Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

that offers any practical effectiveness. The problem of securing fairer, more just relations between employes and employers is the same regardless of the degree of skill or intellectual attainments necessary for that particular work. Effectiveness in bargaining, power to enforce demands, skill in organizing economic power are the means to secure just compensation and improved conditions under which work is done.

Many who hold themselves aloof from

"contamination" with trade unions, who hedge themselves about with "professional" pride, work longer hours and for less pay than do hod carriers and common laborers. Teachers and government clerks need economic organization just as badly as do the most skilled and even the workers in the steel plants and packing houses.

There has been what appears to be a concerted effort by the enemies of the trade-union movement to create the impression that the American Federation of Labor seeks to organize only the so-called skilled workers; quite the reverse is true. Those whose work requires a high degree of skill or special preparation are sure, sooner or later, to recognize the necessity and benefits of organization, and to seek organization on their own initiative. But where less degree of skill is necessary for work, and where standards and conditions are lower, then the A. F. of L. does its hardest work to arouse a desire for organization and to cause opportunities to inaugurate it. But when the workers once grasp the purpose and possibilities of organization, there has entered into their mentality that which never leaves them, and which changes their whole make-up.

The effectiveness of economic organization does not depend upon any strategic advantage derived from superior skill, but upon skill in organization and in presenting demands.

Because of skill in organization, common laborers now receive higher wages than many government clerks,

railroad engineers receive higher pay than many officials in petty banks.

Organization is intelligent self-interest. All who work for wages have much in common. As the captain's lady and Nora O'Grady were sisters "under their skins," so there is a kindred spirit that unites all workers for fundamental interests, regardless of superficial distinctions and nomenclature.

There is coming for all workers a better life, a brighter day, through economic organization, for the maintenance of principles of human welfare -an organization which vivifies, democratizes and makes beautiful the world of work and life.-American Federationist.

MINERS SECURE CONTRACT. Pittsburgh, Pa., Sept.-About 3,000 miners are benefited by the agreement signed by coal operators and officials of the United Mine Workers' Union in this district.

A NERVY ANTI-UNIONIST. Grand Rapids, Mich., Sept.-Ernest A Prange, an installment jeweler in this city, has sued the Trades and Labor Council and the Building Trades Council, together with their officials, and the Observer, official paper, for $50,000 damages. Prange employed non-union building craftsmen and the unionists asked all members and sympathizers not to patronize him.

In his bill of complaint Prange says he has a business of $50,000 a year, and that $30,000-60 per cent.-of this amount comes from trades unionists.

He wants his cake and he wants to eat it at the same time, for he asks the court to restrain the unions from announcing that he employed nonunion labor, because "the action of said defendants has caused him to suffer great losses and that in all probability will cause him to suffer great losses in the future, if said defendants are successful in carrying out their designs, and will cause him to lose profits of $50,000 and upwards."

UNIONISM IS UNSELFISH. Kansas City, Mo., Sept.-State Federation of Labor officials are asking affiliated unions to contribute to a fund that will permit the employment of competent lawyers to draft a workmen's compensation act.

The incident again illustrates the unselfishness of trade unionism. In this agitation the unorganized are voiceless. Neither do they contribute money to make possible a law that will protect both them and their dependents.

Eventually Missouri will pass a compensation law that will apply to all workers.

And as usual, when this law becomes effective society will overlook the fighting force that made the enactment possible, while courts will issue injunctions against unions and employers will plead for the non-union shop to protect the independence (?) of their "free" workmen.

WANT WAGES "READJUSTED." Atlantic City, N. J., Sept.-At the quarterly conference of the Steel Founders' Society, which includes the steel trust and other corporations, it was stated that the market price of steel had reached its zenith and that there must be a "readjustment as to wages and working conditions in the near future."

This possibly means that the steel men realize they have reached a limit of enormous profits and will now attempt to take away from their unorganized workers the five and 10 per cent. wage increases that were granted last spring.

