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A Newspaper with a Mission and without a Muzzle that is published in the Interest of Wageworkers Everywhere.
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VOL.2
NE BR ASK A, JANUARY
90(
NO. 41
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coLNjiHri
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SHERLOCK HOLMES, JR., RUSY
Famous Sleuth Employed by The Wagework
er to Investigate Conditions in Lincoln Sub
mits an Interesting First Report Finds a
Sad State of Affairs in Several Print Shops
"Scab" Soap Used to Clean Union Hands.
After much correspondence in an effort to
arrive at terms. The Wagcworker recently
succeeded in securing the services of Sherlock
Holmes, jr., the famous sleuth. The Wage
worker, upon securing the services of this dis
tinguished detective, assigned him to the task
of looking up a lot of union men who make
strong claims of unionism but very often give
aid and comfort to the "scabs." Mr. Holmes
has been at work but a short time, and during
his investigations has spent most of his. time
in getting acquainted with the local situation.
As a result his first report is very brief, but
none the less interesting on that account. Be
ing a printer himself Air. Holmes very natur
ally gave his first attention to the printing
offices.
In view of the fact that the printers are just
now financing the greatest strike in the history
of their organization, and are asking the sup
port of other trades unionists, Mr. Holmes' re
port reveals a very sad state of affairs. But
we will let the famous detective speak for him
self: To the Editor of the Wageworker Pursu
ant to my agreement with you I began my in
vestigations last Monday morning. I gravi
tated towards the printing offices first, and us
ing my nom de plume soon became well ac
quainted with most of the printers of the city.
Without an exception I found them all very
much interested in the strike situation, and all
with whom I talked were loud in their denun
ciations of the "rats" who are allowing them
selves to be used by the Typothetae.
My first call was at the Star office, and there
I found a bunch of earnest unionists. All of
them expressed themselves as more than
pleased to be able to cough up 10 per cent a
week to help their striking prethren in other
cities.
"YVc have no use for 'rats" and 'scabs' in
this shop," declared one of the members of
the Star chapel. ..,
This sounded good to me, but ere the echoes
of the declaration died away the man who
made it was at the sink washing his hands
with "scab" soap.
"Why don't you use good union soap?" I
asked.
"(), we don't like anything but Stepfather's
Astonishment soap," he replied.
At the Western Newspaper office I found
both composing room and press room thor
oughly union, and in both I found "scab" soap
used exclusively. However, all the men were
very emphatic in their protestations of union
ism. When I mentioned the overall factory
across the street they used harsh language in
reference thereto. W hen I asked, them to ex
plain the difference between wearing "scab"
overalls and using "scab" soap they began
talking about the weather.
My first visit to Lincoln was made some ten
or twelve years ago, and at that time I found
the Journal composing room infested with
"rats." I was not surprised then to see a lot
of "scab" overalls worn and a sink equipped
with "scab" soap. But I was quite sure that
on my visit last Tuesday I would find every
thing changed but I didn't. 1 saw only union
printers, it is true. I saw no "scab" overalls.
Hut over at the sink I found the same old
brand of "scab" soap. I also found an official
of the Typographical Union with a "scab"
Stetson hat perched on his head. It made me
laugh to hear a lot of union talk coming from
beneath that "scab" hat.
In short, I visited every printing office in
town, and not one used union made soap.
I did a little sleuthing on the chewing to
bacco question, too. I am not a chewer of the
weed, but I smoke constantly. However, on
my rounds I asked eleven printers for a chew
of tobacco. Nine of them accommodated me,
nd of the nine only one handed me out a un
ion made plug. All the rest was "scab" of the
wprst kind.
I also asked seventeen printers for a pipeful
of tobacco. Fifteen of the seventeen accom
modated me, and eleven of them handed me
sacks or boxes that never had the label there
on. Five of them handed mc "Puke's Mix
ture." On my way to my hotel in the evening I
stopped in at a cigar store to lay in a supply
of smokng tobacco. I met a unon printer in
the store and asked him to have a cigar with
me. He accepted and selected a "Cremo,"
which is a tenement made "scab" cigar put out
. by the American Tobacco Co. I paid for it,
jotted down the "union" man's name and will
use it for a text for a future teport.
I haven't got my bearings yet, therefore this
report is very incomplete. I will make a more
extensive report in time for your next issue. I
rather think that my next round will be of the
barber shops to ascertain what is doing.
