r i
VOL. 4
XitNCOIiN, NEBRASKA, MAY 34, 1907
NO. 7
WW A
I l 3 TRADES' COUNatg)
' o) D7T? fo)
lMMtlJ
V
Temple Project Due
For Another Big Boost
Still growing! That's the good word.
A few more added to the list and
reports of work being done coming In
every day, A couple of lists are
promised for next week.
Getting discouraged Pshaw! True
it is a little slow, but it is a lot better
than, was expected when the scheme
started.
There'll be something doing pretty
soon, and don't you forget it. A lot
of enthusiastic union men are getting
ready to make things hum. They are
holding off to get a good start. In
the meanwhile, if you will do your
duty everything will be lovely.
Say, we've tried temple schemes
before, but do you 'know that the pro
ject is in better shape today a hun
dred to one than It ever was before?
That is a fact. The list already re
ported means upward of a thousand
dollars, for a number of them have
agreed to make it $50 each. One man
who is not a trades unionist, but a
hearty union sympathizer, has agreed
to make his investment in stock $25.
We know four or Ave men who will
Invest over $100 each Just as soon as
union men show by their actions that
they want a Labor Temple.
Take the matter up in your union
and see if you can not get the union
to Invest some of its surplus funds.
We ought to get a thousand .dollars
from that source.
Remember, not a dollar to be ex
pended in preliminary expenses. All
money to be handled by a committee
selected by the men who put up the
money.
The Wageworkers' . exchanges are
sitting up and taking notice of the
project They are giving it encourage
ment. Unionists in other cities have
agree to Invest in the stock. Others
will do so as soon as Lincoln unionists
get busy and do their share.
By the way, what have you done to
boost the project? Nothing! . Well,
don't you think It is time you got
busy? , .
Come on, boys!
Of course we can not raise it all by
the date set, but there are other dates.
Let us fight It out on this line if it
takes a whole year.
We can't lose if every union man
in this vicinity does his duty.
THE BARBERS' UNION.
8ome of the Benefits That Have Been
8ecured by Members.
Perhaps the younger generation of
barbers are not fully aware of the
benefits that have accrued to them
by reason of the work done by the
barbers who were the pioneers in the
union movement.
Fifteen years ago barbers worked
as many hours a day as there were
men awake and likely to drop in for
a shave or a haircut. They went to
work about 7 o'clock in the morning
and usually worked until 10:30 at
night. Sunday morning the got down
to the shop early, worked until noon,
snatched a hasty lunch and then work
ed until everybody In town had been
shaved. They averaged about ninety
hours a week, and the barber who
found $15 in his pay envelope consid
ered himself a "peach" of a workman.
But "wise guys" of the razor looked
about and saw that unionism was ac
complishing a lot of craftsmen en
gaged in other lines, and they inves
tigated. The result was the organiza
tion of the Journeyman Barbers' In
ternational Union. When the organ
ization was completed the usual re
sult happened while hours were be
ing reduced the average of wages
began rising. Today the union bar
ber averages about 70 hours a week,
and he is making more money than
members of the craft ever made be
fore. They have been benenteed by
the adoption of shop rules, better san
itary conditions, better guarantees
and more recognition of individual
rights. If the old-time barber who
died twenty years ago were to come
to life again and again to go to work
at his trade he would be dumbfounded
when he saw the bettered conditions
and the bettered wage.
The St. Paul union obligated five
new members at its last regular meet
ing. It is constantly adding to its list
of shops entitled to the card. The
members are also pushing the union
button.
There are several unfair barber
shops in Lincoln, but The Wagework
er Is not advertising them by giving
their street numbers. Tou will know
them when you go in if you will look
for the shop card. It will not be
there. -.
SPEAKING OF GALL.
A Mercantile Firm , That Seams to
Have It in Plenty.
