j5J
TRADES KjffiH r COUNCIL
4ftCOLN,
VOL. (J
LtNCOJLN, XJ3BRASKA, OCTOBER 16, 1909
8 PAGES
O. 28
TUT
TO
n n rr
WAi
11 U. i.UA
The Labor Temple
Now or Never, Friends
Monday evening, October 12, the di-'
rectors of the Lincoln Labor Temple
Association held a meeting and made
some history. At that meeting the di
rectors decided to take the plunge
and either get a Labor Temple or die
trying. With that in view a commit
tee was appointed to make the final
negotiations for the two-story brick
building at 217-219 North Eleventh
street, formerly occupied by the Woodruff-Collins
Printing company. Tues
day morning the committee met the
owner, Mayor lve, and made the in
itial payment, after agreeing upon
terms of purchase. The consideration
is $18,000, on terms that will make it
easily possible for the trades union
ists of Lincoln and Havelock to own
a home of their own if they so desire.
The building In question is admir
ably located for the purpose 1c view.
It is near the business center of the
city and convenient to all the street
car lines, yet is not so close that the
cars will interrupt any meetings that
may be going on, even though all the
windows are open. It will take some
money to remodel the building so as
to make It suitable for meetings and
occupancy for business purposes, but
already there is assurance that enough
rentals will be forthcoming to pay all
fixed expenses, all expenses of main
tenance, and leave a handsome bal
ance for the sinking fund. It is the
intention of the directors to equip
three union halls on the second floor,
leaving one large hall 50x60 feet, as
an assembly room and dancing hall.
One room on the ground floor will be
rented for some business purpose,
preferably a restaurant, and the other
will be used by, the association.- It
will contain a billiard and pool room.
card room, cigar stand and office for
the superintendent of the building. It
is figured that the cigar stand and bil
liard tables will pay the salary of the
superintendent of the building. With
twenty-two unions paying rent, to
gether with the possible securing of
several fraternal organizations as ten
ants and the rental of the assembly
hall for dancing parties and public
meetings, there is no doubt that the
stockholders in the association will in
time receive a handsome interest on
, their investment.
No one has been asked, to donate a
dollar to the association, nor will any
one be asked for donations. But stock
in the association will be sold at $1
per share, this stock being non-assess
able. Every dollar paid in will be
represented by tangible real estate
values. Already several unions are
stockholders and have paid for goodly
blocks of stock. Enterprising and
loyal unionists as Individuals have sub
scribed, and the initial payment was
enough to satisfactorily bind the bag
gain. It remains to be seen whether
the unionists and business men of Lin
coln and Havelock will come across
and make sure the purchase of the
building. . '
Originally the Lincoln Labor Tem
ple Association was organized with a
capital stock of $50,000, the intention
being to sell enough stock to purchase
a building site and erect a Labor Tem
ple thereon. A number of things hap
pened to make this seemingly impos
sible, although there was some stock
sold. The money thus received was
put in bank and remained there until
Monday. t
The articles of incorporation are
such that the property, when paid for,
can never be alienated from its orig
inal purpose that of a labor headquar
terssave by sale. It wlU be impos
sible for any one man ever to secure
a controlling interest, or for any sin
gle union or organization ever to se
cure control. It will remain a Labor
Temple.
The building committee expects to
begin right away the task of Interest
ing union men and business men in
the project, and raise the money to
pay for the property by the- Bale of
stock. It is not necessary for The
Wageworker to picture the benefits to
Lincoln, to the trades unions and to
the business men arising from a pro
ject of this character. It will provide
a home for the wage-earners of the
city. It will act as a balance wheel
between wage earner and wage payer;
It will Interest men more and more
In Lincoln. It means a social and
moral upUft in many ways. A Labor
Temple a labor headquarters such
as Is contemplated, and such as will
be secured, will perform 1 a distinct
service to thousands of men that other
institutions can not do because they
are not able to reach and interest the
men. The Y. M. C. A. is a magnifi
cent institution, but in the very nature
of things it can not and does not offer
attractions that appeal to many men
attractions in themselves harmless.
and often helpful. Mechanics like to
get together and talk over their
trades; they love to smoke their fra
grant pipes, to indulge in a friendly
game of cards or pool, and mingle
socially with those they work beside
during the weary hours of the day. It
will benefit the employers because it
will make possible an easy method of
securing men when the occasion
arises. It will benefit the worker by
aiding him at all times to secure em
ployment. It will create civic pride,
because it means more, property own
ers and a property owner is always
a conservative to a greater or less degree.
