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About The Wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-???? | View Entire Issue (April 8, 1910)
HAVELOCK WORKERS At 8:45 Thursday morning the union Boilermakers employed on the entire Burlington system walked out, all efforts to secure an adjustment of griefances having failed. At Have lock nearly 175 men responded to the call the entire shop force In ' the boiler department. There was an entire absence of disorder. At the signal every man doffed his apron, laid down his tools, donned his coat and quietly walked out. A few minutes later the whole force of strikers got together and had a group picture taken, after which they met as a union and went into session. Reports from all along the line are to the effect that the strike order was generally obeyed, the Instances of Negotiations for a settlement of grievances have heen on for some time. A committee representing the Brotherhood on the Burlington system has been striving by every possible means to reach a fair settlement, but without vail. The strike vote was practically unanimous, and the men are determined to either get a fuller measure of Justice or remain on strike until the last canine is executed. The mass meeting of worklngmen at Union Hall last Sunday afternoon was well attended. It was the largest distinctively labor meeting ever held In the shop city, and a number of non-union men were present on in vitation from their union friends. It is believed that good results will fol low the meeting. Frank M. Coffey, president of the Nebraska State Federation of Labor, was the chief speaker. He said in part: "You and I, as trades unionists, deny that it is right that the unor ganized laborers should receive the benefits of the efforts of our organiza tion in the way of securing better wages, better sanitary conditions and shorter hours without joining with us and helping us to bear the burdens of the effort and their share of the sacrifices you and I must make. "The non-union man may, as a mat ter of personal liberty, work unlimit ed hours under unsanitary conditions and at a mere pittance of pay, but where will you find a trades unionist who will say it is best for him to be allowed to do so? Where will you find a trades unionist who will not applaud any effort to shorten hours of toll, better sanitary conditions and an increase of minimum pay by statute provisions. Yet the personal liberty of the individual still exists. "The labor unions of this and other countries were not formed for the sole purpose of securing better wages, shorter hours and better working con ditions. They were formed for the purpose of getting better wages, bet ter sanitary conditions, shorter hours, a better standard of living and to make the lives of men, women and children brighter and happier. Trades unionists of Havelock will soon have an opportunity to align themselves for or against the saloon. Let us hope that you will be on the side of social well-being, civic benefits and moral uplift." About all that has been heard in Havelock lately, outside of "shop" talk, has been the "wet" and "dry" proposition. The election was excit ing, and the "dry" victory emphatic. While there is no way of definitely ascertaining the facts, yet it is be lieved that a majority of the union men of the city voted "dry." Preparations are being made for the organization of a Federal Union in this city. It is believed that this will hasten the day when Havelock will be one of the best organized cities in the west. WORKERS AND THE SALOONS (Continued from page 1.) urge the working men to attend church services. The church, to my mind, is the greatest institution in the world for the lifting up of humanity; I would he false were I to deny it. But it is not the business of the church to merely build up an institu tion within itself; it is a means to an end the building up of common hu manity. By the same token, I have . no favors to ask of any other organ ization. I desire that you concentrate your attention on the relation of the laboring man to the saloon. ; "In discussing this question let us look for a moment at what, labor unionism stands for: First, it stands for the physical salvation of little children. No other organization in the country is doing more, through the child labor commission, toward hav ing children taken out of the factories. Second, it stands for the dignity and protection of womankind. Every true unionist has a profound contempt for the man who says American women are below the men who stand for saloons. It stands, too, for equal pay, equal hours for men and women and strives to give women a position of equality. Third, it stands for higher pay, the highest that the craft is able to pay. Fourth, it stands for steady work the year round. Fifth, it stands for greater efficiency, and many unions are establishing schools of instruction over the country so that their work men may be given an opportunity to learn more of their trade. "Now what about the saloons in re lation to those things? A short time ago at a temperance mass meeting held at Toronto in connection with the convention of the American Feder ation of Labor, before an audience of thousands of union men, Mr. John B. Lennon, one of our great labor lead ers. Bald: 'What is the effect of the liquor traffic on the standard living of our people? Is there any influence gone out from the saloon that has helped to make men and women bet ter? The labor movement is essen tially a moral movement ' Who can deny that the liquor traffic is driving women to work in factories, In work shops and at wash tubs who ought not to be there?" "One of the arguments advanced by the liquor interests is that if saloons were to be abolished many men would be thrown out of work and that the great revenue from the license fees would be cut off from our nation's income. Suppose that a saloon were to start up, paying a license fee of . $1,000. Suppose that fitting it out were to cost another $1,000, making a total expenditure of $2,000. If that saloon would take in $10,000 during the year it would raise more deviltry than $10,000 could pay for. Where would the maintenance of he extra police which would be necessary come from? What about the increase which would be made upon our Jails, asylums for the insane, poor houses, and all the rest of the additional