A- F. OF L ORDERS PROBE OF
NEW JOINT AGREEMENT
T. J. Williams, president of the
building trades department of the
American Federation of Labor, is on
his way to Chicago. Samuel Gom
pers has wired that he holds himself
in readiness to come on short notice.
,Jtt This shows how seriously national
labor leaders view the situation in
the Chicago building trades circles.
Williams' coming is the result of a
conference held late this week in
Washington by Gompers, Williams
, and Secretary Morrison. Gompers
had been asked by the Chicago Build
ing Trades Council to come here, and
the Chicago Federation of Labor last
Sunday telegraphed a demand for an
immediate investigation of the Build
ing Trades Council.
When the demand was made it was
not really expected that any imme
diate action would be taken, for the
i A. F. of L. has always been slow to
mix in local disputes. In fact, in past
it has mostly refused to give notice
to such appeals. The fact that the
A. F. of L. is going to pitch right into
the local problem has caused local
labor men to stop and consider how
serious is the situation here.
-In a telegram to Edward N. Nock
els, secretary of the C. F. of L., Gom
pers said Williams would arrive in a
day or two and that if Williams
deemed it advisable he would come
on himself about March 23.
Gompers sentiment toward the
building trades' open shop agreement
is displayed in a telegram he recent
ly sent John Fitzpatrick, president of
the C. F. of L., in which he said: "The
A agreement is the worst I have ever
seen proposed by well-organized la
bor men. I can imagine men who
have been defeated after a long fight
accepting it not otherwise."
Imported nonunion men were put
to work under police protection today
on jobs where union lathers are
locked out These jobs are at 55th
and University av., 44th and S. Grand.
av. and Chicago and Kedzie. Bal-
hatched Bros, and Charles Graff are
the plastering contractors on the first
two jobs. It was said at union head
quarters 25 nonunion men are at
work. It is said they came from Cin
cinnati and that there are 50 more
on the way here. Many of the scabs
are southern negroes.
Plans for the permanent organiza
tion of the Union Building Trades
Council in opposition to Simon
O'Donnell's council progress nicely.
Carpenters' district council have
by almost unanimous vote rejected
the proposition of the Construction
Employers' ass'n to continue existing
wage agreement The carpenters de
mand a flat increase of 5 cents an
hour above the present rate of 65
cents an hour. Eleven thousand car
penters participated in the vote.
At first the employers offered to
compromise with a raise of 2 cents
an hour, but later withdrew this offer.
An attempt will be made to settle
the argument without resort to a
.strike.
o o
BITS OF NEWS
Judge McGoorty ordered all rec
ords in case of Edward McCann, for
mer police inspector, fired in 1910,
brought into court McCann suing
for old job.
George Haas, 37, 2261 S. Kildare
av., motorcycle policeman, fell un
conscious from machine while on
duty. Dead. Pneumonia blamed.
Sarah Linsley, 257 W. Delaware
pL, had head gashed when auto hit
red light in Lincoln park. Geo.
Glueck, 1522 N. Clark, injured.
Henry Lavin and Herman Ashen
held up by 5 boys at 15th and Throop.
Lost only 90 cents.
Lieut Max Heidelmeier, Hudson
av. station, seriously ill at St Jo
seph's hospital, believed dying. Pa
ralysis. John Scavuzzio, "black hand su's-i
pect," arrested in saloon of Frank
Lombardi, 1120 W. Taylor. Demand
ed money from saloonkeeper. Over
powered by three detectives.
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