.ge worker
Patronize out Ad'
veitisers and Boost!
Established I go 3
and Still Growing
VOL,. 6
LINCOLN, NEBEASKA, 1 DECEMBER 4, 1909
8 PAGES
NO. 35
TOa
Are Trades Unions
Beneficial in Operations?
ARE TRADE UNIONS BENEFICIAL?
The following correspondence will
be self-explanatory to those who take
the time to read it:
Weeping Water, Neb., November
18. To the Editor of The Wage
worker: Please send me Information
concerning the subject, "Resolved,
That trades unions are on a whole
beneficial,'' to be used, in a High
School debate.
MABEL. MURTEY.
Lincoln, Neb.. November 25. Miss
Mabel Hurtey, Weeping Water, Ne
braska: Pardon me, please, for not making
earlier reply to your favor of Nov. 18.
But I have just returned from a long
business trip - which kept me away
from the office nearly three weeks,
and I return to And my desk simply
loaded down with mail. However, I
will do the best I can to give you a
few pointers concerning the subject
you mention. Of course I take it for
granted you want me to speak in the
affirmative for really I can not con
sider how any one can argue in the
negative of that question.
But you ask me to perform a big
task when you ask me to give you
some pointers on that subject. It is
one of the biggest subjects now con
cerning the public mind. I am en
closing a small leaflet written and
issued by Louis F. Post of Chicago,
and from it you may be able to glean
some valuable pointers.
Trades unions are beneficial for
many reasons. First, they look after
the sick and incapacitated, pay out-of-work
benefits, look after the widows
and orphans of deceased members
and bury their dead. They have
been the prime movers in securing all
laws calculated to safeguard the life
and limb of workers. They stand be
tween the Incapacity of the individ
ual wage earner and the greed of the
individual or corporate employer. By
bringing about concerted action
among the workers they have gradu
ally increased the wage level while
reducing the number of hours' work
per day. The shorter work day is
beneficial for many reasons: (1) the
shorter work day means that - more
men must be employed in order to per
form the world's work, thereby fur
nishing employment to more men and
providing for the comfort of more
wives and children; (2) the shorter
work day also makes for more efficient
service, statistics showing that 78 per
cent of accidents in mills, factories
and mines occur after the eighth hour,
thus showing that decreased mental
and nervous force, brought about by
continued strain, operates to the dis
advantage of both employe and em
ployer. , Again, unions are beneficial because
they mean collective bargaining,
which means that the conscienceless
employer cannot as fully take advan
tage of a worker's condition as he
could were that worker not supported
by his fellows. Unions safeguard life
and health by enforcing decent sani
tary surroundings in the factory.
Unions benefit women especially be
cause they insist upon equal pay for
equal work. There is no sex distinc
tion in the trades union movement;
the woman printer who performs the
' same work as the male printer, re
ceives the same rate of pay. This is
not true in any unorganized industry.
The trades unions teach loyalty and
patriotism; they inculcate a love of
home and teach men the obligations
they owe to their fellows. I have been
watching the trend of events for many
years, and I have no hesitancy in say
ing that the trades unions of this
country are doing more to promote
the cause of true temperance than any
other agency. They are doing a more
practical work of charity which
means work of love than any other
. Institution on earth that work being
made up of deeds, not mere worods.
This fact is evidenced by the reports
of charity organizations, which are a
unit In declaring that their applica
tions for help from union men or their
families are bo few as to be practi
cally a negligible quantity.
I could continue at great length
concerning the' benefits of trades
unions, but time Is limited. You will
find this a fertile field for investiga
tion, and I assure you that you could
do no more useful work in this life
than to devote your time, your ener
gies and your talents to the organiza
tion of your Bex. It is our boast that
we, as trades union men, aro doing
more to protect and build up the
American home than all other agencies
combined. ,
Trusting that you will receive some
benefit from this rather hurried and
disjointed letter, and wishing you
abundant success, I am,
Yours most sincerely,
THE EDITOR.
SPEAKING OF CIGARS.
Tuberculosis death rate among union
cigarmakers is 24 per cent.
Tuberculosis death rate among non
union cigarmakers is over 61 per cent.
Uncle Sam says so, and he ought, to
know.
THE LABOR TEMPLE PAYMENT
It is now a fact, not a theory. The deed to the property is now
in the name of the Lincoln Labor Temple Building Association. The
hardest bit of road towards the consummation of the efforts of the
men who have worked night and day, has been traveled. Before
the first of the new year every labor organization in Lincoln and
Ilavelock will be able to meet beneath a roof in which it may, if it
so, desires, have some part and parcel.