It is the intention of the board of di
rectors, if everything goes well, to add
a third story to the building just as
soon as possible, and thus make pos
sible an assembly hall that will ac
commodate fully a thousand people.
The building itself is 50x100 feet in
size, and expert builders are a unit In
declaring that the walls are amply
strong to carry another story. It is
open on three sides, thus insuring
good light and ventilation, and is in
a location that insures a steady in
crease In value as the years go by.
The association, through its direct
ors, asks the unionists, the business
men, the professional men and the
churchmen of Lincoln to join hands
and help secure for all time this valu
able adjunct to the social and mate
rial welfare of Lincoln.
some of the older and larger unions
have a more successful or profitable
annual ball this winter they will have
to go some.
Nearlyone hundred couples enjoyed
the dancing program, the music for
which was rendered by Bruse's union
orchestra. The programs were dainty
little affairs, a miniature glove being
attached to each one, and these will
be treasured as souvenirs by nearly
all who were there. The dancing be
gan promptly at 9 o'clock, and con
tinued until a late hour. The mem
bers of the union were tireless in
their efforts to show their guests a
nierry time, and they were highly sue.
cessful. As a social affair it was
equal to any affair of the kind in the
history of local trades unionism. The
Gloveworkers of Lincoln have every
reason to be proud of the success at
tending their first annual ball.
bers with gratifying regularity. Seven
new members have been added dur
ing the past month, and there are
several applications on file. The or
ganization is full of ginger and al
ways ready to take a front place in
the work of boosting for unionism.
The Wageworker cheerfully acknowl.
edges that it has no better supporters
that the Union Barbers of Lincoln.
BLOOD POISON.
IN LOS ANGELES.
How a Labor Temple Pays in the City
of Angeles.
The labor unions of Los Angeles
have a Labor Temple which stands on
iTlOO-foot by 125-foot lot. The build
ing is 80 feet by 125 feet, seven stories
high. The Union Labor Temple asso
ciation is incorporated under the laws
of the State of California, and is capi
talized at $100,000, divided 'into 100,000
shares at $1.00 each, restricted to
union men. The property is now val.
ued at $175,000. Although not entirely
finished, sufficient space is occupied to
produce a rental of $500 a month. This
does not indicate that the campaign
engineered by General Otis to rid Cal
ifornia of trades unionism has met
with any encouraging success.
GLOVEWORKERS' BALL
First Annual Function of "Baby Un.
ion" Was a Great Success.
The Gloveworkers Union of Lincoln
Is one of the youngest, and perhaps
the smallest, unions in Lincoln, but
neither size nor age counts with it
when it comes to making a success
of its social affairs. This was proved
Wednesday night when the Glovework
ers' Union gave Its first annual ball
at Fraternity Hall. Certain It is, if
THE BARBERS.
Expect Something Good at the Meet
ing Next Wednesday Evening.
When the Barbers' Union meets
next Wednesday evening the members
expect to hear something good, for
Delegate McBride will be back from
the national convention at Milwaukee
and have his report ready. Advance
reports from the convention are to
the effect that it was a warm one,
and that a lot of business of deep
concern to the organization was trans,
acted. V '
The local union is growing in num-
Sam Chaplin of the barber firm of
Chaplin & Ryan, is suffering from a
severe attack of blood poisoning and
in confined to his home on South
Twenty-fifth street. While his case Is
a serious ' one the attending physician
is assured that the patient will be up
and around in a short time. A lot of
friends are hoping that Chaplin will
be on duty again in a few days.