SHERLOCK HOLMES. JR.
ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL CONVENTION
Winters and Decorators Accomplish Much
Good Work at Memphis Meeting.
reports from the international con
the Brotherhood of Painters. Paper-
orators, recently held at Mem-
phis, are to the effect that it was a magnifi
cent success in every way. I.' R. DeLong,
who represented the Lincoln local, reports
that every session was full of interest. The
chief fight wa:- over a question at issue be
tween the international and the Amalgamated
Woodworkers. It concerned the matter of
jurisdiction over inside varnishing, which was
claimed by both unions, and for a time it
looked as if the Painters would cease to affiili
ate with the American Federation of Labor.
But the matter was temporarily settled by
compromise :.iu! will be finally settled by con
ference. The social features of the convention were
out of the ordinary. The city was given over
to the visitors, and there were receptions ga
lore. One feature was a grand parade headed
by the delegates and made up of local unions
and bands. Cincinnati. Ohio, and Tampa,
Florida, will fight out the matter of entertain
ing the next convention, with Tampa a prime
favorite in the running.
SLUGGING METHODS ARE BARRED.
Chicago Printer! Make Oath That They Have
Consistently Denounced Violence.
The following is taken from the Chicago
Record-Herald of Wednesday, January 10:
Striking members of Typographical Union
No. Ki, numbering 283, swore yesterday be
fore Notary Public. D. P. Hendricks that in
all the meetings of the union and meetings
of strikers that they had attended they never
heard any suggestion that violence would be
condoned or tolerated.
The men signing the affidavit assert that
they have intimate knowledge of the work,
of the officers of the union and its executive
committee, and "never heard the officers or
any other member of the executive board dis
cuss violence in any manner or form other
than to condemn any act or contemplated or
suggested act which might bring the good
name of the union or of its officers into disre
pute." This unique proceeding, said to be the first
ever taken by a Chicago labor bod-, of the
members of a union making affidavit as to
the peaceful nature of the strike, was taken
at a meeting of strikers in Ulich's Hall yes
terday. It will be presented to Judge Holdom.
The objects in making the affidavit were
to show, in view of the contempt proceedings
before Judge Holdom, that the present strike
has been without violence and to correct pos
sible public opinion resulting from the con
victions of union "sluggers" that all labor un
ions approve of physical force methods.
'The committee selected by the Madden fac
tion in the Chicago Federation of Labor to
wait upon the executive board this afternoon
will demand an equal number of judges and
clerks of election for each faction, supervision
by the executive board of the printing of bal
lots and the issuing of delegate cards and the
casting of its full quota of votes by any union
that shall pay its per capita tax before election
day.
A national convention of employing litho
graphers opened in the Stratford hotel yes
terday: The expected demands of the litho
graphers for an eight-hour day after April 1
will be discussed.
Press reports from New York, Minneapolis
and Other cities last night showed gains for
the eight-hour strike of the printers. In Min
neapolis a judge refused to enjoin picketing.
'In New York 210 shops out of 2-17 affected
were reported to have signed the union agree
ment. WORKED THE TYPOTHAETE PLENTY
Chicago Printers, Sell Mr. Mclntyre a Glitter
ing Brick of Phoney Gold.
Chicago and New York printers are chuck
ling over a little trick played by Windy City
prints on Secretary Mclntyre of the United
Typothaete. Mclntyre recently sent an agent
to Chicago to recruit a lot of "rat" printers
for New York City. Big wages were offered,
and pending the recruiting of a goodly bunch
the recruits were to be entertained at a first
class hotel. The agent spent a couple of
weeks in getting about twenty men to consent
to work in New York. As fast as he got them
he took them to a hotel, paid their board and
gave them carte blanche at the hotel bar.
Needless to say tr"" nen took full advantage
of their opportuniti
When he had abov swenty men in tow the
agent loaded them oiv yain and started them
to New . York. Arriving in Gotham he pro
ceeded to distribute them among ':he struck
print shops. And then came the climax.
Every mother's son of the imported men
flashed Union Hodcarriers' cards and stood
pat on the proposition that they never said
they were printers.
Then the Chicago printer-5 cheerfully paid
the fare of the hodcarriers back to Chicago
and left Mclntyre and his agent to take it out
in swearing.
CIGARMAKERS RESUME WORK.
