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NEBRASKA, JCTNE 7, 1907
NO. 9
o)n7r? o)
g f jADgjM guNCIL
What's Doing Among
Lincoln Trades Unionists
There Is always something doing
among the union carpenters of Lin
coln. Every meeting sees new mem
bers added to the roll and new Jobs
squared" through the persistency and
diplomacy of the business agent. The
meeting last Tuesday evening was a
m.Iam anil flvn -nOW Tl H i fl H f PS
Bicinniiiuci! nun . . - ......
were Initiated, with several more on
the waiting list. Every member who
Is able to work Is at work, and calls
for men exceed the visible supply.
Some time ago Paul Bartlett started
to putting up two good sized residence
buildings. He employed non-union
men for a time, but after watching
them work and comparing them with
union men on dther jobs he got wise.
As a result the non-union men walked
the plank and the Bartlett jobs were
squared by putting good union work
men on ' them and Mr. Bartlett, al
though be paid the union men higher
wages, realizes that he made an eco
nomical move when he unionized his
work. It's the same old storythe
good craftsmen are in the union of
their craft.
The Sawyer flats, one of the biggest
jobs in recent years, is at last com
pleted. This gave employment to
union carpenters for nearly a year.
The carpenter and brick work was
thoroughly union, but the plumbing
and painting, let on separate contracf.s,
vent to non-union concerns. .
"Dad Hallahan returned from Hast
ings the first of the week, where ha
has been working for a month or
more.
Business Agent Bly ran up against.
queer proposition one day last week.
Passing a job being done by a "scab"
contractor he noticed that a non-union-ipt
had on a carpenters' union pin.
The wearer was formerly a meml.er
of the union, but was dropped, a fine
ch' $25 being placed against him. Mr.
i!!y asked the man why he, a non
unionist, was wearing a union pin.
and the man insolently replied, "It's
my pin, bought with my own money.
I've worn it for two years and I'll
keep on wearing it." Mr Bly ai-gutd
a few minutes and went on hi way
A few days later he saw the man still
wearing the pin. Then hi got buy
with the law books and he us
sum thing that will interest every
wearer of the union button, including
the above-mentioned non-union cur
l.enter: It is a section of t'.ie Ne
1'iafka statutes which makes it an. of
fense punishable by a stiff fine or I in
! onment, or both, for a man to wear
the tiidge, pin, emblem or insignU of
any secret, fraternal of othr ordtr
when he is not a member in good
, sfin.Iing of the aforesaid order whose
pin, etc., he may wear. Mr. Blv
brought the matter before the union
last Tuesday and was instructed to
set the machinery of law In mdtio l
whenever he found a non-union cur
penter wearing the pin emblamatic of
the union."
The Woodworkers' Journal is not far
astray when it says: "You don't hear
of very many welfare clubs being es
tubllshed by concerns who feel sure
'hat no lsrbor organization is liable to
spring up among their employes."
The Kansas City Billiard Table com
pany is on the unfair list. '
Carpenters will have no work on
the new Little block, but being loyal
citizens of Lincoln they rejoice to see
such a fine business building going
up. It will mean more building on
which carpenters will have a good
show.
TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION.
Figuring on a Home of Its Own With'
out Mere Delay.
Lincoln Typographical Union is fig
uring on securing a 'permanent home,
and to that end will seek to make
lense on a hall, fit it up and use It for
its own purposes. At the regular
meeting last Sunday the executive
committee was instructed to take such
steps as it deemed necessary looking
to this end. The purpose is to lease
headquarters, and fit it up not only as
a hall, but for social purposes, making
ample provision for Capital Auxiliary
Plans for financing the enterprise wlV
, be made by .the executive committee
and presented at the July meting. .
H. V. Smith, Fred Irlnger and Fred
Mlckel were appointed to take charge
of the work of securing a monument
for the union burial lots in Wyuka
cemetery. Little trouble is anticipated
in securing funds with which to erect
handsome marble shaft to the mem
ory of the deceased members of No.
209.
Three new members were elected to
membership at last Sunday's meeting,
and 'considerable business of impor
tance was transacted. At the July
meeting the officers-elect for the en
suing year will be obligated. Vice
President Peat presided in the absence
of President Coffey.
