New-York tribune., 1919-02-18
Z. S. to Trv
To End Strike
On Buildings
Continued from page

wages. According to what has been
permitted 20 leak out large number,
if not majority of the contractors
stated $3.50, the rate independents
have been paying, was The prevailing
rate.
Should the department now hold this
to be the rate, the situation on the
Brooklyn job, the largest now under
way in New York, would materially
affect the entire situation here. 1t was
on this job that the trouble started.
and it remains, in a sense, the key to
the situation.
Ronald Taylor, president of the
building Trades Employers Associa-
ton, said last night the association
would act on the Baker Wilson tele-
gram to- day
1T did not come in time for us to
do anything to-day" he said "Of
course we will grant the request, but
cannot say now whom we will send.
lt has only been possible to have an
informal discussion with some of the
members or j. so far
Hutcheson Ready to Confer
"I'll 90 anywhere in the world to set
tie a strike" said William L. Hutche-
son, International present of the car
penters. II am sure all Of the trades
involved welcome this effort Of the
Washington authorities to settle the
matter. Whether they will succeed no
one can tell. But we hope they de-"
The cable to Mr. Gompers was sent
by the executive council of the Amer
lcan Federation of Labor, which met
at the Hotel Continental to consider
among other matters the situation
caused BY the New York strike. 1t
was sent after representatives. of the
building trades had reported cond-
! tons existing here and the fact that
several large New York firms are seek
ing contracts in France and Belgium.
AS preliminary to securing this work
some of these concerns obtained the
Endorsement of the building trade
unions to make them acceptable to or
ganiZcd labor on the other side.
The cable to Mr.. Gompers recited
that New York contractors were pro-
voking nationwide strike and asked
that he give this information the wild
est circulation "among our friends
planned, the testimonials previously
obtained would be cancelled
Mr.. Hutchcson said strikes of other
than the pasic trades would be slow
in developing.
Men to Go Out Slowly
Aside from the elevator men," said
he, we have not pulled out many men.
These will go out slowly. In some Of
the trades the men will not quit until
non-union men appear to take the
places Of men on strike. Then they
quit.
"Quite few contracts held by New
York firms in other cities have been
cancelled and the work given to firms
that are not on our don't work list.
Every member of the New York as
soclation is on that now. | won't give
the names of the firms hit, for we
are going to be friends some time and
there's no use in making i'll feeling"
No formal statement was forthcom
ing from the Building Trades Employ
crs' Association. There was meeting
OF master carpenters in the afternoon
and a second session last evening, at
which the general situation and it's
possible modification by the action of
Secretaries Baker and Wilson were
discussed. At neither, according to
oHlcers OF the association. was anv
action taken.
According to reports received by
these officers. few men quit work on
members, Jobs yesterday. In Brooklyn
1orty union carpenters and :. number
OF elevator erectors quit on the army
base buildings. in New York num-
Der of men on the new hotels Commo-
dore and Pennsylvania stopped work
Federation Council Begins
The executive council of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor began a two
day session at the Hotel Continental
yesterday to discuss, among other
things, reconstruction measures and
the need of speeding up action by Con-
gress.
Congress-" said Secretary Frank
Morrison" has been tardy in the matter
of passing unemployment and recon
structlon measures. 1t should speed
up. The federation has outlined its
reconstruction programme. 1t believes
Congress should appropriate at once
funds for all government construction
work held up by the war, provide pay
for discharged soldiers until they get
employment up to period of one
year; arrange for land reclamation and
assisting those who wish to return to
the land to get a start and passage of
blll restricting immigration
we believe we have the right to
urge that Congress take immediate