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About The Wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-???? | View Entire Issue (July 27, 1906)
-3 LJ 0 i 3 VrOL. 3 LIXCOKJs, JfEBKASICA, JULY 27, 190 20. 1G 1 7 I V FOR UNION PRINTERS. Some Side Lights on the Management ' ' of the "Home." The Wageworker la in receipt of the following letter from a guest of the Union Printers' Home at Colorado Springs. It calls renewed attention to the fact that it is time for a radical change in the management of the home. For obvious reasons the name of the writer is suppressed. The Wage worker knows the writer, and vouches for his honesty and trtuhfulness. The letter Is as follows: Colorado Springs, Colo., July 22. To the Editor of ,The Wageworker: To show you the gross mismanagement of our home I will relate a few facts that the rank and file of our brethren are ignorant of. First, when an Inmate is on his death bed a card goes up on his door, "No one admitted." Not even his dearest friend is allowed to see him or receive any dying request or message, and as soon as life is extinct the matron en ters the chamber of death and takes all of his effects. Now I do not charge her with dishonesty, but there Is no wit ness to deny or affirm any report she chooses to make. This should be done by a committee, and the dying man should be allowed to see his friends. Some time ago an old inmate was sit ting in the assembly room quietly smoking his pipe when the "kid" climbed up on the table and pulled the pipe out of the old man's mouth and struck him in the face. When asked by the old man why he had done so the "kid" replied by saying: "My mamma says I can do as I please." There are other reasons why the home should not be managed by a family. The matron Is the boss, and what she says goes. I recall another Instance. A mem ber of No. 6 on a certain Saturday was In a hurry to get to the barber shop, and when the waitress brought him a piece of steak he Jokingly said: "This eteak is tough; bring me an ax." The daughter heard this and reported it to her mother. After being shaved and coming out of the barber shop he was first met by the "kid'who said: "Mamma wants to see you." Then the daughter made the same announce ment. He entered the office and the following dialogue took place: He "You want to see me, madam?" She "Yes, I want to see you about that steak. You said it was tough." He "Yes, I said it as a joke, not as a kick. But It was tough." She "I say It was tender." He "You can say what you like, madam." She "O, you are Just like the rest of the New Yorkers. As soon as you get the wrinkles out of your stomachs you commence to kick." There is not a man In the home to day, with the possible exception of a few "qulllers," who would not hail with Joy a change of management. Better still, if the I. T. U. would pass a pension act. If the pension act were passed there would be very few In mates at the home, and fewer still under the present management. The favored few can get clothes for the asking, while others who really need them are told that the funds are run ning low and that they will have to wait. One man who worked in the laundry for the past year, and whose health was growing worse, applied for - a suit of clothes and was refused. He returned home in the clothes he had worn for a over a year. The home was Intended as a place of comfort for old and disabled members, but it has been transformed into a show place for vis itors. If an Inmate plucks a flower without permission he is called down. He is also denied the use of the par lors. They are left for the use of the superintendent's family, and the piano for the daughter to practice upon. For Ood's sake let ua have a change. "HOME." WE ENDORSE THIS. Kennedy's Paper the Best Labor Paper in the Country. The Western Laborer, Omaha, is six- teen years old. For twelve years Frank Kennedy (Sadie MacGuire) has been at the helm. The first four years no less than twelve ambitious mould ers of public opinion aspired to the lime light and that lean and hungry look that so rapidly becomes the habi tual guise ' of the labor editor. The Laborer under Kennedy's guidance to day appears more prosperous than ever before. Cedar Rapids Tribune. William Gouldlng was arrested and lined $10 for speaking to one of the rodents operating at Donnelly's rattery in Chicago. Printer figures That The Union Printers of the United States and Canada have been' fighting for the eight hour day since the first of January of the pres ent year. For nearly seven months every working -union printer has been paying or is supposed to have paid 10 per cent weekly on his earnings in order to finance the eight hour cause. Every week our official journal is filled with glowing promises and beautiful predictions. Figures gloriously compiled and beauti fully mixed up are given from month to month, and nothing left un done to make us believe that the assessment is being used to win a great victory. Is it not time for some results? Is it not time to let the men on the "paying line" know a little bit about how the money is being spent, what direct results are being achieved, and what has been done in the months gone by ? Perhaps the men in charge of the eight hour campaign are doing the best they can. Admit it. But is the best they can do commen surate with the money that it is costing? Let the figures from the official journal tell the story. In this table the reports printed in the Typographical Journal are used, the June report, however, not being obtainable, therefore the June reports are estimated on an average with the other months. The following table shows the number of journeymen, appren tices and allied craftsmen carried on the strike benefit rolls for the months named: Month. Journeymen. Apprentices. Allied. Total. February .... 