The profits of these companies is indicated in the last report of the United States Steel Corporation, which shows that during the six months ended June 30 there was a net return of $141,839,672, or three times as much as the corresponding period of 1915.

Immediately after delegates to the Steel Founders' Society left for their homes, the public press announced that the Carnegie Steel Company had advanced the price of soft steel bars

and that the American Steel and Wire Company raised rates on wire prod. ucts $2 a ton.

IMMIGRATION FIGURES. Washington.-The Bureau of Immigration, Federal Department of Labor, reports that 30,967 immigrants were admitted during July of this year, against 28,097 during the corresponding month of 1915, and 72,015 during July, 1914. In the latter period Roumania furnished 246 immigrants, and in July, 1916, this number dropped to 10. Immigrants from Italy during July, 1914, totaled 7,503, and in July, 1916, 2,948. During the 1914 period 325 came from Bulgaria, Servia and Montenegro, but war conditions reduced this number to 53 during July, 1916.

Of the total number admitted during July, 1916, 3,633 were classified as laborers and 1,609 as farm laborers.

New York received 7,826 of these immigrants. Michigan came next with 2,464, followed by Massachusetts, 2,460; Pennsylvania, 1,230 and California,

1,089.

Of the Southern States, Kentucky received 1; Mississippi, 4; Georgia, 6; Arkansas, 7; South Carolina, 8 and Tennessee, 11.

NOT THE SAME. Young Hopeful-"Father, what is a traitor in politics?"

Veteran Politician-"A traitor is a man who leaves our party and goes over to the other one."

Young Hopeful-"Well, then, what is a man who leaves his party and comes over to yours?"

Veteran Politician-"A convert, my son."-Tit-Bits.

We came into this world all naked and bare,

We go through this world full of sorrow and care,

We go out of this world we know not where,

But if we're good fellows here We'll be thoroughbreds there. Ex.

NEWSPAPER PRINTER DOOMED?

Indianapolis, Ind.-The newspaper printer is doomed and joy reigns in the camp of every advocate of "scientific management." The printerman must make way for chimpanzees.

Writing in the Typographical Journal from Honolulu, A. B. H. Cole tells the story of Biz Fox, a chimpanzee linotype operator, who composed 101,000 ems solid brevier in eight hours and forty-five minutes. The chimpanzee has other accomplishments besides being a "swift." He is a champion bicycle rider and has been arrested by traffic policemen. It is stated that a company is being formed to supply newspapers with chimpanze operators. About the only drawback to this arrangement is the question of morals. The organized printerman does not get drunk, but his rival is an excessive patron of the flowing bowl. That newspapers may be published regularly, Correspondent Cole says the company will remedy this evil by crossing the chimpanzee with the white-faced monkey of China and make him a temperance advocate.

Under the new conditions employers will no longer be bothered with wage scales and arbitration proceedings, but the company will demand that no chimpanzee farmed out by it shall be worked more than 14 hours a day and that they shall be fed at least three times every 24 hours on cocoanuts, squid, sea weed and chocolate candy.

To silence the scoffer and doubting Thomas, Mr. Cole forwarded the pic

ture of Biz Fox, seated in front of a linotype machine, as proof that another labor displacer is here.

TO GREET ENGLISH UNIONISTS. New York, Sept.-President Mahon, of the Amalgamated Association of Street and Electric Railway Employes, and President Woll, of the International Photo Engravers' Union, sailed for England last Saturday as fraternal delegates from the American Federation of Labor to the British Trades Union Congress, which will convene in Birmingham this month.

Messrs. Mahon and Woll were elected to attend the 1914 convention of the British Trades Union Congress, but the meeting was postponed on account of the war. In 1915 circumstances again prevented the attendance of the American delegates, who were re-elected at the San Francisco convention of the A. F. of L. to serve as fraternal delegates this year and extend greeting which have been continuous since 1894, when John Burns and David Holmes represented the English workers at the Denver convention. The first American delegates to England were Samuel Gompers and P. J. McGuire, deceased.