Recently a business firm in Lincoln
asked The Wageworker for the loan
of its subscription list so it could send
out a lot of postal cards. The man
ager refused, but agreed to address
the cards if left at his office. This
was done and the cards duly addressed
and mailed. The firm promised a line
of advertising which failed to ma
terialize. Later the same firm or rather its
advertising managed agreed to take
a goodly space In the anniversary edi
tion of The Wageworker, and
promised the copy in good season. A
few days before the copy was prom
ised the firm asked permission to use
the subscription list to send our cir
culars advertising a particular make
of goods, and the work was begun.
Before the' copying was 'completed
the anniversary edition went to press
without the generous advertisement of
the firm, the copy not having been
prepared. It was promised for the
next week, but as yet it has failed to
materialize. But the addressing of
the circulars was never completed.
The firm, was notified to come and
get its circulars, and to get them im
mediately. It did.
The Wageworker admits that It is
"easy,", but it balks at being Imposed
upon regularly. It will be glad to ac
commodate its patrons at any time,
but it will hereafter draw the line at
loaning its subscription list to mer
chants who want to circularize the
union public. If such firms want to
reach Wageworker subscribers they
will have to pay the regular advertis
ing rate.
There is a little more in this story,
and it will be told in due season.
THE AUXILIARY HELPS.
Union Printers' Wives Get Into the
Labor Temple Game.
It was not a surprise to The Wage
worker when it was notified that Cap
ital Auxiliary No. 11 to Typograph
ical Union No. 209 had decided to be
represented in the movement looking
towards the erection of a Labor Tem
ple in Lincoln.
At the last meeing of the Auxiliary
it was unanimously agreed to donate
$5 to the fund, and a number of mem
bers expressed a willingness to make
personal contributions thereto at the
proper time. ,
Now that the women are interested
in the Labor Temple movement it is a
cinch that there will be something
doing, for when the union women take
hold they accomplish wonders.
TREASURER STONE GONE.
Leatherworkers on Horse Goods Minus
Some Union Funds.
Members of the local union of Leath
erworkers on Horse Goods are some
what perturbed over the sudden dis
appearance of J. J. Stone, secretary
treasurer of the union. Mr. Stone
left his home at the Arlington hotel
last Saturday, and to date his wife
is not aware of his present where
abouts.
The report that his disappearance is
due to domestic troubles is stoutly
denied by Mrs. Stone, and her claim
Is borne out by the many evidences
of devotion shown by Mr. Stone to
his wife and baby. Mrs. Stone ex
plains his disappearance by saying
that her husband some time ago made
some unfortunate investments, and
when a sudden call was made upon
him for union funds he was unable
to meet the demand. This would in
dicate that he had made the mistake
that many other men made using
union funds for private purposes with
the intention of replacing them before
called for. Until the books are aud
ited it will be impossible to tell the
amount of Mr. Stone's shortage, but
it is thought to be less than $40. Mrs.
tSone says that his financial troubles
Lave been preying upon his mind for
some time, and she is convinced tha.
as soon as he can he will make good
the shortage. She expects to go to
the borne of her folks at Humbollt,
Nebraska. Work has been slack in the
harness trade and Mr. Stone's shop
matos telievc that this fact is respon
sible for his failure to have lh funds
!: his possession. That 1 in
t . tionally dishonest nou believes.
THE FULTON STOCK COMPANY
Opens the Season to a Record House
and Delight All.
The Fulton Stock Co. opened its reg
ular summer season at the Oliver last
Monday night, and as was expected
appeared to an audience that com
pletely filled the house. The initial
performance was "Blue Jeans," a
comedy that gave the company ample
opportunity to show its strength. Sev
eral of the old favorites are with the
company. Miss Emil Jackson, Jess
Fulton, Miss Belle Jackson, Miss Ivy
Bowman, Mr. Castelbury, Mr. Mar
lowe, all old members of the company,
were warmly greeted when they ap
peared on the stage. The new members
of the company "made good" and were
favorably received.
The week will close with the pre
sentation of "Moths," a Russian play
that will delight all who see it. Dur
ing the season the best obtainable
plays will be presented, among them
being some that have only recently
been played at advanced prices, and
all of them what is known in stage
parlance as "royalty plays." The in
dications are that the summer , sea
son of the Fulton Stock Co., will be
even more pleasant and profitable than
former seasons.
