Evening star., 1925-04-16
MASTER PLUMBERS
PAY STAND ASKED
Failure to Give Views Tomor-
row to Be Held as Grant
of Increase.

The Washington Operative Build
erS' Association announced today,
through its secretary, Rufus S. Lusk,
that unless word was received from
the Master Plumbers Association by
1 o'clock tomorrow outlining that or
ganization's policy on an increase in
wages demanded by plumbers their
silence would be taken as agreeing
to this increase.
The Master Plumbers Association
has had under consideration for some
time a demand by plumbers that
their wages be increased from $40
to 81 day, effective May T. After
the builders association had enlisted
all master organiZations-with the ex-
ception of the plumbers and steam
fitters-in their fight not to grant any
more increases at this time, the COM
mittee was appointed which conferred
with the master plumbers organiza-
tion and sought to obtain from it
an agreement not to grant the in
crease demanded by the plumbers. A
committee was appointed by the
master plumbers, which was to have
reported that organ1zation's decision
to the builders. So far no word has
been received from them.
20 Agreed to Stand Pat.
Their silence" Mr.. Lusk said
today, IF not broken by tomorrow.
will be taken to mean they have
agreed to the increase asked by the
plumbers. This despite the fact that
20 employers have signed their names
to an agreement not to increase
wages. II the master plumbers grant
the increase, our, organization will
consider their action as prejudicial
to the best interest of the community
and tho builGinpr industry Oanara llI- -
Spreads to Maryland.
Labor troubles in the District spread
to Maryland today, when a sympa-
thetic strike was called on the con-
struction work on the Chateau Para
dis, at Ammendale, Md. With the ap-
pearance of non-union painters and
one of the employer painters in over
alls ready for work, the entire staff
of union painters was Immediately
called off. 1t is understood that me-
chanics represented in the local
Building Trades Council working on
the job also may be asked to quit.
A sympathetic strike has also been
called on a job between Thirtioth and
Thirty-first. streets on N street. This
action is significant because it involved
a cessation of work on the part of
carpenters on the job. The union
carpenters do not belong to the Build.
ing Trades Council and have hereto
fore remained aloof from the troubles
of the mechanics of that organization.
To Confer With Davis.
Arthur Chamberlain, president of
the master painters, said that the
work on the Chateau Paradis had
been started under a union contract,
and as Never Davis, the owner of the
building, carries a union card in the
Musicians Union, he intended to get
in touch with him right away on the
situation. Similar action on several
other jobs, it Is understood, is also
being considered.
John Colpoys, mediator for the De-
partment of Labor, has made no
further progress in his endeavors to
get the employing painters, the union
men and the citizens fair wage COM
mittee in a conference. He is visit
ing the various leaders in the con-
troversy today in an effort to obtain
their views as to the basis of such
a conference. William T. Galliher,
chairman of the fair wage committee,
probably will call meeting Of that
organization tomorrow to review the
situation.
Views Are Uncertain.
The disposition of the employers in
regard to the suggestion of long
time wage contract in the building
trades here seem to be that such
contract would be all right If it
did not involve an increase in wages.
William j. Gallagher, representative
of the National Painters Union, said
that he favored a long term wage
contract, but would given no indica-
ton as to whether the men would
consider the acceptance of SO day
instead of SO. I'VE are ready to
consider any proposition that is
placed before us, but we do not know
what the men would want to do.
They seemed to have expressed their
ideas when they demanded $40 day
and struck" declared Mr.. Gallagher.