CENTRAL LABOR UNION
The First June Meeting Will Be Held
Next Tuesday Evening.
After a hiatus of three weeks the
Central Labor Union will meet next
Tuesday evening. Indications are that
it will be a big meeting, for several
plans are in process of incubation that
promise much for unionism in this
city. v
The Labor Temple project will come
up, and it Is hoped to get a bunch of
canvassers started out that will ac
complish something. The matter of
the annual theatrical benefits will also
come up. A lot or union men seem to
labor under the impression that be
cause they are not duly accredited
delegates they cannot secure admis
sion to the meetings of the central
body. This .is a mistake. Any union
man who has a paid up card is en
titled to admission, and -by general
consent is allowed the privilege of the
floor. But only accredited delegates
areprivileged to make motions or to
vote. It would be a good thing for
the central body if union men would
get into the habit of dropping in at
the meetings.
Let every . union mm who reads
this notice be present at the meeting
at C. L. U. hall next Tuesday even
ing, - and perhaps something worth
while can be stirred up.
THE BRICKLAYERS.
Work Has Been Slack for Several
Reasons Explained Below.
On account of the cold and wet
weather, and the scarcity of material,
work has been a little slack with the
bricklayers so far this spring. But it
is picking up rapidly. Material is com
ing In fast, and the warm weather, has
started work on several big jobs. The
new Little building and the Christian
Science church will afford an unusual
lot of work for the masons this year.
These are two of the biggest jobs ever
let in Lincoln.
Saturday evening, June 1, the union
bricklayers of St. Paul, Minn., cele
brated the twenty-fifth anniversary of
their local, and from reports printed
in the St. Paul Advocate they must
have had a fine time.
The strike of the bricklayers and
masons of Ottawa, Ont., is a thing
of the past, and a formal two-year
agreement has ; been signed by
which the men agree to work for
one year for 47 cents an hour. After
that they are to get 50 cents.
THE ELECTRICAL WORKERS.
Celebrate Another Anniversary and
. Have a Royal Good Time.'
The Electrical Workers' Union cele
brated another anniversary last Thurs
day evening at their hall on South
Tenth street. The wives and sisters
and lady friends of the members pro
vided cakes that would have taken
first prize at any cooking school, and
the union provided ice cream in abun
dance. In addition to these refresh
ments there was a short program, and
then the dancing began. '
Every year the local, electrical
workers celebrate the annivarsary
of the union, and each celebra
tion sees more new faces and
a better feeling. The local is grow
ing in strength and finances, and
while doing so it is also growing in
unionism.
A NEW ADVERTISEMENT.
Union Overall Manufacturers Present
Claims to Lincoln Unionists
Elsewhere In this issue appears the
advertisement of R. L. McDonald
Co., St. Jospeh, Mo., manufacturers of
the famous "Red Seal" brand of over
alls. The R. L. McDonald Co. has
one of the largest factories in the
country, and not only is it one of the
largest, "but it is one of the best from
sanitary point of view. The fac
tory is thoroughly unionized and
every garment turned out bears the
union label.
The business of the company has
grown to such proportions during the
last few years that it recently was
compelled to build factory, and when
it was completed '-it Immediately gave
employment to 500 more members ot
the Garment Workers' Union. The
growth of the business has been due
to several causes, not the least of
which was the fairness with which the
management treated those who are in
its employ. The Wageworker likes
to boost such firms and such products,
and every thorough unionists should
feel the same way. We boost ourselves
when we boost those who are friendly
to us. Ask for 'Red Seal" overalls
and don't take no for an answer.
NOT FOR THIS PAPER.
"Canned Editorials" Not Welcomed by
The Lincoln Wageworker.
Every week The Wageworker re
ceives a mess ot canned editorial
stuff from a concern somewhere in
the east. It is in the shape of proof
slips and is called "Concerning Munici
pal Ownership." It Is cunningly man
ufactured, and ' contains arguments
againSt municipal ownership of public
utilities. It costs money to get out
such stuff, pay postage and hire spec
ial writers, and somebody with a self
ish motive is footing the bills. . An
alleged New York humorist named R.
N. Munkittrick, is selling some of his
funny "dope" to the men back of the
game.
