American Flint Glass Workers' Union & Green Glass Bottle Blowers' Association

BOSSES

And Glassworkers Confer

They Discuss Methods For the Removal

of Existing Grievances in the Trade.

Yesterday's session of the American Flint Glass Workers' National Convention was nearly entirely taken up in listening to arguments and addresses by some of the leading glass manufacturers of the country, nearly all of whom spoke against the existing methods of arranging the price lists and wage scale, and the unsatisfactory way in which they operated in the factories.

Under the system in vogue for several years past the convention committees arrange the price lists, about 20 in number, and then submit them to the manufacturers, and in this way getting the best terms they can from each through compromise agreements, but any agreement so made, however, is subject to a vote of approval of the general membership, and it frequently happens that these agreements are rejected by the men, which thus leaves the whole matter in a chaotic condition that usually ends in strikes or lockouts.

The arguments advanced by the manufacturers yesterday were to change the system by eliminating the referendum vote and for the convention to clothe its committees with full power to fix the price lists absolutely for the year, and that any matters that might arise in the controversy under the operation of the proposed plan should be adjusted by disinterested arbitration.

Among the prominent manufacturers who were present and spoke on the question were D. E. Carle, Chairman of the National Glass Company, Pittsburg (the combine); W. A. D. Dalzell, of Moundsville, W. Va.; J. W. Brown, of Fostoria, Ohio; H. C. Fry, Jr., of Rochester, Penn.; E. P. Gleason, of Brooklyn, N. Y.; Fred Gillender, of Philadelphia, Penn.; David Jenkins, of Kokomo, Ind.; and J. W. Blair, Thomas Evans, and Edward Kaye, all of Pittsburg, Penn.

The arguments and proposition of the manufacturers seemed to be very favorably received by many of the delegates, but no definite action was taken, as it appears it would be impossible to change the system without the consent of the membership at large.

The Philadelphia organization, which was suspended and refused representation at the meeting on account of heavy arrearages to the National Union, was reinstated.

Considerable interest is being aroused in the coming convention of the Bottle Blowers' National Association, which assembles in this city next week. Many of the delegates to the latter are already in the city, and some quiet conferences have been held and plans formulated to accomplish the work of consolidation of the two national unions, whose aggregate membership would then be about 15,000.