4,977 327 642 5,946 March 5,079 341 488 5,908 April 5,059 342 488 5,889 May.. 4,872 - 401 601 5,748 June, (est.) ' 4,996 , 353 555 5,904 July 4,472 328 498 5,308 Now digest those figures. After six months of fighting there are just 505 fewer journeymen on the strike benefit list than there were according to the report printed in the February Journal. 'There are 11 fewer apprentices carried on the benefit list, and 144 fewer allied tradesmen on the benefit list. In six months there has been a reduc tion of 144 in the number drawing benefits. In estimating the number working eight hours the editor of the Journal figures without warrant. He takes the number working eight hours under contract, then adds 40 per cent of the remainder, and claims the total as working eight hours. He might as well claim 60 or 90 per cent. Common fairness demands that we take the num ber working eight hours actually, and by contract. ' Here are the fig ures from the Journal, the June figures being the average of the four months preceding: Month. Journal Est. Actual February 37,741 . 34,674 March 38,988. 36,844 April 39,222 37,228 May 39,433 37,596 June (est.) 38,846 ' 36,585 July (No figures presented in the Journal.) These figures show that at the end of five months of effort we had gained the eight hour day for 2,922 men. What did it cost? Let the Journal's figures tell the story:1 February, receipts, $144,547.03; March receipts, $155,974.47; April receipts, $143,131.01 ; May receipts, $151,435.99 ; June receipts, (average), $148,772.10; July receipts, $275,761.15. Total, $1,019, 621.75. ( But that does not cover the total expenses of the fight by any means. The Journal affords the information that seven unions, with a membership of 15,338, retain all of the 10 per cent assessment, and finance their own case, except Chicago, which receives $1,000 a week from the international. This represents a total of $22,338 per week. Forty-eight unions with a membership of 8,152, retain all and in addi tion receive constitutional benefits from the international, save Cleve land. This represents a total of $9,600 per week. Six unions, with a membership of 793, collect the assessment and retain half, or $600 LABOR'S Washington, July 22. The executive council of the American Federation of Labor today made good its declaration of several months ago to enter the field of politics in the interest of the trades union movement and to urge all friends of organized labor to elect to political office men known to be favorable toi labor's cause. At the headquarters of the federation the council today issued its "campaign pro gram," addressed 'to all organized la bor and friends In the United States." It setss out that' the trades union movement has kept and proposes to keep pace with the rapid change in in dustrial affairs, and that the working people cannot hope to maintain their rights or a progressive position in the varying phases or modern society un less they organize and exercise all those functions, which, as workmen and citizens, it is their privilege and their duty to exercise. It Is declared that labor makes no demand on government and society which is not equally accorded to all the people of this country, and that it can and will be satisfied with nothing less. The proposed campaign is based upon the allegation that little attention has been paid to the enactment of laws prepared by organized labor and pre sented to congress, for the relief of these wrongs and the attainment of CALL these rights to which labor and the common people are Justly entitled and which are essentially necessary, for their welfare. The council issues a word of caution that the "movement must not degen erate into a scramble for office, but it should be a determined effort, free ab solutely from all partisanship of every name and character to secure the leg islation we deem necessary and essen tial to the welfare and happiness of all our people." - ' It is expressly stated that where a congressman or state legislator has proved himself a true friend to the rights of labor he should be supported and no candidate nominated against him. The following is a text of the pro gram: Campaign Program Outlined. "To All Organized Labor and Friends in the United States Dear Sirs and Brothers: Events in the industrial affairs of our people have rapidly changed and are rapidly changing. The trade union movement, as ex pressed by the American Federation of Labor, has kept and proposes to keep pace therewith. "The wheels of industry cannot be halted or turned back, nor should they be, even if that were possible. Welcoming industrial progress, labor must be ever alert to meet new condi- Will Surprise You per week. Two unions, with a membership