Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-12-01

tors at a typical nearby canton
nlent and replacement center,
now in progress of building under
the Army construction program, ap-
pears to establish the fact that in
recent weeks membership in the
Carpenters Brotherhood has in
creased by tens of thousands
throughout the country, and that
this increase already has involved,
through the payment of initiation
fees" by new members, an increase
OF upward of $4,000 in the union
funds. The nearby projects are
Forts Meade and Belvoir.
Under the construction program
announced by the War Depart
ment on September "a. the Army is
building 10 cantonments (some
smaller and some larger than the
one at Fort Meade, where 1000
carpenters are now employed; 81
replacement centers similar to the
one at Fort Belvoir, where 5000
carpenters will be employed with
in two weeks; II camps canvas
tents stretched over wood frames),
and about "a lesser projects. The
total cost for this construction calls
for an expenditure of $750,000 900.
Membership Up $4,000.
While the Army insists it has no
definite figures on the percentage
of union and non-union projects, a
Quartermaster Corps official said he
believed most were being built I'M
der a closed-shop agreement be-
tween the union and contractor,
similar to. arrangements at Meade
and Belvoir.
This may explain a $4,000 in
crease in the membership of the
Carpenters Union. The Executive
Council of the American Fedora
ton of Labor at its annual meeting
In New Orleans November Is re-
ported the union had voting
strength of 100000. Henry W. Blu
menberg, general representative of
the union, told The Star that men,
bership was now 100000 and esti-
mated it might reach 100000 be-
fore the next report. Ofhcials at
union headquarters in Indianap-
oils declined to disclose the exact
present membership, but estimated
it at $4,000.
Mr.. Blumenberg attributed much
of the gains to the return of for
nler G. I. o. members in the North
west to A. F. L. membership.
Union records previously made
public showed voting strength of
100000 in the carpenters union had
been maintained back as far as
1886
Initiation Fees Vary.
Initiation fees vary in jurisdic-
tons of each local-S50 at Belvoir,
SIS at Fort Meade. 500 at Fort
so that reliable estimate of
fund built up by payments of
iation fees from new members
mot be made, but in the face of
be figures it might we'll be from
90 900 to 50 100000.
Their phases of the inquiry made
The Star, disclose marked di-
ity in the methods of taking on
men for work at the two
by projects-a diversity which,
the best system is established
nationally applied, authorities
st must result in costly loss of
pcy.
method Used at Fort Belvoir
Ne of ARMY engineers-is de-
by Army officers as among
St.
Before a carpenter is hired he is
questioned by an employe of the
contracting company as TO his tech
meal ability and experience. He is
asked if he can read blueprints,
hang doors, etc. If he meets these
qualifications, he is asked if he is a
union member. If not, he Is told
that only union members may work
there. The non-union carpenter
then returns to Washington for a
union work permit. Officers of the
Washington local which has juris-
diction on the job said they closely
scrutinized each applicant and were
not content with merely asking the
numbers of years he had worked at
the trade.