At noon on Wednesday, December 1, 1909, the president and
secretary of the association handed
of $4,000, the same being the second and third payments on the
property. Tne sum ot spi.uuu was
evidence of the interest shown in
the payment of $4,000 last Wednesday included a payment of $2,000
that was not due; until the first of February, 1910. On Tuesday
evening the board) of directors met at the Temple, recapitulated the
work of the past, and having cast
achieved the fondest hopes of its
it stands. Whethed or not it shall continue to stand as a Labor
Temple depends upon the union
that the directors have no fear.
The business men of the community have shown their good
will towards the enterprise by helping the work in a material way.
It was impossible to see enough union men in .time to raise the
necessary amount of mony to clinch what is admittedly a rare
real estate bargain. This fact was made clear to business men,
and they readily came forward with money enough to swing the
deal. Nor is this money a donation it is an investment that will
be returned to them in dollars as well in benefits that can not be
measured by a monetary standard. They simply bought stock in
the association and will hold it until such time as the unions are
financially able to purchase the stock and thus center the owner
ship of the Labor Temple in the hands of the unions of the com
munity. .It is only just that the unionists of Lincoln and suburbs
be acquainted with the names of business men who have responded.
Following is the list of stock subscriptions from business firms:
Miller & Paine
Armstrong Qlothing Co. 200
Humphrey 0 'Sullivan, Lowell, Mass 200
Press Publishing Co.
A. D. Benway Co.
Hardy Bros.
Frank M. Hall
Magee & Deemer
Woods Bros
Spier & Simon
W., J. Bryan
II. P. Lau Co. .'.
Mayer Bros
C O. Johnson
M. D. L. Shrope, Easton, Pa
II. Herpolsheimer Co
First National Bank
John Dorgan
Sheriff Hoagland
Woodruff-Collins Co
George Bros
J. S. Baer
Judge J. P. Cosgrave
NEBRASKA STATE FEDERATION
Lincoln, . Nebraska, November 24, 1
1909. In accordance with the consti
tutional provision I nereby call the
Nebraska Federation of Labor to meet
in annual convention in the city of
South Omaha, on January 4, 1910. The
representation in the convention is as
follows :
Each trades council or central body
is entitled to one delegate, and each
local union is entitled to one delegate
for each 100 members or fraction
thereof. Proxies are not allowed. The
Farmers' Union, ministerial associa
tions and auxiliaries composed of the
wives, mothers, daughters and sisters
of members of affiliated crafts are en
titled to one fraternal delegate each:
No delegate will be entitled to a seat
in the convention with voice and vote
unless the union of his or her craft 1b
affiliated with the Nebraska Federa
tion of Labor and all financial obliga
tions of such local ' union to this Fed
eration liquidated. .
' There is every reason why the or
ganized workers ot Nebraska should
HOMESTAKE MINE CLOSED DOWN
Anticipating a strike of its miners
for the purpose of unionizing the Job,
the1 officials of the Homestake mine,
Lead, S. D., closed down indefinitely
last Wednesday. The principal stock
holder in the Homestake is the Hearst
estate. The mine officials oppose
unionizing the plant. Homestake, you
know, is a long ways from New York
City, therefore not quite so well situ
ated for using unionism as a political
asset.
"JOE" WOLFE DEAD.
bluff, hearty, whole-souled Joe
Big,
Wolfe
is dead. The final call came
last Tuesday morning after an illness
of six weeks. Mr. Wolfe conducted
the Farmers' Market and was one of
the best known citizens of Lincoln,
;
over to Don L. Love the sum
paid at tne time oi purcnase. .as
the pro ject it may be stated that j
up accounts found that it had
members a Labor Temple. There
men of the community. But of
' .! $250
200
100
100
100
, 100
. , . 100
, . . . . 100
100
100
100
5
5
75
. 50
? 50
25
25
10
25
25
rally to make the Nebraska Federa
tion of Labor a powerful influence in
the social, economic and industrial life
of the commonwealth. Nebraska's
rapidly growing manufacturing indus
tries render it imperative that better
laws be enacted for the propeor safe
guarding of life and limb, and unless
the workers themselves take the mat
ter in hand there is little likelihood
of results being accomplished. At.
this time I take occasion to point out
seme legislation calculated to benefit
not only the workers and their fami
lies, but to benefit the entire common
wealth:
The enactment fof a law providing
for the establishment of a state board
of arbitration and conciliation.
The establishment of a state print
ing plant to the end that the state
may, in time, supply school text books,
state supplies, etc.