Church and Union Should
Work Hand in Hand
IN WINNIPEG.
Canadian Unionists Find a Labor Tem
ple Pays Them.
The Winnipeg Trades Hall building
is owned by the Trades Hall Co., the
predominating stockholder in which is
the Bricklayers' and Masons' union.
The Typographical union, Brotherhood
of Carpenters and Joiners, Moulders
and Stonecutters are also considerable
stockholders, and a small amount is
held by individual union members. The
building is 52x100, four stories and
basement, the whole of which, with
the exception of part of the ground
floor, is used for halls and committee
rooms. The building has cost the
company about $60,000, the cost being
considerably augmented by a calamity
which overtook it when just nearing
completion, it being wrecked by a
storm.
GONE TO WASHINGTON.
TV. Dickson, a leading member of
the Carpenters Union, packed his grip
the first of the week and hiked down
to Washington, , D. C, to look into a
little proposition that has been made
to him. 1 He will help receive President-
Sam Gompers and will march
in the big parade that greets the big
chief of the American Federation of
Labor. Mr. Dickson didn't tell us
what he had in view down there, but
There is a big strike in Omaha The
employes of the street railway com
pany are carrying on industrial war
against their employes. On the one
side are the managers of the company
with Mr. Wattles, a business man of
hign standing, president of ' the com
pany, president of a bank, president
of the Corn Exposition, president of
about everything else in Omaha, at
their head; on the other side are the
men who run the cars. ; '
The gist of the matter is this. Some
five years ago the men formed a union.
The company has always refused to
recognize it, and Mr. Wattles now
says that in the future they will em
ploy no man who does not agree to
remain outside of any union of street
railway men. .
When the news of this strike was
heralded abroad in the newspapers it
had a strange psychic affect. More j
than nine men out of every ten im
mediately chose one side or the other
and assumed that that side was prac
tically in the right. - As the strike
progressed each side accumlated a
mass of evidence and argument to sup
port its cause. '
One side reasoned that things have
come to a pretty pass if business men
cannot run their own property, to suit j
themeslves. The demands of organ
ized labor are unreasonable, many of
their regulations are unnecessary and
some of them are childish. They call
attention to the fact that riots have
marked the course of most strikes,
from which this one has not been en
tirely free ; the consequent loss of
property, and the occasional loss of
life. They deplore, most of all, the
disregard of law which is inherent in
the union or is fostered by these at
tempts to enforce unreasonable de
mands. They shudder at the shadow
of anarchy that is creeping over the
land.
The other side protects that ' there
are no such persistent violators of the
law as the great corporations. That
under the most rigid construction, but
little of the property they operate is
their own. Their rails are laid upon
the public streets. They lay . claim,
not only to the streets they occupy,
but to all , the rest, preventing any
competing company from carrying
if it is eood enoueh for him to con
sider we hope it pans out all right. people for a lower fare. They are pay-
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LABOR
HAS
TEMPLE ASSOCIATION
BOUGHT A HOME
At 2 o'clocK Tuesday afternoon, October 12, the board of directors of the Lincoln
Labor Temple Association closed a deal for the purchase of the two story brick build
at 217-219 North Eleventh Street. This is the building until recently occupied by the
Woodruff-Collins Printing Co. The lot is 50x110 feet, and the building 50x100 feet,
two stories high. The walls of the building have been carefully inspected and the
verdict of experts is that they will easily and safely carry another story.
The purchase price is $18,000, at terms that will make it easy for the unionists
of Lincoln to pay out if they will only hustle a bit and take an interest in maintain
ing a home for the trades and labor unions.
Nobody will be asked to donate a penny towards paying for this property.
Every dollar subscribed will be represented by an equal amount of stock in the as
sociation, and this stock will represent an investment that will in due time pay
handsome interest.
' The workingman who wants to save money will find this an invesment equal
to or better than a savings bank deposit.
It will pay even greater returns in social and moral uplift. This property offers
a good investment for business men, for it means a protection against industrial
disputes; it means a better class of customers the year 'round.