Striking Workmen in Key West Resume
Work After Being Out Over Two Months.
The International Cigarmakers' Union has
declared the strike of the Key West cigar
makers, off and working in the factories will
be resumed at once. The strike has been on
nearly two months and during that time all
the factories ir the city have been closed.
LABOR'S ECONOMIC PROGRESS
Rev. Charles Stelzle Offers Some Words of
Wisdom for Opponents of the Labor Un
ions to Digest Crushing the Unions Will
Not Solve the Labor Problem Destroying
the Unions Would Only Aggravate the Sit
uation A Minister's View.
There are quite a number of employers who
are being deluded by the vain hope that if
they can abolish the labor union, the' will
have solved the labor; question.
The labor union is not the labor question.
Most of us forget that when we discuss the
industrial problem. If every labor union were
to be wiped out today, the labor question
would still be with us, only in ap more aggra
vated form. It is because the workingman has
the right to organize and because he does pr
ganize, that the agitator of anarchy meets
with so little response among American ar
tisans. The labor union is simply a part of that'
process of evolution which is going on in the
industrial world. It will not be destroyed un
til something better takes its place, and the
better system will come as the further result
of the same evolution which produced the la
bor union. In all probability it will be a de
velopment of the trades union idea.
It would seem that the logical thing to do,
then, is not to attempt to destroy the trades
union, but to improve it. Only in this way
will real progress be made. It is supposed
by some that socialism will eventually super
sede trades unionism.- It is altogether likely
that socialism will play a prominent part in
the world's industrial drama, but an eminent
socialist writer recently declared in the lead
ing socialistic journal of America that social
ists must not flatter themselves that because
a change in our economic system is probable,
therefore socialism must necessarily become
the prevailing system.
In the end, there will be not one answer to
the social question, but many. But- all will
agree in this all will be religious. The social
question is fundamentally a moral -and a re
ligious problem, therefore the church will have
an important part in ,vts solution. The church
must have a clear message with reference to'
the principles involved. The preacher need
not discuss social theories, but he must pre
sent, in the spirit of the prophet, the supreme
laws of love, of justice and of service, and ap
ply them to present day questions.
He should speak with no uncertain sound
concerning the evils of child labor, of unsani
tary conditions in sweat-shop and home, of the
curse of Sunday labor, and everything else
that is preventing the masses from living the
abundant life which Christ came into the
world to give them.
THE SOCIALISTS OBJECT.
New York Members Oppose Allowing Minis
ters to Act as Fraternal Delegates'.
.After a stormy meeting, the Central Feder
ated Union of New York recently passed a
resolution to admit as fraternal delegates, with
neither voice nor vote. Rev. M. S. Littlefield
and Rev. John B. Devins. representing the
New York presbytery. The resolution was
bitterly opposed by the socialists, who de
clared that no "sky pilots;' were wanted. Mr.
Littlefield, however, turned the scale by a lit
tle speech, in which he said be represented a
"closed shop," as every member of the minis
try had to be thoroughly qualified. All the
ministers wanted, he said, was to get a chance
of investigating labor conditions at the foun
tain head, and he invited the delegates to send
representatives to the meetings of the presby
tery. The vote on the resolution was 68 to 23.
PICTURES DRAW GREAT CROWDS.
Views of Nebraska Prove Popular With the
Patrons of the Lyric Theatre.
The ever popular Lyric theatre has been
crowded four times a day every day this week,
the chief attraction being the pictures of Ne
braska shown in the state pavilion at St. Louis
and Portland. An attractive picture is that
of J. K. Honeywell's dairy ranch near Lin
coln. The state song, "Nebraska," as sung
by Mr. Wilde, is received with great applause.
Another series of the state pictures will be
shown next week, and should be seen by every
one interested in Nebraska. The remainder of
the attractions on the bill are all better than
usual. As a whole the performance is one of
the best ever offered by this popular amuse
ment resort.
OF COURSE HE IS PLEASED.
The Lincoln Distraction Company Has Every
iugm TO rcci uuua.
