L
A Business Man Defends Unionism
function of the labor union is to regulate its
introduction so that it will cause as little dis
tress and unemployment as possible. Their
' specific policy in achieving this result is to in
sist that the new machines be manned by un
ionists, not by new workers, and that the ma
chine rates of wages be such as to give the
worker some small share in the increased prof
its ordinarily secured by its introduction.
Seventh Restriction of Output: This ques
tion is much 'discussed by unionists themselves
and it cannot be said that there is any defi
nite position taken by them. There are many
instances where direct restriction of output is
demanded by the unions. Indirectly by limit
ing aprcntie'es, reduction of hours, penalizing
for overtime, prohibition of piece work and
leveling of wages, labor unions tend to reduce
the output of the individual worker. In the
past the instinctive impulse of the disinterest
ed outsider has been to condemn the restric
tion of output in the belief that it penalizes the
superior workman and level. natural differ
ences of skill and efficiency. On the. other
hand the unionist believes that one workman
can just as well underbid another by working
harder as by accepting a lower wage. In in
dustries where the piece price system obtains,
the wage' has always been governed by what
the fast man can do, unless regulated by the
union. In thii-c6nnection it is well to quote
whajrrrrTClTtchell says on this subject: "The
fitttire of the trade unions of this country must
; "rest upon an ever growing emphasis upon effi
ciency of work and sufficiency of remunera
tion, and the theory of the restriction of out
put must never become a fixed program and
must never be adopted as a policy."
Eighth Strikes: The right of union men
to strike would not be questioned except from
an economic standpoint were it not for the
violence that is so often resorted to. The facts
seem to be that as labor unions become strong
er, strikes are not so common, and in England
and the United States they are decresaing. In
this country about one-half of' the strikes are
;for higher wages or for maintaining the old
wage. Twenty'-fivc per cent are for reduction
of hours, while recognition of the union, the
open shop and sympathetic strikes are each
causes in about five per cent. Violence on the
part of union men is upheld by no one, least of
all by the labor leaders, but even under most
peaceful conditions strikes are barbarous meth
ods of settling industrial controversies. John
Mitchell says: "It is a struggle of endurance,
a question of might, not right; it is war carried
into the industrial field, and like ail war, at
tended by cruelty and suffering; it is a feudal
conflict in which many besides the immediate
contestants are grievously injured. Thus, from
an ideal point of view, the necessity for even
occasional strikes constitutes one of the strong
est indictments against civilized society." The
consistent policy of the trade unions is to sys
tematize and commercialize the strike and boy-.,
cott. They introduce., -as soon as thy become
strong enough, a fixed "and formal procedure
which the locals must follow in declaring
strikes and this tends strongly to prevent hasty
and ill-advised action. The trade union makes
.for the regulation, not for the suppression of
strikes. As the unions grow older and strong
er it is very probable that strikes will be even
more vigorously restricted, because it is the
new and poorly organized unions which foment
them. The Industrial Commission, summing
up the testimony of the most prominent labor
leaders on this subject, says: "While the
most intelligent and conservative labor leaders
freely recognize the expensiveness of strikes,
and desire to supplant them as far as possible
with peaceful methods of negotiation, they al
most universally maintain that workingmen
gain, in the long run, far more than they lose
by the general policy of striking."
Ninth Apprentices: Labor unions as a
rule are not opposed to the apprentice system.
The Webbs in their investigation of the Eng
lish unions found only 1 per cent of them op
posed to the apprentice. In the United States
it is estmated that even a less proportion have
anti-apprentice rules. The apprentice, as he
was known a century ago. is not known to our
factory system, with its labor saving machin
. ery and division of labor. Too often the ap
prentice system degraded to child labor and so
came under the ban. It is now believed bet
ter to educate the youth, give him industrial
training in our schools, than to place him in
factories and workshops at twelve and four
teen years of age. Unions which try to regu
late apprentices generally allow one apprentice
to every five, ten or fifteen workmen. It is
easy to see that if the number of workmen is to
be kept full there must be at least one appren
tice to every five men. This allows for an ev
erag eworking life of fifteen or twenty years
according as the term of apprenticeship is three
or four years.