expense we would be put to, just for the sake of that $1,000 at the end of each year. "We are told by friends of the saloon that if the saloons go, the bot tle blowers, carpenters, harness mak ers and men of many other crafts will be thrown out of employment. Every sane minded person knows the saloon is not the only place "for working men and that, in fact, it is among the in stitutions which employ only a com paratively small number. Also, ' the saloon pays a smaller percentage of its income to its workers than does any other trade. " . "Again, if whisky drinking is the good thing the saloon people would have us believe, why is , it that the saloon keepers insist upon having non drinking bartenders? If temperance is good for bartenders why is it not good for the working man? And, if it is necessary to spend money in the saloon to keep the saloon men alive, why should we not make an effort to more extensively patronize the under taker? He has to live as well as the saloon keeper. "The time has come when the la borer and the saloon must be abso lutely divorced. I am a member of the machinists union and I'm prowl of it. Someone has said that President Gompers, of the American Federation of labor, does not believe in this movement. Let me read what he said in a letter a short time ago: 'It is not only the aim but the trend of our movement to make men more moder ate regarding the use of intoxicants. Through the influence of our move ment the so-called labor bureaus, that is, the places where unemployed work men could seek employment, have been removed from the drinking saloon, as has also the place of pay ment of wages been, removed from that Influence.' "If the saloon is a fine thing, if it is a 'workman's club,' if it is all that it is claimed to be, then, I take it, the labor leaders of the country would say, 'Encourage it' But they aren't saying any such thing. "I have been asked what I thought of Sunday baseball. I am opposed to it as a commercial Institution. How ever, Sunday is the working man's day. God has given it to him. I be lieve he should go to church. But I can't see why it is any more wrong for the laboring man to play ball on Sunday than it is for others to play golf or go automoblling on Sunday. "I understand that Mr. Darrow said he had as much right to drink a glass of beer as you have to drink a cup of tea. That is true. If Mr. Darrow wants to drink a glass or beer, or 100 glasses of beer, that is up to him. A man has the right to drink as much beer or whisky as he pleases, but he has no right to insist that the muni cipality furnish the institution through which he shall open the gates to hell. The saloon is a curse and it is the duty of the American people to wipe it out. "The day will come when every la bor leader in the country will stand ( " 1 : " : We Wamilt to Sinew Ydra We have now on display what we believe to be the finest stock of Union Made Men's Spring Suits ever brought to Lincoln. They are the best that money can buy. We want to show them to you. The blue serges and gray worsteds are especially beautiful. They will please the most fastideous dresser, and best of all, the prices are reasonable $15.00, $18.00, $20.00, and $25.00. You can't buy a better quality at any price. SEE THE WINDOW DISPLA Y SPEIER AMD SIMON We Save You Money N. E. Corner 10th and O for a temperate '.fife.-' .Already f?e have determined to trust only, those who can stand in the presence of their employers, or carry on their daily work, with a clear head and a steady hand. The tide among workingmen in America is toward temperance and or ganized labor is the greatest force in bringing about the result. "In conclusion, whichever way your battle goes on Monday, I hope that the organized church and organized labor will co-operate in the solution of these many problems. I wish you God speed in the task and pray that you work together in building up our common humanity." Hear John B. Lennon at the Audi torium Sunday night. Band concert before the speaking. DON'T GET SCARED, MARQUIS! Marquis De Lafayette Shrope, the seer and prophet of the Easton, Pa., Journal, wants to know if the editor of the Tacoma Labor Advocate was invited to join the Labor Press Asso ciation of America. Sure thing. And the Advocate editor never made re ply. Nothing . to the .report that the Tacoma editor is organizing a dual association. He couldn't. The L. P. A. of A. is coming along all right. The secretary-treasurer has had his hands full lately, hut he's been work ing on the game, all right. And the' machinery will soon be in running order. Be patient and optimistic, Shrope. Hear John B. Lennon at the Audi torium Sunday night.' Band concert before the speaking. AFTER POST. The Electrical Workers organized a local in Battle Creek last week. Every electrical worker in the "poor fude" city is a member. Hoorah! It will only be a short time until Battle Creek will be the best organized city In the state. WISDOM IN CHUNKS. The soner Labor begins to use its votes instead of strikes. Just so soon will it gain recognition. Vice versa, so long a? it listens to the syren of the political boss, and votes not for its own interest, but for the enrich ment of the politicians, Labor will be compelled to stay in the trench and be satisfied with the crumbs. Chatta nooga Labor Leader. $15 SUIT SALE . $15 The past three weeks unusual warm weather at this time of season affected the demand for Wool Suits so much that our anticipations for a big season's business have been shattered ; y We therefore find our stock of women's high class suits 7 greatly in excess, and must be reduced, and reduced quickly Enough said. We are going to give you a real bonafide price reduction sale whihc will aid us to unload our excess stock SATURDAY MORNING AT 8 O'CLOCK Note What $15 Will Buy Lot 930, consisting of 16x Suits, was 35.00 Lot 376, consisting of 7 Suits, was 29.75 Lot 382, consisting of 9 Suits, was 29.75 Lot 900, consisting of 8 Suits, was 29.75 Lot 898, consisting of 27 Suits,was 29.75 Lot 3530, consisting of 1 0 Suits, was 27:50 Lot 298, consisting of 8 Suits, was 27.50 Lot 864, consisting of 7 Suits, was 27.50 Lot 858, consisting of 16 Suits, was 27.50 Lot 4, consisting of 30 Suits, was 27.50 Lot 886, consisting of 30 Suits, was 25.00 A moderate charge for alteration Heroolslieimeir -Go. he daylight store SAVE YOUR PREMIUM TICKETS H.