A revision of the labor laws now
upon the statute books.
A further extension of the employ
where he had resided for many years.
A lot of people will miss "Joe" Wolfe,
for he was open-handed, generous and
charitable. He was a mighty good
friend and a generous enemy. He left
his family in good circumstances, but
he would have died a rich man if he
had not given money right and left to
those who were in distress. The
funeral services were held at the fam
ily home, 1044 U street, Thursday
afternoon, and interment was in
Wyuka. . ' .
Mrs. John Jacob Astor is suing the
gallant colonel for a separation. The
fact 3 are being kept dark, but there
is little doubt that socialism has de
stroyed another home. Let the good
work go on, brethren! New York
Call.
Harpham Bros.
Lincoln Gas and Electric Light Co
C. W. Bryan
Chapin Bros
Ross P. Curtice Co 1
Walton G. Roberts
H. C. Probasco
John A. Maguire
Grainger Bros. Co
Edward Mason '... 4
J. E. Lichtensteiger
.Eugene Levy
Nebraska Printing Co.,
N. Ress
M. Weil ,
John Flynn . J
C. E. Speidell .
Verne Hedge
J. R. Bennett . :
Castle, Roper & Matthews
Hall Pros. Co
Frank E. Lahr
The following unions have become owners of stock in the as
sociation in the following amounts: I
Typographical 1 .... . , . .
Painters and Decorators ...... ...
Bartenders
Electrical Workers
Pressmen
Carpenters
Bookbinders ... '.
Cigarmakers . . . .-
Plumbers .
Barbers 1
Leatherworkers
Brickmasons
Boilermakers 100
Musicians . . 132
Allied Printing Trades .... 1 5
Capital Auxiliary .... ... ...!...'. .... . . .... 5
i . :
The list of individual unionists who hold one or more shares of
stock is too long to permit of publication at this time. Suffice
it to say that as tangible evidences of preparing a Labor Temple
went on, the interests among the
is hoped that not less than 2,000
be stockholders in this splendid
In the meanwhile, you are invited to inspect the Labor Temple,
wmeh is located at 217-19 North Eleventh street. You will be sur
prised and pleased at what you will see there.
i Two years ago last August the directors of the association held
their first meeting at the home of the editor of The Wageworker.
From that day to this they have not ceased to dream and plan and
work for the securing of a Labor Temple. Today their dream is a
reality ,thanks to the enterprise of union men and the generous help
of business men.
Now let us all begin getting
the Lincoln Labor Temple, which
OF LABOR-CONVENTION GALL
ers liability law. l
The abolition of the convict labor
contract and lease system whereby
the labor of convicts is put into com
petition with free labor.
The better equipment of the Bureau
of Labor and Industrial Statistics to
the end that the Bureau may not only
advertise to better advantage the re
sources of Nebraska, but may be of
greater service to the vast and rap
Idly growing army of women and men
engaged in industrial pursuits.
These are but a few of the impor
tant matters that organized labor
should carefully consider and use the
utmost efforts to forward. The im
portance of organization among the
different crafts is well emphasized by
the results that have accrued to Indi
vidual craftsmen from organizations
of their respective crafts. Until such
time as the ; craftsmen of the state
shall have perfected a thorough or
ganization they can have little hope
of securing legislation calculated , to
benefit them. In addition to securing
The New Wage Scale
Has Queer Features
"The increase in compensation, as
shown by the schedule, has been
granted by the board of directors, al
though no adjustment has been .made
with the city, and I feel confident that
all employes will appreciate the con
sideration shown by the new board of
directors in increasing their compen
sation at the very first meeting held."
In these words General Manager
Humpe of the Traction company an
nounced in the Thanksgiving morning
papers a readjustment of the wage
scale. On the face of it the new
schedule appearsto be an increase of
100
100
. 25
25
': ." . . .... 10
......... 10
: 10 t
. '.' . . . . 4 ; . . 25
. ... J . 50
. 20
' 10 j
. .. 5
............. 10
, . 5
5
. . 10
.. 20
i. ............ i. ........... . 25
............ . . 25
........ j. . 25
...... 10
... . : ... 10
$615
.... . . .'. . . . . . . ...... . . ; . . . 310
......... 334
504
. . .1 ..... ... 108
125
. . . . . 5
10
. .'. ., 100
125
100
100
unionists grew. By January 1 it
union men in this community will
enterprise.
, ' '
ready for the formal opening of
opening will not long be delayed.
this beneficial legislation along indus
trial lines, a thorough organization of
the workers will forward the move
ment for the eradication of tubercu
losis and the improvement of the san
itary conditions amidst which thou
sands, work and live. : 1 '
"I earnestly urge all organizations
of workingmen to affiliate with the
Nebraska Federation of Labor and be
represented at the convention 'in
South Omaha on January 4, 1910.
In due time the secretary, Frank P.
Hart, will send out information as to
hotel rates, place of meetings, etc.
The election of delegates should be
reported to him, 824 North Twelfth
street, South Omaha. ',
Fraternally,
WILL M. MAUPIN,
President Nebraska Federation
of Labor.
The nex big thing in Nebraska's
organized circle is the Federation of
Labor meeting at South Omaha, Jan
uary 4, 1910.
one cent an hour to the conductors
and motormen.
But there is a 'joker" concealed In
the announcement, and a great many
people may not detect it unless their
attention is called to it. Further
along in his proclamation to the em
ployes and incidentally to the pub
lic General Manager Humpe says:
- "It has been deemed advisable, on
account cf the larger number of em
ployes in the service, to adopt plat
form time, as it is quite inconvenient
to so regulate the time off for meals,
that all can receive the same treat-
ment."
And right there is the "joker" we
mentioned.
Supposing that the men ; average
eleven and one-half hours per day, in
cluding forty-five minutes off for
lunch. It does not matter wbat the
hours are insofar as the results are
concerned. John Jones, who is now
serving his first year, has been draw
ing 18 cents an hour, or $2.07 a day,
being .paid for the forty-five minutes
or one hour taken off for his lunch.
Call it forty-five minutes. Under the
new schedule he draws 19 cents an
hour, which, if the old plan contin
ued, would be $2.18. But with the
19 cent schedule he is docked the
froty-flve minutes he takes 1 off for
lunch, or 13 cents, leaving his wage
$2.04 under the new schedule a loss ,
to Jonn jones or z cents a day. :
We trust that John Jones will feel
properly grateful to the new board of .
directors who "increased" bis com
pensation at its very first meeting,
and before any adjustment was had
with the city.
Or John Jones may be called to take -
out a swing run at 6 in the morning
and work until 9 o'clock. He then
goes off after four hours of duty and
returns again at 4 in the afternoon
and works until 11 at night. Of course
it is midnight .before he gets home. .
He has thus worked eleven hours plat
form time, for which, he receives now,
if a first-year man, $2.09. He must be
up at 5 in the morning in order to be
on hand to take out his 6 o'clock car.
and the sleep he gets must be se
cured between midnight and 5 o'clock
in the morning.' He gets no pay for
the time between 9 a. m. and 4 p. m.,
because he works "platform . time,"
and we hope he is properly grateful
to , the new board of directors who
raised his wages 11 cents a day at its
very first meeting, and before any ad
justment was had with the city.
It will be noted, too, that the new!
board of directors . very generously
offers to donate a $15 uniform to the
man who completes ten straight years
of service "on the platform," and', in
addition the employe will be allowed
to wear '(pne stripe of gold or silver
braid on the left arm for each five
years of service, as a special mark of
distinction." 1 .
y We trust , that the employes ' are
properly grateful that the new board
of directors granted this special mark
of favor at its very first meeting, and
before any adjustment was had . with
the city. . ,K, '-..V' ' . ,
. General Manager Humpe also an-;
nounced, in conjunction, with the new
schedule, that the merit, system . was
under consideration, with the likell
hnnH nf Itn nHnntlnn In tha varv TiAar
future. This , is the most, , pleasing
part of the whole announcement,, not
even excepting the increase in wages.
This, of course, is contingent upon ,
the merit system meaning something
more than mere truckling for official
favor and there are those on the
company payroll, who 'are quite , win.
ing" to resort to that sort of thing.
Before the public becomes pos-.
sessed of the idea that the 'new sched
ule is an appreciable raise in wages
for f the platform men, careful note
should be taken of the "joker" point
ed out. The table of ' comparisons
furnished by General Manager Humpe
makes a good case for the Traction
company until . one investigates it
thoroughly. Due notice ; should be
taken of the omission from that table
of the scale paid by the Ralston
Omaha line. This is the newest trac
tion company in the state, yet it pays
first-year men ,26 cents an hour, second-year
men 27 cents an tour, and
third-year , men 28 cents an hour and
all conductors and motormen are, .in
addition, given two new uniforms each
year. Perhaps this will explain why,
the Ralston-Omaha line was so care
fully omitted. j t '
A Jewish labor hall is about to be
erected in Leeds, England.