The Wageworker is not using this
'canned" material, although a few of
its labor, exchanges are. But we like
to read the matter sent us. It is so
cleverly worded and the foxy game so
cunningly concealed that a lot of edi
tors who are busy and want copy in a
hurry use it, not knowing that they
are being used by a coterie of men
who are making big money out of it,
The only way "Concerning Municipal
Ownership" dope can get into The
Wageworker is through the business
office at the rate of 20 cents an inch,
and don't you forget it. And even at
that price The Wageworker promises
to combat the argument in Its editorial
columns.
FULTON STOCK COMPANY.
Continues to Draw Big House and Give
Great Satisfaction.
When Jess Fulton first broached the
subject of a summer engagement at
the Oliver, Manager Zehrung was
skeptical.
",It won't pay, Jess."
"Well, I'm willing to take a try at
it," replied Mr. Fulton.
So the engagement was made, with
results well known to the public. The
season was a success financially and
otherwise, and now for four successive
years the Fulton Stock company has
played a summer engagement, each
one surpassing the preceeding one.
To date the receipts this year are
ahead of a similar length of time any
previous year, and . the company is
stronger than ever which is saying
a whole lot.
Last week "The Cowboy and the
Lady" drew big Jiouses and it was pre
sented in a most acceptable manner.
The first of this week "Bulls and
Bears' held . the boards. Miss Enid
Jackson, who was unable to appear
the first of the week is again on duty.
much to the delight of her many ad
mirers.
MONUMENTS VS. FOUNTAINS.
Monuments Are All Right, But Foun
tains More Necessary.
Mayor Brown is hustling to raise
$5,000 with which to erect a statue of
Abraham Lincoln in Federal Square.
This is a bully good move, and The
Wageworker hopes the mayor will
make it go through. We would chip
in and help erect the statue were it
not for one thing. The Wageworker
is holding out in order to subscribe
to a fund that will erect three or four
drinking fountains in various parts of
the city fountains at which men,
horses and dogs may slake their
thirst.
Five thousand dollars Invested in
fountains of this kind would do a
blamed sight more good than a sim
ilar amount - of money invested in
granite Images of dead statesmen
and Lincoln was the best of them all.
Just as soon as The Wageworker can
see four or five convenient drinking
fountains for men, horses and dogs
in Lincoln, it will gladly chip in its
mite towards a statue of Abraham
Lincoln. But Lincoln can get along
without another statue far better than
men and animals in this city can get
along , without drinking fountains.
When some one starts 'out 'with a
drinking fountain subscription paper"
The Wageworker wants to be allowed
to get in way up on the head of the
list.
STRUCK CLOSED SHOP.
The Remarkable Plight of a
'Rat'
Printer Attract Attention.
The, spectacle of a "rat" printer
working in a closed shop with the full
consent of the Typographical Union
is strange enough to call for more
than passing comment. There is no
such things as an "open shop" in the
printing business it is either wholly
union or it is unfair. But a non-union
printer named Edward J. Dale is work
ing in a closed shop and no complaint
is heard except from Dale himself.
Dale was employed in a "rat" shop
at Trenton, N. J., and sought to eke
out his scanty "rat" wages by robbing
the poor box of Holy Trinity church.
He was caught in the act and sen
tenced to five years in the i penitenti
ary. 'And that's a "closed shop" for
fair. . But it isn't a printery, however.
AN IDIOTIC STRIKE.
Sucta
Fool Actions Bring Disrepute
. on Trades Unionism.
A day or so ago 250 men in a manu
facturing plant in the east walked out
on a strike because they were not per
mitted to have beer in the shops dur
ing working hours. .
' It seems increditable that the lead
ers should be so short sighted as to
counpel a strike for such' a reason.
- A strike based upon such grounds
should have no support whatever
amongst the people and ' it is not
entitled to the support of public
opinion or the help of other unions,
No strike has been successful when
not backed by public opinion and in
the vast majority of cases in order to
receive the benefit of public appro
val strikes must be based upon some
sound reason.
It i3 just such fools as the one re
ferred to that brings the whole labor
movement into disrepute. It la the
causeless, senseless walkout which
arouses public condemnation and re
suits and always will result in a los
ing strike.
