Evening star., 1923-04-03
125 Paperhangers Expected
to Join 400 Painters and
125 Electricians Now Out.
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
SEEKS TO BRING PEACE
Conciliator Expresses Confidence.
Shriners Plead for Agreement to
Save Convention Plans.

washington was faced today with
a group Of active and budding strikes
which threatened to tie UP painting,
decorating and electrical work in ar-
proximately half of those industries
today.
Since the strike for higher wages
yesterday of 400 painters the develop
ments in organized labor ranks in
Washington are the following:
One-hundred and twenty-five eIec-
tricians walked off jobs yesterday
and signed strike benefit registration
cards at a meeting in Musicians Hall.
at zoos E street. early this afternoon.
A special meeting Of members of the
paperhangers local union is scheduled
within the next thirty-six hours, aft
er which union officials claim at least
125 men will go out on strike.
Conciiiator Is Named.
John B. Colpoys, we'll known in To-
cal labor circles. has been appointed
commissioner of conciliation by the
Department Of Labor in order to seek
an adjustment in the painters CON
troversy.
From Aimas Temple, Mystic Shrine.
headquarters came statement by
Executive Secretary Harry Standiford
pleading for arbitration of labor diff
hcultles as soon as possible in order
that work which Washington is plan
ming to put through in anticipation Of
the giant Shrine pilgrimage in June
may not be held up.
Members of the Master Painters
Association of Washington are meet
O.0n -
building to discuss ways and means
of ironing out difficulties between
themselves and the striking painters.
Expect Short Strike.
The strike of the painters changed
in no essential particular today. The
men continue out, for a wage of SO
per day and a forty -four-hour week,
with a signed agreement from the
master painters organization. What
this afternoons meeting of the mas
ter painters may bring forth, OF
course, is speculative, but predictions
are being made freely in both labor
and employers circles that the strike
will be of short duration.
The electricians are asking for $40
per day to replace the $3.50 scale.
B. A. O'Leary, business representa-
tive of the electricians, said that an
nouncement that the union wanted
this raise was handed to the employ
ers on December II. 1922. The meet
ing this morning was held to regis
ter all strikers and clean up the pre-
liminary essentials necessary to
strike. After the meeting il was
decided to telegraph international
union headquarters that: There is
O'Leary said that only half of the
electricians are out and that seven
teen of forty-one local electrical en-
ployers are paying the raised scale.
President Howard of the Paper
hangers Union. refused TO comment
on the situation today.
Many Paperhangers Out.
"Wait until after our meeting" he
said. We will make all announce
ments then" 1t was learned from
unofficial but unquestionable sources
that the proposed meeting is being
held to obtain a strike vote. So con
fident are many of the paperhangers
that a strike will be voted that many
of them went on voluntary and indi-
viduaI vacations yesterday morning.
scores augmenting the number this
morning.
The paperhangers. it is understood.
are to ask for scale of Sl.25 per
hour. to supplant the $3.50 day now in
operation.
ConciliatOr at Work.
Mr.. Colpoys already is at work at
tempting TO adjust things in the
painters controversy.
The controversy has reached the
stage where the employers say they
are willing to pay the wages re-
queSted If the men are willing 10
abide by the agreement and 10 give
sixty days notice of the request for
an increase in wages. The last
clause in the contract between the
Master Painters Association and the
painters union is causing the diver
gence of opinion. The employers
maintain that the following has been
violated:
1T is further agreed that notice OF
any change in these agreements de-
sired by either party at the time or
the expiration of these agreements.
January 81, 1923. shall be made in
writing by the party desiring such
changes, and such written notice on
the part of the party desiring such
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