HOW PATTERSON WAS RUINED.
Tried to Treat Employes Fairly and
.See What Happened to Him.
John H. Patterson, a Dartmouth
graduate, has been decorated by
France with the Legion of Honor on
account of what he has done 'for his
employes.
Of course, there is a difference
among wage workers just the same
as there is a difference among em
ployers. Some are good and some
are bad. Occasionally there Is a wage
worker who is an enemy to work in
any form. There is always something
that he "isn't going to stand for."
He apparently considers it his mis
sion to bankrupt the establishment
that employes him and it makes him
sore" to see any other fellow do a
decent day's work. Then there are
employers of labor who are Just as
bad or worse.
In short, there are some bad ones
and many good ones on both sides of
the labor proposition. Perhaps Mr.
Patterson used discretion in getting
rid of the mental and moral dyspep
tics upon whose stomachs the slight
est bit of actual work produces irri
tation and sourness.
But Patterson had a theory and
made it work. When he bought a
small factory some years ago he said:
WOMEN AND TRADES UNIONISM
By the Rev. Charles Stelzle.
Organized labor was paid another
compliment the other day, when the
women school teachers of New York
appeared before the Central Body in
that city, requesting that a committee
be appointed to see the Mayor, using
their influence to have him sign a bill
which voted equal salaries to men and
women, doing the same work.
As all trades unionists know, or
ganized labor has long been contend
ing for this point. It has been almost
the only organization which has in
sisted that women should receive the
same wages as men for the same
amount and kind of labor. For this
reason alone, it is clear that trades
unionism is the friend of womankind.
Another reason why women should
look with favor upon trades unionism
lies in the fact that for many years it
has been contending for universal
peace. For who suffers more during a
time of war than the women in our.
homes? Away from the glamour and
heroics, they silently give their lives
"I shall make my interests the in
terests of the men and women who
work for me. What I can do for them
I will. Whatever happiness and sat
isfaction I can bring into their live3
I will bring. I shall unite labor and
capital."
He started. In a week they told
aim he was wrecking his business, but
he only laughed. And the following
shows what he has done for his em
l loves: . .
He pays good wages.
He gives them good light to work
by, and every fifteen minutes changes
the air they breathe.
Once a year .he invites all his em
ployes and their families to a dinner,
last year he had 10,000 there.
His creed is: "Your Interests are
my interests."
What is the result? Patterson's
former little $1,200 factory has; grown
to a value of millions of dollars, and
hp gays: "Every dollar spent in mak
ing employes comfortable and content
ed,, has been multiplied tenfold in di
rect benefit to the company." Super
ior Telegram.
EIGHT-HOUR LAW UPHELD
Is Constitutional and Must Be Ob
served in Good Faith.
Justice .McComas, of the court of
appeals of the District of Columbia,
has. handed down an opinion sustain
lng the eight-hour law as constitu
tional and defining what constitutes
an extraordinary emergency.
. The case . was that of the Penn
Bridge , company,, appealed from the
police court, in which the defendant
had been fined $500 for working one
of its employes more than eight hours.
The original plea of the defendants
was that the eight-hour law was un
constitutional, which the court over
ruled.' Then the plea of extraordinary
emergency was offered; on which the
case was heard. - .
That the law is not unconstitutional
Justice McComas cites the . decision
of the United States supreme court
in -the case of Atkins v. State of Kan
sas. , :
"Extraordinary emergency" ... is de
fined f as a sudden and unexpected
happening to avert imminent danger
to health, or life, or property, an un
usual peril, real, not imaginary. St.
Paul Advocate.
CIGARETTE GIRLS STRIKE.
Forty Walk Out in Richmond, Va.,
" In Middle of Day.