Tuesday morning's
Journal, under the cap-
tion, .Manager Cox
jis pleased," conveys the
startling information that the Distraction com
pany has given the people of Lincoln good
service. The Journr l's article in part is as
follows :
"A letter was posted on the bulletin boards
of the Lincoln Tradtion company yesterday
which pleased the eknployes. It came from
Manager Cox and contained an expression of
thankfulness for the prosperous year just
passed and the part in making it so which the
year has been a good one with the company
and that the service, both in the operating and
shop departments, has been better than ever
before. The service has been such as to please
the public and to bring many tokens of ap
preciation to the management. Because of this
he thanks the faithful men who have operated
the machinery, run the cars, dealt with the
public and smoothed the way for all concerned.
He expresses the hope that the year to come
will show as great an improvement."
The employes certainly have assisted in
making the year a prosperous one for the com
pany and they have done it by working for
less wages than are paid by any other street,
railway company operating in a city the size
of Lincoln. The "faithful men who have oper
ated the machinery" are entitled to thanks, and
also entitled to better pay and shorter hours.
But when Manager Cox asserts that "the
service has been such as to please the public
and to bring many tokens of appreciation to the
management," he forgets to accompany the
statement with a sufficient amount of salt. The
service is far from good. It is bad. Ancient
and dilapidated cars, flat wheels, worn rails, ir
regular service, insufficient number of cars, twi
light closing down all these things and many
more combine to give .Lincoln about the poor
est street car service of any metropolitan city
in the country. Midnight is the latest one may
get a car from down town, and on several of
the lines the last car heads for the business
center at 11 o'clock. . The Distraction company
has a right to feet grateful to the citizens of
Lincoln. The people of no other city have so
patiently submitted to injustice, nor paid so
dearly for poor service.
REWARD FOR A BRAVE MAN.
President Roosevelt Bestows a Gold Medal on
Fireman Charles Poel.
By order of President Roosevelt the first
gold medal bestowed under a recent act of con
gress as a reward for great bravery has been
given-to Charles Poel of Grand Island. Neb.
Mr. Poel was a fireman on the Union Pacific
railroad, and at the risk of his own life saved
a little boy from being ground to pieces be
neath the wheels of the engine. Poel ran along
the footboard, stepped down upon the pilot and
lifted the little fellow out of danger. But in
doing so Poel lost his hold and was flung un
der the pilot wheels. One leg was literally
torn from his body and he was otherwise in
jured. He was taken to the hospital and given
the best of care. While yet confined to his
bed the democrats of Hall county nominated
him for county clerk. They didn't even know
his politics, and when someone suggested that
it would be best to find out if he was a demo
crat the convention almost unanimously decid
ed that it didn't care whether he was or not.
Poel was elected by a huge majority and is
now in office.
The story of his heroic deed was recounted
to President Roosevelt and the president im
mediately investigated. The result was that on
Christmas day Poel received a splendid pres
ent in the shape of a letter from President
Roosevelt announcing the award of the medal.
And everybody familiar with the case declares
that a more worthy award could not have been
made. ' - '
STRONGER THAN EVER.
Labor Unions Have Never Stopped Growing
Despite Strenuous Opposition.
No doubt there'was a time when the short
sighted, bigoted employers thought unionism
could and would be crushed by injunctions,
damage suits, denunciation and similar weap-
I ons.
They ought to know better now. '
What have they accomplished? Labor is
stronger than ever.
The unions have not dissolved ; the policy of
labor has not changed.
Mistakes have been made, tnd they will be
avoided..
But all the essential features of the unionist
movement have remained unimpaired.
The assaults have failed ; thy have been re
pulsed. Would it not be wiser nd more profitable for
employers to abandon futile methods and try
the policy of fair . play, honest dealing and
friendly relations with their ' organized em
ployees and the latter s duly elected repre
sentatives? Sooner or later this course will have to be
adopted by them, and our effort is to bring
it into ful and general operation at the earliest
possible time and thus avoid many unnecessary
controversies and contests. Samuel Gompers.
PREFER BEER TO BETTERMENT.
Brewery Workers Agree to Longer Hours
With Plenty of Free Beer.
Brewery workers of Cincinnati recently
made a demand for the eight-hour workday,
and to their surprise the demand was readily
granted. But -along with the concession came1
the announcement that with the eight-hour
day the supply of free beer would- be cut off
entirely and no workman allowed to drink
while on duty. This caused a tremendous sen
sation and immediately a committee waited
upon the employers.
"The eight-hour day and no beer, or the
nine-hour day and plenty of beer," was the
ultimatum.