Leaders organizing, counseling, or
even countenancing such stupid pro
ceedings on the part of these men
ought to be ousted from their posl
tions. They do more to damage th 3
cause they claim to advance than any
other person.
it the labor unions expect to ac
complish anything for their own good
they cannot get very far if they coun
tenance such a proceeding as we have
instanced.
There will be nothing much to the
fight of these 250 men and if finally
they get any sense into their heads
they will make short work of the
and depose them from their positions
HOW IT WORKS.
Perhaps President Higgins of Press
men Can Explain This.
When the Chambers printing house
agreed with Typographical Union No,
2 for the eight-hour day and the union
shop the "Kid" decided to put the
whole plant on the eight-hour basis.
Since then, however, the I. P. P. and
A. U. having entered into an agree
ment with U. T. A. for a nine-hour day
until 1909, and the local pressmen hav
ing recently signed a similar agree
ment "with the Philadelphia Typo-
thetae, the pressroom of that concern
returned to the nine-hour day this
week. Eastern Laborer.
LET JUDGES MAKE LAWS.
United 'States court judges are at
sixes and sevens. Judge Speer, of
Georgia, decided the employers' lia
bility law constitutional, while Judges
Evans, of Kentucky, and McCall, of
Tennessee, declare the law to be in
valid. So it will probably go up and
then there's no telling what will hap
pen. What's the good of legislatures
and congress, anyhow? Why not have
the courts make the laws? The law
yers know pretty nearly everything
worth knowing. Lancaster (Pa.) La
bor Leader.
Plumbers Boost
Labor
There are - not very many union
plumbers in Lincoln, but they make a
game bunch. This week a lot more bf
them got into the Labor Temple
game. Here are their names: '
Ed. English, 1933 U.
W. Waack, 429 So. Eleventh.
J. B. Estes, 1344 J;
A. V. White, 1737 N.
J. K. "Wilson, 2230 Sheldon.
G. C. Warner, 134 So. Twelfth.
N. K. Howard, 1202 M.
Chas. Burns, 846 No. Twenty-six.
Bert Chipman no - sooner took a
withdrawal card to become a "boss"
plumber than he took down with the
inflammatory rheumatism and went off
watch. He has just returned from a
two weeks' sojourn at 'Sycamore
Springs and feels a lot better, although
he finds it a little difficult to get up
after sitting down a while.
Although new members are taken
in at every meeting the list remains
about the same, members getting
clearance cards and going to Other
towns where the wage scale is better.
The local now has 24 active members.
The unfair bosses must be taking
notice. One of them tried to get an
advertisement in The Wageworker
last week.
The negotiations which have been
going on for the past few days between
the striking plumbers and their former
employes in Hamilton, Ont., have r&-
suited in a settlement of the differ
ences existing between them, and the
men will return to work within the
next two or three days.
GOOD WORK REPORTED.
Missouri Joint Legislative Board Se
cures Pleasing Results. 1
The Wageworker acknowledges the
receipt of the printed report of the
joint Labor Legislative Board of Mis
souri, the sender 'being its old friend
Charles Fear. It deals with the mea
sures affecting the working people in
general and organized labor in par
ticular which were considered by the
forty-fourth general assembly of the
Missouri legislature, together with a
record of the members of the house
and senate on labor measures pre
sented byv and at the request of or
ganized labor.
In addition to the good work of se
curing some new laws the committee
succeeded in preventing the enactment
of several laws inimical to the inter
ests of organized labor.. Among them
was a bill permitting the employment
of railroad police; a poll tax law and
a bill repealing the barber's examina
tion law. It succeeded in getting' a
law wiping out the so-called "barber
colleges," one making recovery of dam
ages up to $10,000 for contributory
negligence, one compelling the shut
ting up and sealing of abandoned gal
leries in mines, and several others of
prime importance to labor. The joint
legislative board performed splendid
service, and the cost was insignificant
in comparison with the results
achieved. -
BREWERY WORKERS EXPELLED
Refused to Abide by Decision of Min
neapolis Convention.
Washington, June 1 In the absence
of President Gompers, Secretary Mor
rison of the American Federation of
Labor today made public Mr. Gompers'
announcement of the revocation of the
charter of the International Union of
Brewery Workmen, because of its re
fusal to accept the terms prescribed
by the federation.