Because Mrs. Theresa Klotz, Inspec
tor of the all-tobacco cigarette depart
ment, was transferred to another de
partment forty girls employed as pack
ers in the Allen & Glnter branch of
the American Tobacco company, at
Richmond, Va., are out on strike. The
girls demanded the immediate rein
statement of Mrs. Klotz, who is a fav
orite with the , packing force. They
threatened to walk out. in a body if
their . demand was not compiled with,
and they declined to work under a
new inspector.
The management refused to rein
state Mrs. Klotz, and the girls made
good their threat. They, quit work
In the middle of the day.
to the cause for which their husbands,
their sons, their brothers and their
sweethearts are contending on the
battlefield. Some day war will cease,
but it will be when the workingmen
of the world declare they will no long
er kill their brothers for the aggrand
izement of a selfish, covetous ruler. .
Women are helped by trades union
ism through the benefits received dur
ing a time of illness, unemployment
and especially when the bread-winner
dies. Millions of dollars are annually
disbursed by organized labor in this
way. Rarely, if ever, is the Charity
Organization Society or any other phi
lanthropic society asked for aid by
the family of a trades unionist.
These are facts worth considering,
for all of them have to do with home
making. The trades union is an im
portant factor in building up a higher
type of family life. It, therefore, is
working to improve the unit of society,
for a country's prosperity and per
manence depends upon no other feat
ure quite so much as it does upon the
well-being of the family.
Printers' Memorial Day
At the Church.
Song, "Just As I Am". ..... .Assembly
Invoction Rev. H. H. Harmon
Pastor First Christian Church.
Song, "Refuge" . , ' Assembly
The Typographical Union, F. M. Coffey
Pesident L. T. U., No. 209.
Song, "Sweet By and By "...Assembly
Memorial Address. . .William J. Bryan
Benediction ........ .Rev. S. Z. Batten
Pastor First Baptist Church.
At the Cemetery.
Song, "Nearer, My God, to Thee," -
Assembly
Invocation Rev. S. Z. Batten
"Our Union Dead" .Erstine King
L. T. U., No. 209.
Song, "Going Down the Valley,".
Assembly
Address, "The Invisible Comrade,"
- R. L. Metcalfe
Decoration of burial lot. .... .Auxiliary
Song, Doxology Assembly
"Taps" .Miss Ruth Walters
Benediction ,...Rev. H. H. Harmon
Sunday afternoon at 2:15, at the
First Christian church, corner of Four
teenth and M streets, Lincoln Typo
graphical Union No. 209, will observe
its annual memorial day for the de
ceased members of the union.
The general public is invited to
attend these services, and especially
are union men and their families
urged to be present. While the serv
ices are under the auspices of the
Typographical Union, , and ; primarily
for union printers, they are for , all
the people, and the object is to spread
the virtues of unionism while paying
a tribute to the union dead., : i i
The memorial address at the church
will be delivered by Mr. William J.
Bryan, whose friendship for the cause
of unionism is too well known to need
mention at this time. At Wyuka Cem
etery the address will be delivered by
Richard L. Metcalfe, who will speak
on the subject, "The Invisible Com
rade.'' ... .
At the church President Coffey of
the local union' will give a brief hist
ory of the . International Typograph
ical Union, and at the cemetery
another member will speak of the un
ion's dead.
The general public is asked to go
directly to the church. Members of
the Typographical Union and Auxil
iary will meet at. the Lindell Hotel
corner and proceed in a body to the
church at 2:10. All members having
badges in their possession are re
quested to bring the same with them.
The following members of Lincoln
Typographical Union No. 209 are
buried In Wyuka cemetery, two of
them on the beautiful lot owned by
the union: .
John Long,
Libbie Hoge,
Mr. Shoemaker,
Elmer English,
Mrs. Kingman,
Mr. Rogers,
C. E. Alexander,
Will Sullivan.
The fire ' which destroyed the Ma
sonic Temple several years ago also
destroyed the records of the Typo
graphical Union, which fact explains
the inability to secure the given names
of three of the above members.
In addition to decorating in mem
ory of the above, who ' were active
members of the union, the name of
Will O'Shea is always called. Mr.