If the past is any warrant for the future, la
bor unions will not be abolished by any meth
ods of legal suppression or by manufacturers'
associations fighting them at every point.
English law made membership in a labor union
a penal offense, and in 1834 six workmen were
transported for seven years for having com
bined in a union. Definite wages for all class
es of labor were fixed by law, but even this
did not stop the growth of unions, and today
they have a standing in English law. It seems
to me that the methodsthat TTave-fecen most"
successful are those in which co-operation is
the basis of the relation between the master
and the workman.
It certainly seems that the interests of mas
ter and man are mutual and that by co-operation
they work for the good of all. One of
the early examples of combination was in the
Birmingham, England, bedstead trade in 1890.
The scheme, as it was formally worked out,
centered around a joint wages board com
posed of representatives from an employers'
association and representatives from a union
of the operations in the industry. Prices for
the whole industry were to be fixed by this
board, and wages were to vary directly with
prices, although not in the same proportion.
The employers' association agreed to employ
none but union workmen, and the operators'
union agreed to work for no manufacturer who
refused to abide by the official price list. It
was an alliance for the maintenance of the
standard wage and standard price.
In the United States we have one example
where co-operation , between employer and
workman has worked smoothly for twenty
years. There are other cases where individual
concerns, such as the N. O. Nelson company
of Leclaire, 111., by a system of profit sharing
avoid all trouble with their workmen and con
duct a protable business. The store manufac
turing, industry, with few exceptions, has been
free from strikes since 188t. In brief, the sys
tem worked out by this trade is as follows:
The Stove Moulders' Union comprises nearly
all the workmen in the stove founders in this
country, and the Stove Manufacturers' De
fense association has as members nearly all
the owners of factories. A commitfee of six
men composed of three manufacturers and
three unionists have absolute control of , all
questions between the men and their employ
ers, 'The wages are the same for all foundries,'
and every, manufacturer knows that his com
petitor is paying exactly the same as he for
building a stove. ' 4
The individual manufacturer and the local
unions agree to abide by the decisions of the
national board. If any question arises at a
foundry that cannot be settled by the contend
ing parties, this national committee is notified
and the' visit the place and decide the ques
tion. The wages to be paid are fixed at regu
lar meetings of the manufacturers and work
men where both have equal representation.
These wage agreements last for stated periods
and are not matters of discussion between an
individual employer and his men.
This system presents many good points,
chief, perhaps, of which is that an unprincipled
employer cannot grind his workmen down.
The competition of the manufacturer is not to
see who can employ labor the cheapest arid
get the most work for the least pay. It does
not make much difference whether we pay our
common labor $6.00 a week or $13.50 a week,
provided all our competitors pay exactly the
same wage. Associations organized as out
lined naturally lead to agreements as to sell
ing price, and I believe this is a good plan as
far as wages for workmen and fair conditions
for labor must mean a fair selling price for the
product. Competition in price too often means
competition in the standard of living for the
producers. From present conditions it seems
probable that collective bargaining will be
come supreme in the negotiations between
national associations of employers and em
ployes. The yictory is almost won when em
ployers are induced to lay aside their deter
mination to deal with individuals' only,
acknowledge the right and necessity of organ
ization among their workmen, and join with
the representatives of their- employes ire a'
friendly, informal discussion of differences.
No stoppage of work must be permitted
pending the decision of a dispute. Our rail
roads and public service corporations must
be operated even if compulsory arbitration is
necessary. In England we find the associa
tions on each side posting a forfeit of $2,500
to guarantee the fulfilment of wage agree
ments. The industrial strife in this cpuntry is fast
becoming intolerable to the general public,
and important measures making towards peace
will undoubtedly be taken in the near future.