It is now up to union men and women of Lincoln to take hold and make this
project a success. It is respectfully suggested to the merchants of Lincoln that good
business judgement urges them to lend a hand. .
Xo
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Ing dividends on watered stock. The
railroad men and most of the great 1
industrial forces of the United States
have been unionized to the vast bene
fit of the laborer without any corre
sponding loss to his employer. ' The
riots are largely the work of the law
less element which .abounds, in cities.
Even if strikes are accompanied by
riots, the union, in the end, leads to
industrial peace and the common '
good; just as the Reign of Terror,
with all its horrors, destroyed a sys
tem under which the , poor of France
had rotted for a thousand years. , ,
As strikers they are not even given
the rights promised them by the con
stitutions of the state and nation. A'
peaceable assembly, being addressed
by a Congregational minister, meet
ing on a private lot, was recently
forcibly dispersed by the sheriff and1'
chief of police. ' ,' - '
Which side had, your sympathy on
the start? Which side is entrenching '
itself firmly in your opinion every
day? Labor or capital? . It is a more
important question than perhaps you
think, for, upon the equilibrium of the
answers depends the success or failure .
of these parties in Omaha. It is hard
to win or lose a strike against the
pressure of public opinion. Probably
that, is no more than asking to what '
class you belong, hut are you sure that
your class opinion is right? ; .' '
What side should the press take?
Of course the advocates ; of ' special
privilege will have no hesitancy in de
ciding. They : have already spoken. '
But how about the progressive press,
those who claim to be fighting for the
common good? Have they any sympa- . :
thy to offer? " ' :
And the church? Is the church in- j
terested in this question? Call Mr..
Wilson, president of Princeton univer- V
sity, to the stand for a moment: ,
Q. "What, in your. View, is the mj- .
sion of the Christian church?" ?
A. "To my thinking, the Christian
church stands at the center not only
of philanthrophy, but at the center of
education, at the center of science, at
the penter of philosophy, at the center ' f
of politics;; iri short, at the center of .
sentiment and thinking life. And the
business of the Christian church, of
the Christian minister, is to show the
spiritual relations of men to the great
world processes, ; whether they be
physical or spiritual. It is nothing '
less than to show the plan of life and
men's relation to the plan of life."
, Has that church, founded by a car
penter, who gave to the embassador
of John the Baptist this proof of His
divinity, that he broulht gopd news
to the poor, any especial ; sympathy .
for either side? ' ' ... -v". ..V
. T t wmilri . Tick oanopiallir IntarADtlncr
, - vwyyviBuj i,e.,iU,
for me to know what that particular ,
branch of the church universal which
claims as a minister the man who was
driven from thft rnstrnm at Omnha hv
the sheriff and the chief of police, has.
to say upon this question.. I confess '
with shame that there is no more ser
vile apologist for the vested interests
than its official organ, which recently
deliberately decided that the New
Testament was mistaken and that ex
treme wealth is favorable . to Godli
ness. ' I know . that union labor .re
gards this church and all churches as
the bulwark of its enemies. But, from
the days of Cromwell, this church has
alwfvs boasted that it stood for the
LUcrty of the oppressed. If there has
been a .. partial eclipse perhaps - the
shade is passing. On which side does
the sympathies of the Congregational
church naturally fall? '. ,",
' Of course there are plenty of wrongs '
and rights on both sides. This is no
attempt to poise the balance of jus
tice. But hundreds will rush to the
defense of Mr. Wattles and his asso
ciates. Who is willing to extend a
hand in sympathy to the man that,
works? Newman Grove, Nebr., : ,Re- '
porter. '
S2i
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THE GOVERNOR REGRETS.
A committee consisting of Misses
Sturm and Edstrom and Mr. A. H. '
Potter, representing the Glovemakers'
Union, called on Governor Shallenber
ger Tuesday to extend to him an in- -vitation
to attend the first annual ball
of the union. Governor Shallenberger
expressed regret that a previous en-v
gagement out of town would prevent
his acceptance and said he would try
to arrange it so as to be present at
the second annual ball of the organi
zation.' .