of 531, retain all they need, or $660 a week according to the Journal. .These sums are not sent to the International and do not, in twenty-six weeks these unions collected $860,860.00. The total collected and disbursed by the international, added to the total col lected and handled by the locals, aggregates the tremendous total of $1,880,481.75. At an expense of $1,880,481.75 we have gained the eight hour day for 2,922f men, an average of $647.94 per man gaining the eight hour day. According to the July Journal there were 4,472 men on strike. If the average is maintained, $647.94, it will cost $2,897,587.68 to gain the eight hours for the present strikers, 'to say nothing of the 4,000 or 5,000 who are still working the nine hour day under contract or be cause it is not wise to increase at this time the number of men on the benefit list. " "We claim, and defy contradiction, that no trades union the size of the International Typographical Union ever gave such a magnifi cent sum of money in the same length of time. We claim that no trades union in the world's history per man, and as cheerfully, as the union printers have during the past six months. , But have results justified the enormous expenditure? Are the printers not justly entitled to a better run for their money? We have heard practically no complaints about the size of the assessment, nor its long continuance, but there is an increasing com plaint that the results are not what enormous burden. Study the expense accounts of will see where a lot of it is going. July Journal, first column, last item in column, will be found the f ol lowing' item : " J. C. Devereux, jr., expenses to Stillwater, Duluth and Superior, and expenses in St. Paul and Minneapolis, $244.40." There seems to be a colored gentleman in that woodpile. Why should Organizer Devereux go to Stillwater at a heavy expense? The union there has but eight members, and all of them have gained the eight hour day. Why should he go to Duluth at heavy expense ? That union has 78 members and all but five are working the eight hour day. Why should he go to Superior at heavy expense ? That union has only 24 members and all of them are working the eight hour day. Why Superior? How about the Superior vote for trustee? Ah, the colored gentleman appears to view. It was necessary to get the Su peribr vote counted in order to elect Lou Shepard trustee of the home, S&epardthe "big chief." - And the moneys of tmion printers is being spent by organizers, who spend it like drunken sailors, and spend it, too, to secure the election of "inside men." How do you like it, you men on the 10 per cent a week assessment line ? ' In the February Journal, page 144 the first issue after the eight hour strike was called appeared the following: 1 "We have won! The story of 'how it happened' is graphically told in the. correspondence department. The rout of the Typothetae has been practically complete!" Have we won ? Has the Typothetae been routed ? v . $1,880,481.75 to gain the eight hour day for $2,922 men, with 4,472 men still on strike, and not less than 6,000 men awaiting their turns. And in all this array of figures we have not said a word about the thousands and thousands of dollars that the trustees of the Union Printers' Home have spent with merchants belonging to the Citizens' Alliance union money spent with union haters to feed and clothe union men. Who dare deny that the delegates to the Colorado Springs con vention have a duty to perform that duty being to either get some returns for the money spent, or put a stop to the awful drain. We'll pay the 10 per cent a week to win. Yes, we'll spend 20 per cent if necessary. But is it necessary ? J The time for action is now. Instruct your delegates. Are you a delegate? Doubtless you have been flattered by one of those charming "personal" letters from the president "TO ARMS! tions, recognizing that eternal vigl- lance is the price of industrial as well as political liberty. "The working people cannot hope to in congress, reciting the failure or re maintain their rights or a progressive fusal of the party in power to adopt or position in the varyine phases of mod- era society unless they organize and exercise all those functions which, as workmen and citizens, it is their privi lege and their duty to exercise. , "Labor makes no demand upon gov ernment or society which is not equally accorded to all the people of our country. It can and will be satis fied with nothing else. Congress No Friend of Labor. "Several presidents of the United States have in their mesasges to con gress, urged the passage of equitable legislation in behalf of the working people, but congress has been entirely preoccupied looking after the interests of vast corporations and predatory wealth. "Congressmen and senators in their frenzied rush after the almighty dollar have been indifferent or hostile to the rights of man. They have had no time and as little inclination to support the reasonable labor measures, the enact ment of which we have urged, and which contained ' beneficent ! features for all our people without an obnox ious provision to anyone. , "Patience ceased to be a virtue, and on March 21, 1906, the representatives therefore, appear in the reports. has ever put up as much money