To help from our opinions let us look at laws
in other countries. We have already noticed
the insurance benefits of Germany) where ev- '
ery worker is assured of maintenance during '
old age, sickness or disability. France has her
"Councils of Experts," created by Napoleon in
1806, composed of an equal number of em
ployers and workmen. These councils have
certain authority in settling labor disputes in
their districts. They hold weekly meetings,
and the proceedings are informal. ' liither em
ployer or employe may bring a case before" i
them. They hav'e no control 3ver future terms
of employment. They settle disputes about
existing contracts and where, the amount in- '
volved is under $40 their decision is final.
The celebrated Conciliation and Arbitration
act of New Zealand is well worth a moment's :
time. The colony is divided into eight dis
tricts and each has a board of conciliation, and '
over all a final court of arbitration, composed
of one man from a labor union, one from an
employers' association and one justice of the
supreme court. Employes wishing to bring
a dispute before the court must form a union
and register under the act. Seven men can '
form a union. The hearing of the board is in
formal. No lawyer is allowed to plead, except
by unanimous consent of all parties. All labor ,
disputes go before the board and generally a
compromise is effected. If this is impossible
an award is made and is final unless- an appeal
is taken to the upper court. As soon as an ap
plication for the settlement of a dispute has
been made and until the award is granted or
pending an appeal, anything in the nature of a
strike or lockout is illegal. A violation of this
is punished with a fine of from $250 to $2,500
upon employer or union. If the union has no
funds to pay a fine, the individual members
may be fined up to- $50. Under this system .
strikes and lockouts are prevented and after
twelve years of trial -it is conceded to be rea
sonably successful. West Australia and Nevv
South Wales have" substantiallv copied the law!
In closing, I wish to say that I believe the
labor unions of the future must insist upon
higher standards for their members. To be a
member of a union must-be an honor, and
holding a union card be a guarantee that the
individual is sober, industrious, faithful and a '
first-class workman. The unions must so in
sist upon high standards of efficiency, that a
union man will be chosen before all others.
Carlyle says: .. , ;
"This that they call organization of labor is
the universal vital problem of the world." ,
. References:.; Labor Problems, Adams- and
Sumner, Organized Labor, John Mitchell. : i
PHELPS-BUBRESS CO.
OAL..
MONARCH $6.50
Best Stove, Range or Furnace
coal for the money
Other grades of coal at lowest market prices.
FROMFT DELIUERY
THE CARPENTERS.
206 FRATERNITY BLDG.
Auto 2321. - Bell 129
I
OOOCXXXXXDCXXDOOOOOCOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOa
ADAM SCHAUPP COAL CO.
...COAL
COKE AND WOOD
Rock Springs, Manna, Maitland
CENTERVILLE BLOCK $5.50
Spadla, Pittsburg nut, Washed Egg. Best Grades. Scranton
and Lehigh Anthracite. Best and quickest service. Deliver
ed by Union Teamsters only.
CITY OFFICE 1234 0 STREET
BELL 182. AUTO 3812
CXDOCXXOCOOCOCOCO
UNION MADE SHOES
I carry nothing but union made
shoes, and have a full line of
them. I manufacture shoes and
shoe uppers. A share of union
patronage is respectfully solicited.
S. L. McCOY
1529 0 Street
Columbia National Bank
' General Banking Business, Interest on time deposits
LINCOLN, , J . NEB1
ASKA
PATIMNI7F TIIF VAfiFWnnFnS AnVfuTISERS
Preparing to Begin the New Year With
Redoubled Enthusiasm.
The committee on open meeting, so
cial and entertainment reported that
they had arranged for the Central La
bor Union hall, 1034 O street, Tuesday
evening, January There will be a
public Installation, music and refresh
ments, and smoking after 10 p. m. In
vitations will be limited to all mem
bers of Union 1055, non-union car
penters and the press. Kach member
is asked to contribute eltlier a cake,
salad or fruits. The committee prom
ises us the best social and entertain
ment that the Carpenters' Union has
ever had.