And the brewery workers didn't even hesi
tate. They decided then aYid there that free
beer was better than the shorter so
thev will continue to work nine hof Lav
i.
ARE GETTING CLOSER TOGETHFR
Bricklayers in Session at Minneapolis and
Stonemasons in Session at St. Paul, Ex
change Greetings That Promise a Return to
the Former Affiliations Both Extend Sym
pathy and Aid to the Typographical Union
in Its Fight. 'x
The Bricklayers' International convention at
Minneapolis has been getting away with a lot
of business, and has been in session ever since
January 8. After the first session, which was
largely given over to addresses of welcome
and responses, the session have been behind
closed doors, and all information for the pub
lic has been given out through a press com
mittee. On January 11 the convention by unanimous
vote adopted resolutions endorsing the Inter
national Typographical Union's' fight for the
eight-hour day. It was hinted that when 'the
time came the Bricklayers would do some
thing besides offer sympathy. . , .
The Stonemasons' International Union is
in annual convention in St, Paul and, fraternal
greetings have been exchanged. ' Years 1 ago
the Bricklayers ' and Stonemasons were to
gether, and the Stonemasons' union is ari off
shoot of the Bricklayers' International Union.
The Bricklayers sent a committee 'over to St.,
Paul to carry greetings, and it is believed that
this action is a forerunner of the time when
co-operation will be resumed. At any rate it
marks the resumption of friendly relations be
tween the two organizations. s ' .
The social features are not being neglected.
Minneapolis' Local No. 2, assisted by the Com
mercial Club, gave the visiting delegates and
officers a sumptuous banquet one night last
week. Pat Jordan of the Minneapolis "local
officiated as toaStmastef, and' in addition to
speeches from the international officials there
were addresses by G. JVV. Wratsoit of ,Indiana,
Rev. G. L. Morrill and Mat Liyiaman of Min
neapolis. , The St. Paul local .gave ai .grand bajl
and the delegates and visitors attended in a
body. It was a magnificent affair.. The Min
neapolis local also tendered the delegates a re
ception and dance at the Fourth Ward Repub
lican Wigwam.- .s '
There is a warm fight on for the location of
the next convention. Toronto, Detroit and
Atlanta are hot on its trail, and other cities
are pulling for it. ' '
Taken as a whole the Minneapolis conven
tion is one of the largest and most successful
in the history of the organization. Matters of
policy are being given unusually careftrl con
sideration, and the question of more thorough
organization is taking up a considerable por
tion of the time. JThe convention will have
adjourned before ; this issue of The Wage
worker is in the postoffice. .
STEEL WORKERS GET, AN ADVANCE.
Youngstown, Ohio, Workmen Secure a Wel
come Increase Without Strike.
The Republican Iron and Steel company of
Yonugstown, X)., has just granted a substan
tial increase to its employes. The increase is
the result of the bi-monthly wage conference
recently, held between members of the com
pany and representatives of the Amalgamated
Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers.
The puddling rate was advanced 25 cents a
ton, and the finishers receive an advance of
two per cent. , ' ' '
The proceedings of the conference were
marked by good will, and the results were emi
nently satisfactory to both sides.
: : ' N
GLASSWORKERS SATISFIED.
Present Wage Scale Will Not Be Altered and
Better Organization Will Be , Perfected.
The Amalgamated Glass-blowers are satis
fied with the conference held, with the manu-;v
facturers in Pittsburg last week.. President
Faulkner stated after the meeting that the
manufacturers had signified a desire for better
organization, and that with this incentive the ,
price of glass will be kept sufficiently graded
to make the proposed shut down of factories
effective until necessary. "The present wage .
scale will not be altered," Faulkner said. "The '
manufacturers have appointed a committee ;
nine which will meet in about a week, I be-
lieve, and whose business it will be to perfect:, ,
the present loose organization." .
THE SENSIBLE VIEW.
Men Do More and Better Work When They
. Are Not Driven, v
After investigating industrial conditions in ,
various parts of the country, the Atlanta Con
stitution says that eight-hour workmen can ac
complish as much and better labor than ten
hour men. The-Constitution then says:
"Besides, from a huvnanitarian point of view,
it is urged that employhtent has no moral right',
to deprive a wage-earne'r, of a few free hours
ottt of bed every day, foA evry man has affairs
of his own that demand aNlittle' of his-time, re
gardless of recreation." V- '
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