O'Shea was a workman of an allied
craft, and his every ready help to
the union was always appreciated.
Time and again he gave of his time
to help ,the printers in their entertain
ments, and when he died every union
printer In Lincoln felt it to be a per
sonal loss.
The program of the church and cem
etery services follow:
CARMEN ARE HUSTLING.
Lincoln's Youngest Union Js Moving
at a Very Lively Gait.
The Brothedhood of Railway Car
men met in regular session at A. O.
U. W. hall last Saturday evening, and
despite the fact that it was a busy
and bright evening there was a large
attendance. The editor of The Wage
worker was privileged to meet with
the brotherhood and address the mem-
Next Sunday
bers briefly. The interest and enthus
iasm shown by , this young union is
good to see. The members .are en
thusiastic and earnest, and they are
working hard to make, it a "100 per
cent union" of their craft. It looks
very much. Ilka they will succeed, as
new members are obligated at every
meeting. . . ;
The officers are a little new in the
harness as yet, but they have taken
fccid like old hands, and the member
ship as a whole is standing by them
lr-yally. Now that the carmen have
at last succeeded in organizing it is
believed that they will have plain sail
ing so far as opposition is, concerned.
But it took a lot of finesse to get the
organization started. The work was
kept so quiet that not a hint of it
escaped .until the charter list was
completed and temporary organization
effected.
LINCOLN NON-UNION 8HOES.
Manager of Regent Factory Bitterly
Opposed to' Trades Unions.
During the time the Regent shoe
factory was located in Omaha it em
ployed union workmen and women and i
was entitled to use the union stamp--of
the Boot and Shoeworkers. The
managers of the Regent factory de
cided to remove the shop to Lincoln,
contingent upon Lincoln people pur
chasing a certain amount of stock. ,
A number of the union employes came
with it, but owing to circumstances
the union did not Insist upon union,
conditions. As a , result the union
stamp ..was . taken up,, pending nego
tiations with, the management.,' Vice- .
President Lovely of the Boot and: .Shoe
Workers': International Union came to
Lincoln an& tried to reach an; agree-- -ment
that would, permit the factory
to resume the use of the stamp. , His
mission was a failure.
Last Saturday, at the Commercial
Club, Manager Gustin of the Regent
Shoe Co. stated most emphatically,
and with a show of temper, that under
no consideration would he run a un
ion factory. He made the usual
splurge about "unions trying to die- :
tate his business," and "roasted" the ,
trades unions to a frazzle.
. The editor of The Wageworker told
Mr. Gustin 'very frankly that nothing
would please him more than to be able
to boost a Lincoln product, but noth
ing would induce him to boost a prod-
uct that was not. union made, and '
that be would endeavor . to make a
sale of union .made shoes in prefer
ence to a Regent shoe every time,
no matter where the union shoe was
made. , . v,
: Lincoln wage earners have been in
hopes that the Regent factory would
be "squared" so they could give it
their . support and patronage.,. But
Mr. Gustln's attitude alienates the
support of Lincoln wage earners, and
by this course he loses one of the
most profitable markets his Company
could possibly have., The Wagework
er merely wants to call the attention
of union men in Lincoln and vicinity
to the fact that not only are Regent
shoes, the product of non-union labor,
but the manager of the company is an :
avowed enemy of organized labor. No
one can possibly regret these facts
more than The Wageworker, for this
humble little paper is always looking
for opportunities to boost for Lincoln,
demanding only that those who are
boosted shall reciprocate.
LYRIC STOCK COMPANY.
Popular Playhouse Changes ; from
Vaudeville to Drama Temporarily.
The Lyric theater closed its vaude
ville season last Saturday night and
opened up last Monday with a stock
company whose engagement will last
for ten weeks. During that time the
best obtainable plays will be present
ed by a capable company. The pro
gram will be changed weekly and mat
inees will be given on Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Saturdays instead of
every afternoon as during the vaude
ville season.
The stock company includes several
members well known in Lincoln ar
the west, and Manager Miller guar
antees his patrons the best obtainable
productions. v-
'J
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