, Diamond Coal and Ice Compauy's Var
e dever avenue plant on Thursday. Apr
q. had only union carpenters workin
n Mr.. Hamilton, having completed hi
3 bricklaying work and being of or u
e lob six weeks prior 20 the date OF Marc
Il IL. To that ! also received an affirm
tive reply, and words 20 the effec
y | What's the use OF pulling carpenter
+ on 0f one Of Brlce's Jobs and not on {
!, all OF themY' / then informed the lab'
representatives that Il was the associ
: tIon's intention 20 finish all operation
contracted for by any or all Of OF
members. This will be done as her
\ tofore: namely, under open shop cond
tlons, and the association now Is mai
= ing the necessary arrangements to,
u necessary. bring in outside lsbor."
After Mr.. Stein had finished his r
: u port, Mr.. Constantine was Introduce
/. and spoke as follows:
History records that every war
I, any consequence has always left a m
~ terial impress on not only the polite
but also the social and industrial II
e Of the countries engaged, and ev'
= short-lived wars, such as the SPANS
y American war, have frequently chang
70 the course OF the national stream.
From the day Of the decision Of q
y United States TO enter the lists again
D the champions OF autocracy, and 4
believers in leadership and power
y force, our country committed Itself
81 a program OF revolutionary changes
5 It's social. political and Industrial III
oi Socially there Is going on today
healthful revaluation. The phenomer
" pro sperity OF the last twenty years al
n urally swept all our people into It's "
10 tex. The individual striving TO aehie
TO wealth, comfort and better work.
-, and living conditions were not, unC
lis the circumstances, conducive to thin
p ing and acting in terms Of the co
Vs muniiY good.
y, The present common and ov
ny whelming danger constitutes a comm
x interest in which all share and In VIII
lst the only merit recognized is that
devotion 90 and sacrifice for the eau
at Wealth or poverty, position or obsc
he fly have TO place In this task.
,ss "The rubbing of elbows In the
on Cross work, In the bond campaigns Z
ks especially in the ranks OF the army
,se navy Is serving TO bring about und
led standing We are indeed making
set larger melting pot boil-we are fashi
,On ing a nation.
gs. politically we have been provinc
vas Overnight we Obliterate and for
The State lines. War service and gCye
lns ment duties are transporting hundr
ct Of thousands, and In time II Will be [
,ws lions, Of men and women from nc
to south and from west TO east, and
ned verse This mixing is broadening
be II 10 ushering In a larger console