Bro. George Quick, on behalf of the
delegates to thf C. L. IT., reported that
body as shown:: signs of waking up.
He stated that the last meeting was a
most enthusiastic one. A committee
had been rounding up the unions that
had not been sending delegates, and
the committee had met with such en
couragement as foreboded an awaken
ing all along the' line.
Next time you come to the hall look '
for the sign, "Carpenters' Hall."
The committee on badges was or
dered to procure 100 badges for sale
to the members at 50 cents each. Each
member should provide himself with
one of these badges so that when
called upon to pay our last respects to
a deceased brother or to take part in
a parade we shall all bear the emblem
of our order.
A sad and unusual condition exists
in the family of Bro. A. Edgar Haw
kins. The parents of his wife are
both lying at the point of death. Bro.
Hawkins himself had been invalided
for several weeks with blood poisoning
in one of his hands. The sympathy of
Union 1055 is extended to Bro. Haw
kins and his family.
It was reported at Tuesday's meet
ing that Bro. Cash Scott, one of our
members working at the Lincoln Mill
and living at 859 North Twenty-first
street, was dangerously ill with pneu
monia. Bro. B. E. Ingraham, living at
2172 South Fourteenth street, is also
very ill with heart trouble. These
cases of sickness should bring home
to our members 'the thought of how im
portant it is to keep paid up. We had
a death not long ago and the member's
family lost $200 because the brother
was not in good standing. Do not
wait for the business agent to send
you notice or come and collect you.
dues. Come to the meeting and give
the union your active support.
. One application voted on at las
meeting and one member admitted on
clearance from Denver.
Letters were received from G. R,
Miller, Gilman, la., and A. E. Napier,
Schuyler. Neb., enclosing dues and
sending regards to the boys.
Attention was again called to the
fact that the woxk'ion A. M. Davis
house was-lone by non-union men
working nine hours. Members should
remember this when buying furniture,
carpets or wall paper. Every true
union man will patronize his friends.
James Crabtree, ex-union carpenter,
now city engineer, when poor and
struggling fell from a scaffold and
broke his leg. His fellow union men,
as poor as he, came to his rescue and
gave their time and money to build
his h.ome. Would non-union men have
done this? No, indeed! And yet
Crabtree in his prosperity forgot his.
friends who had helped him in adver'
versity and gave his work to the non
union man. There is no trait in hu
man nature so mean as ingratitude.
The compliments of Union 1055 are
hereby tendered to Will M. Maupin,
editor and publisher of The Wagework
er, the best, most intelligent, up-to-date
and original labor paper in the
United States. We wish him and his
family a Merry Christmas and a Happy
and Prosperous New Year. And by
the way. Union 1055 extends this wish
to each and every member.
We are on the threshhold of a -new
year and we want to ask every mem
ber: Brother, what have you done for
the cause of unionism the past year?
Have you been trve to your pledges?
Have you defended unionism against
the assaults of its enemies? Have you
tried to win converts to, its teaching?
In a word, have you been a true, loyal
union man? What a splendid memory
if you can answer, "I have done my
part." In standing for shorter hours
you have stood for the home. Your
wife has had shorter hours. You have
had more time for the companionship
of your wife and your children. You
have had some time to beautify your
home, to realize you are a man and
not a mere beast of burden. You have
given your brother craftsman a chance
to get a meal as well as yourself. In
a word, you have learned the valuable
lesson, the lesson ' taught by the Car
penter of Nazareth, "I am my brother's
keeper." You are a hero, my brother;
perhaps unconsciously. Many a fac
tory slave living a life of shame be
cause of starvation wages and re
deemed because the union label has
lifted her up by giving her decent and
living wages, blesses you. Every
gaunt, pale and starved child giving
its life's blood upon the altar of com
mercial greed (and there are thou
sands in the United States today) has
its hope of salvation centered in your
strong arm. You are fighting for the
weak, for justice, for humanity in a
cause upon whose success depends the
very life of our civilization. In this
season of "Good will to men" let us
renew our pledge to the cause of la
bor, and begin the new year with a
determination that we will first of all
make Union 1055 stronger and better
than ever before ' by attending the
meetings, getting new members, pay
ing our dues, and, buying nothing but
union made goods where obtainable.