The action will affect all the brew
ery workmen's unions throughout the
country, comprising a membership of
about 40,000. Asked for a statement
concerning the effect of the action of
the federation, Mr. Morrison said:
"The decision rendered by Presi
dent Gompers is authorized by the ex
ecutive council. It not only severs
the connection of the International
Union4 of United Brewery Workmen
with the American Federation of La
bor, but, under the constitution of the
American Federation of Labor, it will
prevent the 400 or more local unions
of the brewery workers in the various
parts of the country from being rep
resented by delegates in the 600 city
central bodies and the thirty-six state
branches affiliated with the American
Federation of Labor or from receiv
ing the support or recognition in any
way of the members of the 118 inter-
Big on
Temple Project
national "unions holding charters from
the federation."
Reviews Federation's Action.
Mr. Gompers' - decision was an
nounced in a letter to Messrs. Adam
Huener, Louis Kemper and Joseph
Proebstle, .secretaries of the Brewery
Workers' Union, whose office is in
Cincinnati. In the letter he reviewed '
the action of the federation at Minne
apolis in November, 1906, when the
workers were notified that unless a
settlement should be reached en
gineers, firemen and teamsters must
withdraw from the Brewery Workers
Union and no others be excepted.
The fact that this admonition , was
not acted upon is then set forth, as is
the resolution of the executive com
mittee In Washington last March. In
the resolution of the council the terms
of the Minneapolis convention were
reiterated and the brewery workers
were notified that "their failure to
comply . has by their own action
worked the revocation of their char
ter." v
The letter continued: y
"On May 1 neither yourself nor the
executive board of your organization
informed the president of the Amer
ican Federation of Labor as to the ad
herence of your organization to the
decision of the Minneapolis conven
tion. In lieu thereof you sent me a
telegram stating that the members of
the-organization were then taking a
referendum vote thereon. ' Up to, this
time your organization has not in
formed the American Federation of
Labor as to its adherence to that de
cision. Onion oVtes Its Refusal. '
"""Under date of May 28 you advise
me that by the referendum vote of the
membership of your organization the
conclusion was reached to refuse to
abide by the decision of the Minneap
olis convention of the 'American Fed-
eration of Labor, the highest court in
the labor movement of your country.
"Now,, therefore, I, in accordance
with the decision and instruction of
the Minneapolis . convention of : the
American Federation of Labor, the
executive council directs me to say
that the charter held by the Interna-'
tional Union of United Brewery Work
men is and stands revoked on this
date,- and you will, therefore, return
said charter to this office upon receipt
of this communication your organi
zation being thereby , disassociated
from the American trade union move
ment, the American 'Federation of
Labor." 7 . - '
It is the general opinion that the
workmen will contest the order, and
a long fight for reinstatement is antic
ipated. The brewery men have about
$400,000 in their treasury. 1 '
NO STUDENTS THERE.
Spokane Waiters 'Draw Wages That
; "Listen Good."
The second highest scale paid to
waiters in the United States is now
being paid by the leading icafes and -dining
rooms of Spokane. . Some time
ago the waiters drew up their new
scale and submitted it to the propri
etors, with, the understanding that
they were to demand the wages on
June 15. Several of the employers
took the matter up at once and be- -gan
paying the scale without waiting
for the time to arrive which had been
set by the waiters. The scale follows:
Ten-hour men, $15 a week with 50
cents an hour for overtime; six-hour
men, $9.50 a week, with 30, cents an
hour for overtime; twelve-hour men,
$17.50 per week. Work after , the
aters, 75 cents for two hours. IFor
fairs and carnivals, $21 a week,
straight overtime. These wages in
clude board. . 7
MRS MAHON ILL.
Mrs. Mahon, wife of the president
of the Amalgamated Association of
Street Railway Employes, has been
very ill at St. Mary's hospital, Detroit.
Hopes are entertained of her ultimate
recovery, however.
The first four months of this year
sixty-seven stonecutters died in good
standing and received $6,700 by return
mail to pay their death benefits. Ten
passed away out of benefit. ' Thi3 Is
the largest number lof stonecutters
that ever died in that space of time
In the entire history of the General
Union. Stonecutters' Journal.