Montana labor news., 1939-05-04
STATE CONVENTION OF
PLUMBERS CRITICIZE
HIGH Pressure GAS
SYSTEM

The two state organizations of
Plumbers, Masters and Journeymen,
held their convention at Butte, April
%, 20 and 30.
Delegates to the convention start
ed arriving in town Friday and the
day was given over to sightseeing
and a meeting of old friends.
The Master Plumbers held a meet
ing at the Finlen Hotel Friday eve
ming, at which time affairs of the
organization were considered.
The first joint meeting of the two
state organizations took place at
Carpenters Union hall Saturday
morning at 10 a. m.
President W. J. Magill of the State
Journeymen's Association opened
the meeting and gave the welcom-
ing address. At the conclusion of
his address he called on Mr.. James
Regain, president of the State Mas
ter Plumbers, to take the chair.
President Regain thanked the
Journeymen for their very cordial
greetings and assured all present
that this joint conference was going
to be very beneficial to all members
of the plumbing and heating bust
ness. At the conclusion of his re-
marks, he introduced Mr.. H. M.
Porter, of Minneapolis, president of
the National Association of Master
Plumbers. Mr.. Porter spoke very
highly of Local No. Al of Butte and
praised them for the manner in
which they had helped to form the
State Association of Journeymen. He
stated this was the first time he
ever heard of the Masters and
Journeymen holding a joint conven-
ton, and was of the opinion that
many misunderstanding could and
would be avoided, by a closer CO.
operation of the two organizations
Mr.. Porter gave a very interesting
talk on matters pertaining to the
trade, and many of the younger
members were ~agreeably surprised
when they were informed that the
National Association of Master
Plumbers maintained a research de-
partment and testing laboratory at
the University of Iowa, where all
fixtures and appliances manufac-
ured for the trade were tested, and
on the result of said test the fixtures
were either approved or condemned.
This information was Immediately
transmitted to the members of the
Masters Association, in this way Civ
ing the Masters first hand knowl-
edge of where the best the manu-
facturers had to offer could be Sc
cured. This knowledge is certainly
very beneficial to the Master Plumb
ers and very often saved him from
being stuck with goods of an in
ferior quality.
Mr.. Porter was given a grand
ovation and at the conclusion of his
very interesting address a recess was
ordered and most of the delegates
accompanied Mr.. Porter to the depot
to wish him good luck on his jour
ney to the West Coast.
The meeting of the Journeymen
resumed at 2 p. m. with President
Magill of the State Journeymen's
Association in the chair. Reports of
delegates were heard and conditions
in various parts of the state were
freely discussed and all present
seemed to think that considerable
progress had been made since the
state organization was perfected.
At 4 p. m. the journeymen were
again visited by the members of the
Master Plumbers and the remainder
of the afternoon was spent in remin-
iscing, and as there are some real
old timers in both organizations, the
younger members were told some
very interesting facts. One very in
teresting fact brought out vas that
contrary to the general belief, the
cost of plumbing today is about IL
per cent lower than it was in the
Gay Nineties, when labor was very
poorly paid and the best a plumber
could receive for a days work, was