New-York tribune., 1919-02-09
Employers Insist Carpenters
Go Back on Jobs Be-
fore Conferences Begin
u. S. Mediation Wanted
Union Head Offers to Sub
init Points to War Board;
Uniformed Pickets Likely

All chances OF an immediate ending
of the labor troubles in the building
trades vanished yesterday when the
uation for the Building Trades En-
ployers' Association voted to insist on
the men reaurning to work as con-
dition 20 opening peace negotiations.
The reply of the carpenters, as
voiced by Mr.. Hutcheson, was an offer
TO submit the mater to the National
War Labor Board for adjustment.
If the employers reply to that that
am member of that board" said he,
my answer will be that | will not sit
in any case | or my people are inter
ested in
The decision of the employers com
mittee followed an explanation by Ro-
land Taylor, president of the associa-
ton. that he had been misunderstood
the day before, and that at no time had
he said the association would be con-
tent with an order from Hutcheson
merely calling off the strike
! The association also decided yester-
day to try to break the strike which
for many weeks has held up work on
the army base buildings at Fifty-ninth
Street ard Second Avenue on Monday.
1t is planned to put 200 carpenters to
work on this job Monday morning, and
eventually employ 1000 men on the
job. To block this, Mr. Hutcheson
ordered that members of the union
who have been discharged from army
and navy picket the job.
VIII Sc Pickers in Uniform
I'VE will picket that job with our
Jo ,f<,,.
navy" he said. I've had 10000 of our
men in the service and many of them
are back If it is necessary, I'll put
my own boy, who served in the navy's
aviation corps, on the picket line"
The position of the association on
opening peace negotiations as formally
outlined in a statement to the press is
as follows:
"When the strike is officially called
off and the men return to work a COM
mlttee from the employers association
VIII meet the representatives of the
men in conference at once"
The reporters to whom this statement
was handed and who had previously
talked with Mr.. Hutcheson pointed out
that the inclusion of the demand that
the men return to work would probably
mean its rejection by the union leaders
o this {. J. Norman, chairman of the
employers committee, replied that it
was absolutely the most that the as
sociation would agree to. 1t was he
said. necessary to maintain principle
Of not dealing with men on strike. He
cited the position of Charles Pietz,
director Of the Emergency Fleet Cor
pOraton, calling on the Seattle ship
yard strikers for an unconditional sur
render as paralleling the position of
The only difference he said, "is
this: Mr.. Piez says there can be no
increase In wages. We do not go that
Tar. We are willing to discuss wages
and any other grievance that may ex-
ist",
William J. Bowen, international
president of the bricklayers union,
left New York yesterday Thomas r.
Priest, international vice-president,
remaining in charge of the situation
SO TAR as III affects his organization.
he said last night that tla bricklay-
ers are standing pat.
Says None Will Strike Monday
None of our men will strike Mon
Day he said, when told of a report
mat they would quit on all jobs in
otner parts of the country on which !
New York firms have contracts. ut |
VIII not be necessary. They have been
locked out by the employers associa-
tions, which must now take the full |
responsibility for their action"
Mr Priest estimated that not more |
tnan 500 Of his men would be affected. |
=, All the men that are coming out in |
New York are now out" he said an
some other cities our men quit of their
own accord. Now they are out through |
the act Of the employers"
Mr; Priest charged last night that
fhe lowering prices of building ma
terials are factor in the situation.
:. "All Of the contracts" he said,
carry strike clauses which release the
employers from any penalty for delay
due to strikes. Now materials are 60
ing down. Cement is 10 per cent be-
low the war price, and some contract
OTIS stand to make more money with
tneir men idle than they would with
them working
We raised this point with the en-
pioyeFs' committee, and we were told
that It was none of our business what
materials cost"
on their part, representatives of the
employers say materials cost is not a
factor
The thing they need" they said, "is
stability of labor prices. Until we
know the price we will have to pay for
norh and investors are reasonably sure
sne .ne work will be done there will be lit
tie doing in the building trades"