If all do this we can certainly feel
proud of the record a year hence.
CAPITAL AUXILIARY.
Christmas Social a Success in Every
Way Save Attendance.
The Christmas social given by Capi
tal Auxiliary No. 11 was a success ,m
every way save the point of atten
dance. There were only five printers
present, but the usual number ot loyal
women, together with a numerous host
of little ones, came out and helped to
make it a most enjoyable occasion.
Potato and peanut races furnished a
lot of amusement for the crowd, and
then the Christmas pie was cut and a
lot of presents that were hilariously
received were handed out. The ec
centricities of the various recipients
were happily hit off by the presents.
One of the most amusing contests was
tho one wherein the gentlemen present
were each given two soda crackers to
eat, the, first one to nnsh and whistle
winning. H. W. Smith won, but for
got to whistle, a
' Wednesday afternoon's meeting of
the Auxiliary was the final one of the
year and, the .last to be held in the'
THE CHRISTMAS AFTERMATH.
There are always som things left over from the Christ
mas stock, arid rather than carry them we will offer them at
wonderfully reduced prices
Suspenders Neckwear
Mufflers Handkerchiefs
Fancy Vests tylisn Shirts
Collars Guffs
Cuff, and Collar Boxes
We have also on hand a fine assortment of slippers,
furs, etc, and the prices we now make , for this "Aftermath
Sale" are so low that the bargains are unsurpassed It is not
yet too late to make a useful Christmas present, and we have
them in plenty.
Bargains, in Suits and O'Coats
We are still headquarters for suits and overcoats for men
and boys who want good clothing, not a maker's name, for
their money. Our $5 suits and overcoats arc worth double.
For $15 we give a suit or overcoat that others ask $20 and
$25 for. . v ; . . '
Tenth and T Sis.
hall. The ladies haye been meeting
in Bohanan's hall for the past twelve
months, but the attendance has not
been as satisfactory as it was in the
old days when the meetings were held
at the homes of the members. Begin
ning with the new year the old regime
will be resumed, and it is hoped that
a new interest in the work of the or
ganization will be aroused.
Mrs. Will Norton was elected presi
dent for the ensuing term and Mrs.
Will Bustard was elected secretary.
THE BARBERS.
All Quiet in a Union That Is Full of
Good Union Hustlers.
The local Barbers' Union is sailing
along on pleasant seas, work is plenty
and no trouble in sight or anticipated.
The meeting this week was character
ized by unusual good humor and the
meeting was thoroughly enjoyed.
It took the barbers of Lincoln a
long time to secure an organization
that would stick. Several organiza
tions were effected, but sooner or later
they "winked out," owing to negligence
and other causes. But when the pres
ent organization was effected there
was a change. The boys aroused them
selves to an active interest, and it has
not been allowed to cool off. The
meetings are always well attended,
the dues are promptly paid and when
two or more barbers meet there is
sure to be something' said about or
ganization. The Barbers' . Union of
Lincoln is ' entitled to a front rank
among the live, useful organizations
of the city '-.t.' - ' 1 ,
HOLIDAY
EXCURSION
RATES
i
D
To accommodate holiday
' travelers a rate of one fare
and one-third for the round ,
trip to many points on, the
Union Pacific and its con
necting lines has been
placed in effect by the - ,
UNION PACIFIC
Dates of Sale, Dec. 22, 23,
24, 25, 30, 31, 1905, and
Jan. 1, 1906, with final re
turn limit Jan. 4, 1906.
Additional dates of sales and longer limit for students
. and teachers holding certificates. '. .
INQUIRE OF
E. B. SloSSen, Gen. Ar
.-'V
V-..7
''
