The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-08-01
WANTS
PLACEON DC.
WAGE BOARD
Eight Leaders Ask Commission
erS for Representation on
Body to Deal With Pay.

Labor representation on wage
board to deal with questions of pay
per diem for employees OF the Dis
trict, was requested by a delegation
of eight labor leaders, who attended
a meeting of the District Commir-
sioners this morning.
Luther c. Steward, president of the
National Federation of Federal En-
ployes. who headed the delegation,
told the Commissioners that organ
lied labor, 100000 strong, in the Dis
trict, feels entitled to representation
on a board with whose activities they
will be directly concerned.
The Commissioners promised the
delegation that the request would be
taken under advisement.
Before the meeting the labor lead
ers said that Commissioner Kutz re-
fuses to recommend the recognition
of any labor organization in the ap-
pointment of the employees represen-
tative on the wage board.
Issue Statement.
In anticipation of the expression of
Commissioner Kutz's opposition, the
National Federation Of Federal En-
ployes' issued the following state
ment:
cat a meeting Of the District Com
missioners this morning, Commits
sioner Kutz, ii IS reported, will rec
ommend the establishment of a wage
board to deal with questions Of pay
per diem employees OF the District OF
Columbia, but ne declines to recon-
mend the recognition OF any labor or
ganization in the appointment OF the
employees representative on that
board, it is stated on the authority of
Federal Employees Union, No. SO,
which has been seeking the estab-
lishment Of a representative wage
board
consequently. the Commissioners
were waited upon this morning by q
delegation representing not only Fed
eral Employees Union, No. SO, but the
Central Labor Union and each OF q
dozen or more OF its constituent trade
unions, who protested to the Commits
sioners against the establishment Of
any such board without representa-
ton of the employees by a member Of
organized labor. They do not ask
that each craft shall be represented,
or that any particular one Of their
respective unions be selected, but
they do say that the employees mem
Der Of the wage board must carry a
card in some organization affiliated
with the American Federation of La
Dor. since he will be dealing with the
wage scale of union men and women.
"Direct Slap ut Labor,
'Inasmuch as the employees Of the
District government include members
not only OF the Federal Employer
Union, but union engineers, fremen
and oilers, machinists, steamfitters,
plumbers, sheet-metal workers, brick
layers, carpenters, stonecutters, team
sters and nearly all the other organ
lied trades. Commissioner Kutz's at
titude is a direct slap at all organized
labor"
Plans for the protest before the
Commissioners were made at a con-
ference at Central Labor Union head
quarters last night, and attended by
Secretary Newton A. James, Thomas
A. Jones, of the stationary engineers;
William H. Shaffer and Charles A.
Frazier, OF the machinists; J. E. Toone
of the Transfers; Luther c. Steward,
president. of the National Federation
of Federal Employees; w. F. Franklin,
T. B. Carroll and Ethel NJ. Smith. del
egates to the Central Labor Union
from Federal Employees Union, No. SO.
1t is not believed that the Commits
sioners will finally refuse to grant the
request of the labor organizations in
the District. inasmuch as they, with
their 100000 members, constitute a
powerful factor in the moldfng of
public opinion in the National Capital.