At the rooms of the Builders' and Traders' exchange the members
congregated in large number and earnestly discussed the situation and
platform of principles adopted by the conference committee of the
building trades. Everyone seemed to be loaded with an opinion which he
wanted to shoot off at everybody else. The burden of the discussion was
upon the proposition to require employers and employes to append their
signatures to the declaration of principles. There was no disagreement
as to the correctness of the principles, but a great many questioned the
ability of the employers to put the first section into practice--
requiring the employe to sign before going to work. It was generally
stated that this proposition was impracticable with the building trades,
because many of the men were constantly moving about from one job to
another, and unless they were known to have previously signed a new
signature would be required on each job, to which the men would object.
Masons generally favored a proposition to require the employes to assent
to the principles enunciated, and if they did not want to work then they
could remain idle. Some of the bosses, however, insisted that they would
not only vote against the signing clause, but would refuse to put it
into execution if it should be indorsed by a full meeting. It was
suggested that an arrangement could be made for opening the doors and
inviting the men to go to work. Each applicant for a job could be asked
if he knew the principles which had been adopted, and under which work
was to be resumed. If not, he could have a copy delivered to him to
read, or have them read to him, and if he was then willing to resume
work, all right. If not, he could reconsign himself to idleness. It was
thought this would not antagonize the unions, and that a large majority
of the men would return to work within a week.