they should be to justify such an the organizers and perhaps you For instance, on page 111 of the of labor presented a bill of grievances to the president and those responsible for legislation or failure of legislation enforce legislation in the interests of the tolling millions of our country. Af ter setting forth labor's grievances and requests and urging early action,, we closed that now famous document with this statement: " 'But if perchance you may not heed us, we shall appeal to the con science and support of our fellow citi zens.' ' ' ,' - Relief-Asked for Refused.. "The relief asked for has not been granted. Congress has turned a deaf ear to the voices of the masses of our people; and, true to our declaration, we now appeal to the working people, aye, to all the American people, unit edly, to demonstrate their determina tion . that this republic of ours shall continue to be of, for and by the peo ple, rather than of, for and by the al mighty dollar. "The toiling masses of our country are as much, if not more, interested In good government than, our fellow citi zens in other walks of life. " In line with the contention erein, stated, the American Federation of Labor made its declaration of political policy, as already quo'ted stbove. A And in line (Continued on Page 5.) THE KIRKENDALL SCRAP. After the "Scab" Shoe Workers in the Big Omaha Factory; ; Collis Lovely, vice president and gen eral organizer--.of the Boot and Shoe Workers' Union.;, was in Lincoln the first of the week,' putting Lincoln ' unionists next to all bej facts connect ed with the strike, in the Kirkendall shoe factory in Omaha. It was merely a case of where the management of the Kirkendall factory sought to use the union to boost that particular factory; at the expense of other union factories. Also, it was revealed that the manage-' ment was using one member of the union Illegitimately. . , i i The workmen in the Kirkendall shop led by a traitorous fellow named Mc Gill, seceded from the union when they found they could not control it. Kirkendall told them to organize a union of their own and he would help them. Kirkendall then sent back his union stamp. Now the Boot and Shoe Workers are after Mr. Kirkendall. Mr. Lovely is in Lincoln to see if he can not exert some pressure that will in duce Mr. Kirkendall to make peace with the union. And we rather think that Mr. Lovely administered a con siderable "squeeze" during the last few days. A PARDONABLE ERROR. People's Store Thought It Was Getting the Printing Label. Last week Gold & Co., proprietors of the People's Store, got out a big bill advertising a special sale. The bill did not bear the allied printing trades label, and as a result trades unionists got busy with the "red stick ers" and Gold & Co. received a large number of the bills back with the "We don't patronise" stamp. In justice to Gold & Co. it Is hereby stated that when the copy for the bills was taken to the print shop that par ticular shop did have the allied trades label. This was one reason Tvhy Gold & Co. patroni? tc .that particular shop.. The firm always insists upon the label, and nat?ally supposed that It would! be on tt" bill as heretofore. As soon as the error was discovered Gold & Co. recalled as many of the bills ad possible and ordered a new supply. "I called for the label on the Job, and supposed that it would be put on as it always had been In that shop. -Tou may say for me that if I know it none of Gold & Co.'s work goes to non union houses," said Mr. Gold. THE CENTRAL UNION'S BENEFIT. A Big Audience Turns Out and a Great , Success Was Scored. . Thursday night at the Oliver waa i the occasion of the second annual ben- . eflt of the Central Labor Union, tend ered by Mr. Jess Fulton and his very able company and Manager Frank Zehrung of the Oliver. - An audience that filled the theatre was great.lv ca . tevtalned by the drama, "The Wife," and the specialties presented betweaS acts. The thanks of the central body alt . due to Messrs. Fulton and Zehrung and to the members of the Fultos Stock Co. ; for their liberality. T'M benefit added a handsome sum to the central body's treasury. The company closes its engagement Saturday even ing, and has enjoyed a most prosper ous season. ' Jess Fulton and his com pany are always assured of a hearty welcome in Lincoln, especially from the unionists. MR. SAWYER'S GENEROSITY. Offers to Donate Liberally to Erect More' Drinking Fountains. Mr. A. J. Sawyer, whose humane in stincts are well known and who is an official of the Humane Society, otters to contribute $50 towards the erection of two or three more drinking foun tains in Lincoln. The need is a great one, and it is little short of a crime that they have not been provided ere this . There should be not less than eight or ten of these public watering fountains, and each, of them should be equipped so that our friends, the dogs. couW slake their thirst. , The Wage worker will contribute ?5 towards the fund which Mr. Sawyer so generously starts. It knows others who will con tribute. Will you help? The team owners, and especially the union team stern of the city ought to be repre sented. . The contract between the Grain Scoopers' Union and the Lake Car riers' associa tion covers the seasons of 1906 and 1907. I: