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About The Wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-???? | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1910)
- THE Stat Hiitorieal Soetet VOLUME 7 LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, FRIDAY, APRIL 1, NUMBER 2 WW T" A OJ MM M TTK TTMTT lMTT THE UNION The third- annual ball or the Musi cians' Protective Union No. 463 was held at the Auditorium last Tuesday evening. Socially and financially It was a splendid success. In point of attendance it was the largest ball ever Riven under the auspices of a Lincoln union, and the committees in charge are entitled to the thanks of the mem bership for their untiring efforts. No attempt was made at decorating the interior of the gloomy old building, it taking the combined efforts of a big corps of volunteers to get the floor Into dancing shape and the accuinualtetl dirt and dust of long weeks, the frag ments of semi-banquets and the cob webs of seeming centuries out of sight. As a result of these efforts the interior was at least spotlessly clean, although it took eoiue severe scrub bing to get down to the floor. A large number of people who love splendid band music seized the occa sion to hear the band concert, and as a result the balconies were well filled when Prof. August Hagenow raised his baton and the forty-piece band broke into the overture, "Morning, Noon and Night at Vienna," by Von Suppe. The remainder of the concert program was as follows: Excerpts from "Faust, Gounod. Paraphrase,' "Lorely," Nesvadba. Selections from "The Tattooed Man," Herbert, "Southern, Airs," Asher. Immediately after the close of the concert the entire band took up the srand march, and at 9:30 the dancing program was on. The grand march was led by Governor and Miss Shal lenherger, State Treasurer and Mrs Brian, General anj Mrs. Hartlgan, and Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Purse. The march was iparticipated in by about seventy couples, although three times that number were present. The dancers AMONG THE LATHERS The Lathers' Union Is not asleep these days. Quite the contrary. Sev eral new members have recently been added, and a movement is on foot to offer inducements to former members to get back into the fold. Members who have allowed their membership to lapse will, be reinstated upon pay ment of the peroapita tax. All mem lers who are in continuous good standing from May 1 to November 1 PAINTERS & DECOR ATERS The Painters and Decorators got busy last week, and with a little ef fort, aided and abetted by other crafts men, brought about Ta settlement of a little matter of importance to them. N'ctlng the fact that the painting and sign writing at the ball park was be ing performed, or about to be per formed, by an unfair contractor, they started a fire under the ball club management. As a result Messrs. Stone r and Despain asked for a con ference, which was readily granted, and as a result of the conference the TYPOGRAPHICAL TIPS The Typographical Union will meet at the Temple Sunday afternoon at 2:30. Business of Importance will be considered and all members are urged to be present. Billy Bustard has leased the "Merg" at the State Printing Co. and will vnter the commercial field. TALKS AT THE TEMPLE Prof. Lucille Eaves, of the Depart ment of Sociology, University of Ne braska, was the speaker at the Labor Temple last Sunday afternoon, taking for her subject "Lessons from the San Francisco Labor Situation." In many respects it was the most interesting and instructive of the several already given at the Temple. She reviewod rapidly and briefly the growth of trades unionism In San Franc 'nco, which has the credit of being per MUSICIANS were so numerous that evm the spa cious Auditorium floor was crowded, and had the ball been held in. any other hall in the city danoing would have been impossible. The entire membership joined in making the ball a success, but the committees in charge are entitled to thanks for their untiring efforts. These committees were as follows: General H. E. Newell, J. F. Ken drick, A. J. Bruse, H. P. McGurren, W. R. Petterman, Mark Pierce, W. T. Quick, M. E. Bell, W. T. Pinney. Reception H. , P. McGurren, F. J. Hampton, A. M. O'Kaine, Lewis Hag ensiek, Ray Eastabrook, Carl Frolich, John Schwindt, Miss Ida M. Sidell, Miss Hazel O'Connor, Mrs. R. S. How ell, Mrs. F. J. Hampton. Door N. A. Otis, W. C. Layman, R. W. Petterman, W. L. Davis. Floor Manager H. J. Gildersleeve. Many and enthusiastic were the compliments paid to the excellent con cert program. Selected with a view to pleasing all tastes, the band played each number with spirit and finish and again emphasized the fact that Lin coln possesses one of the finest con cert bands in the great west. The programs were very tasty and will be preserved as souvenirs of a very pleasant evening by many of those who were present. There were twenty numbers, with several extras thrown in, and the big orchestra re sponded to frequent encores. The'or chestra was made tip of volunteers and averaged about fifteen pieces for each dance number. The musicians changed off so that each- one could enjoy the dance. After the close of the theaters the orchestras came in and performed their share of the evening's work. Taken all in all it is doubtful if ever there was a more successful ball given in Lincoln. will not be required to pay any dues until the opening of the following season. The Lathers have not yet asked for an increased wage scale, although that may be done in the near future. An increase was secured last spring. The lecal meets on the fourth Monday at the Labor Temple. Harry Williams is president and Will Jacobs secre tary. Lincoln Sign Works Co. "came across" and signed up with the local. At the same time Messrs. Stoner and Despain made satisfactory adjustment of sev eral other little matters, and now ev erything is lovely and the goose hangs high. All of which means an even better Tatronage of the ball games by union men than ever before. The local Is adding to its member ship every day, and additional signa tures to the new wage scale come with pleasing regularity. The indications are that there will not" be the slight est trouble. , The Claflin Printing Co. secured the contract for printing Bulletin No. 18 of the Bureau of Labcr and Industrial Statistics the "Bulletin of Organized Iiabor" in Nebraska. The Wageworker ptlntery is locatr.c" at 1705 O street. Call and get ac quainted. haps the most thoroughly organized city In the country, especially in the building trades lines, and asserted that the splendid conditions obtaining there are the direct result of organi zation. She mentioned specific in stances where the thorough organiza tion prevented the establishment of Institutions that would have beaten down the wage scale had conditions been otherwise. She emphasized the ecomonic necessity of organization of workers in all lines of industry, and urged upon her bearers the further necessity of increasing vigilance, un compromising honesty in all dealings with the general public and employ ers, and more intelilgent efforts a'ong lines of mental and moral develop ment. Prof. Eaves has given a Hfetima of study to the industrial problem, and last Sunday afternoon she gave the benefits of her study freely to the workers of Lincoln. While the at tendance was larger than the average. it was not nearly so large as dt should have been. In Prof. Eaves the work ers have a staunch friend, and organ ization an avowed supporter. At some time in the not distant future it is to be hoped that Prof. Eaves will again consent to speak at the Temple, and when she does the capacity of the largest hall should be crowded. Judge W. H. England was to have been the speaker next Sunday, but he was suddenly called out of town Wednesday and will not be back until the middle of next week. The time being too short to secure another speaker, there will be no meeting at the Temple Sunday. JOHN B. LENNON COMING. John B. Lennon, general secretary of the International Brotherhood of Tailors and treasurer of the American Federation of Labor, will speak at the Auditorium on Sunday evening, April 10, in advocacy of a continuance of the "dry" policy in Lincoln. Mr. Len non is one of the most eloquent of the, leaders in the labor movement. He will discuss the question from the eco nomic standpoint, and the arguments he will present should be heard by the wage earners of Lincoln. -A band concert will precede the speaking, the music being furnished by a union band. The meeting will be for men only, and every man and boy in the city is invited. AT LEAST BE HONEST. A Cause Bolstered by Misrepresenta tion Not Worthy of Support. There will be no option election in Chicago next month after all. The courts have found that the "dry" peti tion had 35,000 illegal names on it. That's purity and reform for you with a vengeance. Fort Wayne, Indiana, Labor Times-Herald. The Labor Times-Herald ought at least be fair as fair as it asks other people to be. Its statement that the "courts found that the 'dry' petition had 35,000 illegal names on it" is ab solutely untrue. No court has passed upon that petition. The election board did declare, after carefully studying the immense petition for a few min utes it contained upwards of 350,000 names that 35,000 -names were the names of men who are not legal vot ers. The honesty of such a question may, with propriety, be questioned. First, because no body of men, no mat ter how honest and able they might be, could arrive at an honest conclu sion after considering such an im mense petition for a few hours, or a few days. Second, when we' consider the class of men making up the po litical machinery of Chicago from Bussey down to Hinky Dink and Bath House John, it is easy to understand why so many illegal names were found among 350,000 names in such a short space of time, without official investi gation and a repolling of the names attached to the petition. Any one who would expect the Chi cago election board to accept a peti tion like the one mentioned above would expect a defense of unionism from Post, a panegyric on virtue from a scarlet woman or a decision in favor of labor from Judge Wright of Wash ington. WE APPRECIATE THE GAIN. Lincoln Minister Who Left Many Union Friends in East. In last week's Lincoln (Neb.) Wage worker mention is made of an able address delivered by Rev. Arthur L. Weatherly in a series of Sunday after noon talks in Lincoln's new Labor Temple. The Rev. Mr. Weatherly, who until a few years ago was the pastor of the South Unitarian church in this city, will be remembered as having held bread views concerning the labor movement, and was just becoming in tensely interested in the local move ment when he left for the west. His loss to Worchester, while sorely felt by a number of staunch friends in the local movement, was, however, a big gain for Lincoln trade unionists whom we are certain have already learned to esteem him for his consist ent and liberal views he entertains toward the movement, and his willing ness to co-operate in making the lives of wage-earners happier and more con tented. Worcester (Mass.) Labor News. MAY DAY DANCE. Labor Temple Benefit Ball Will Be I Held on Monday, May 2. The Labor Temple benefit ball has been deferred until Monday, May U, and! will be a "May Dance'' that prom ises to go down in history as one of the i finest celebrations of May Day ever held in the west. The ball will be held at the Auditorium. The tick ets will be ready for distribution the first of the week,' and the committee will call on each union and ask its hearty co-operation in their sale. If less than a thousand tickets are sold it will be due to the negligence and indifference of union men and women who ought not to rest content with the , sale of less than 2,000 tickets. The proceels will be fo rthe benefit of the Temple. A May pole dance will he qne of the features of the evening. It is not nec essary to say that the music will be of the best, and that no effort will be spared to make the occasion one to be long remembered with delight by those who participate. THE CEMENT WORKERS. Final Organization Will -Be Completed in a Very Short Time, The Cement Workers will doubtless have a live organization, duly chart ered, before the middle of the month. A couple of preliminary meetings have been held, and another one in a day or two will make final arrangements for permanent -organization. More than enough names have been secured in order to get a charter,, and it is be lieved that a union of practically 100 per - cent will be secured before the seam is well started. . The cement industry is growing' with leaps and bounds, and right now is the time for the men on the mixing boards, with the barrows, the trowels, the levels and the tampers to frame rip condi tions that will be of (permanent benefit to themselves. It will be easier to do it now than it will be a year from now.- STEAM ENGINEERS. They Expect to Effect Permanent Or ganization Saturday Night. The Stationary Engineers expect to effect a permanent organization to morrow (Saturday) night, a meeting having been called at the Labor Tem ple for that purpose. Sixteen men have signed the roll and the charier has been sent for and is expected here before the meeting is called to order unless something unforeseen inter feres. A membership of more than fifty is in sight within a short time after per manent organization is effected, and it is believed that this organization will speedily be built up until it is even larger and stronger than the virile or ganization taht existed several year3 ago. DARROW AT AUDITORIUM. Hon. Clarence Darrow of Chicago will speak at the Auditorium Sunday in advocacy of a return to the license system. , Mr. Darrow was the leading counsel for the defense in the famous Moyer-Haywood cases a year or so ago. His legal and oratorical ability is beyond question, and the advocates of license could have secured no stronger man to present their case. A cordial invitation is extended to the general public to hear this eloquent gentleman. A FAKE SCARE. "Hookworm" Only an Effort to Mini mize the Evils of Child Labor. "Apparently the hookworm is the last morsel of bait the southern de fenders of child labor can dig tip," says Owen Lovejoy, general secretary of the National Child-Labor Commit tee, commenting upon an article in a current magazine defending the em ployment of childrt-n in the cotton mills1 of the south on the ground that it is better than exiposing them to the danger of hookworm infection in the mountain homes of the poor whites. And this, defense certainly savors of the week-end angler's excuse for an empty creel. Dvtluth Labor World. CENTRAL LABOR UNION A special called meeting of the Cen tral Labor Union was held at the La bor Temple Wednesday evening for the purpose of considering the fight now on between the Gas Co. and the Electrical Workers. President Parker called the meeting to order. Organizer Crowley of the Printing Pressmen and Assistants' Union of North America responded briefly to a call for some remarks, and urged upon union men the necessity of educating themselves along union lines, and of taking a deeper interest in the necessary work of the organizations to which they belong. i District President Perrin of the Electrical Workers then took the floor and briefly recounted the struggle now on with the Gas Co. He told of the utter failure to secure anysettlement with the company, and explained how Manager Adams had refused. to nego tiate either with a committee from the ELECTRICAL Every effort to negotiate a settle ment of the difficulty with the Lincoln Gas and Electric Light Co'. ' having failed, the Electrical Workers have decided to begin the fight in tamest. The implied' threat tnat if they insti tuted reprisals there would be an or ganization of a "Business Men's Asso ciation" was the last straw, and from now on,, the Electrical Workers will "go to it," and the gas company will soon realize that it has a fight on its hands. Wednesday evening the facts were laid before a meeting of the Central Labor Union, and as a result the gas company is going to have to deal with two or three-thousand union men, and women instead of with a little bunch of Electrical Workers. ' The proceed ings of the special meeting of the PRESSMEN & . ' The Pressmen and Assistants are a busy bunch these days. They are ne gotiating a new wage scale with the assistance of Organizer Crowley, and already that gentleman is producing results. He is not only getting there with his negotiations with the em ploying printers, but he is instilling new life and enthusiasm into the lo cal's membership. ' The Pressmen and Assitsants arte getting ready to give their new home for Union Pressmen and Assistants a big boost. President Barry of the in ternational says he is going to raise CARPENTERS & JOINERS With next Monday night's meeting the series of "open meetings" of the Carpenters and Joiners will cease, and the local will get back to the reg ular way of meeting. The revival cam paign has been a glorious success, nearly 200 members havings been added since the revival began. Good speakers will he on hand at Monday night's meeting, and It Is ex pected that the last of the revivals will be the king pin of the whole lot. Organizer Michler is expected here, and he will start oft the rejuvenated union in great shape. THE CIGARMAKERS "Business about the same, and noth ing doing so far as news is con cerned." That is about all the satis faction that could be gotten out of the cigarmakers who spend an occasional leisure hour around the Labor Temple. There is mighty little "dry" sentiment A. F. OF L. FINANCES. The Income and expenditures of the American Federation of Labor for the quarter just ended show, according to Secretary Frank Morrison's report, $88,770.71 of income which added to the balance in the treasury brings the total up to $204,074.17. The expendi local or a committee from his own employes. Then be made a plea for the support of organized labor in an effort to bring about a settlement. The matter was discussed pro and con, and finally a motion was made to the ef fect that union men and women be re quested to withdraw their patronage from the Lincoln Gas and Electric Light 'Co. and from the Armstrong Clothing Co. until 1 such time as the matter is adjusted. The motion was carried by a unanimous rising vote. A committee was then appointed to prepare a. statement for the public. Another motion was made and carried that the directors of the Labor Temple Association be requested to discon tinue the use of Gas Co. current in the Temple, resorting to candles if necessary- The Armstrong Clothing , Co. rs brought into the controversy by rea son of the fact that Mr. Armstrong is president of the Gas Co. ' WORKERS Central Labor Union will be found elsewhere.' " ;. - One of the gas company's imported strikebreakers, hailing from Iowa, did not last any longer than the strikers could get to him. He said he never would have come had he known the conditions; but he came with the un derstanding that more men were need' ed on account of new work. Two imported "scabs" from Mont gomery, Ala., are : still .. here, having 1 been advanced transportation and sleeping car fare. They said they were not told of existing conditions, but all efforts to get them to tote fair with their fellow workers have been useless so far. ' " District President Perrin - is still in Lincoln conducting -the- struggle from the Electrical Workers' standpoint, and 'he is being ably hacked by a committee of "live ones." ASSISTANTS $50,000 all by his lonesome, and, the rest of the members are ex.pected to come across with one day's pay some time during the month of May, 'all the money . thus raised to go towards equipping and endowing' the Home. The international has purchased 500 acres in the mountains of Tennessee, and will erect thereon a home for the aged, disabled and superannuated members, and also a tuberculosis sani tarium. It is a big and humane pro ject, and the loyal union men of that organization are bound to make it a huge success. The Carpenters and Joiners show a disposition to . fight shy of ' participa tion in a building trades council, a motion not to - affiliate having been adopted at the last meeting, j It is hinted, however, that a reconsidera tion will be had soon and the matter discussed at greater length. The building season has opened up in fine shape, and there is lots of work on hand and a lot more in sight. The Carpenters are well satisfied with the conditions prevailing at the ball park, and have no specific com plaints to make. among the cigarmakers, as they know full well that "wet" means a largely increased demand for the product of their labor. The local meets the first Monday in each month. John Steiner is president and T. W. Evans secre- tures were $50,907.46, leaving a net balance of $153,166.71. ' Striking cigarmaker girls In Cincin nati, who returned to work pending ar bitration,, are again on strike,' New berger refusing to agree to the terms of arbitration.