EASILY REMEDIED.

He (with a sigh)-"I have only one friend on earth-my dog."

She "Well, if that isn't enough, why don't you get another dog."Indianapolis Star.

[blocks in formation]

WISE AND OTHERWISE

THE MOST UNKIND CUT. The truest and most devoted friend that man ever had is the little inanimate bundle of nerves that stands guard by his bedside through the dead hours of the night, its palpitating little heart spreading cheer and confidence over the surrounding gloom. Yet man often forgets the debt of gratitude he owes this faithful and tireless little friend for the sleepless, watchful hours it subjects itself to in order that he may slumber in security and comfort, and when it sings its merry morning lay I have seen him, instead of bestowing fond caresses, reach from his warm quilts, grasp it ruthlessly and slam it into the farthest and darkest corner of the room, crushing the dainty hands that seemed uplifted in an attitude of horror and protection, scornfully muttering such uncouth and unworthy reproaches as these, "Dthat blinkety-blank alarm clock, anyhow!" then return to his snoring!-Zim, in Cartoons Magazine.

HE SUCCEEDED FINELY. They were at the seashore on their wedding trip, and little wifie had told hubby that they were to keep it a secret about their having just been married. After being there a couple of days she inquired how he was succeeding with their little pretense.

"Oh, fine," said the bridegroom. "Why, half the people think we are not married at all."

Then he wondered why she fainted.

A REMINDER.

Dealer-"This is the best parrot we have, but I wouldn't sell him without letting you know his one fault; he'll grumble terribly if his food doesn't suit him."

Miss Fitz-"I'll take him. It will scem quite like having a man in the house."

GOOD FISHING.

Mr. Smith was telling some friends about a proposed fishing trip to a lake in Colorado which he had in contemplation.

"Are there any trout out there." asked one friend.

"Thousands of 'em," replied Mr.

Smith.

"Will they bite easily?" asked another.

"Will they?" said Mr. Smith. "Why, they're absolutely vicious. A man has to hide behind a tree to bait a hook."

Cynicus-"Oh, all women are alike." Silicus "Then why should any man commit bigamy?"-Life.

"We've learned a lot from the present war?"

"Yes, indeed. Everything except what it's all about."-Detroit Free Press.

TOO GOOD TO BE WASTED. A lady of great beauty and attractiveness, who was an ardent admirer of Ireland, once crowned her praise of it at a party by saying:

"I think I was meant for an Irishwoman."

"Madame," rejoined a witty son of Erin, who happened to be present, "thousands would back me in saying you were meant for an Irishman.”— Exchange.

During the furnace cleaning operations in a large steel works the workmen occasionally had to walk over a plank suspended a few yards in the air. But whenever Pat had to cross he would do so on his hands and knees. The foreman, noticing this, went up to him and said:

"Are you frightened at walking on this plank?"

"No, sir," replied Pat, "'tis frightened I am of walkin' off it."

[

CORRESPONDENCE

[blocks in formation]

They say it is better late than never, but I can't prove it. The Lady Elevator Constructors, No. 1, held the third picnic of their 1916 series at Glenwood Lake as per schedule on August 10.

I don't know that there is so much to be said, only that the club all declared it had been the most enjoyable time of the series.

We had coffee made in the good oldfashioned way over a wood fire and by good cooks, and you can guess at the rest. The "kiddies" went bathing to their hearts' content, but all the women but one got cold feet when it came to bathing; either that or, like the secretary, they were lazy after the excellent lunch we had. Anyway we were late getting home.

We have tried several times to get some snapshots to send to the Journal, but have not succeeded yet in getting any that were considered good enough to do us justice. We may not be a handsome bunch, but we surely are brave. Are we not the only crowd brave enough to intrude ourselves among pages and pages of men? (in the Constructor). At that we feel lonesome. We feel that some of our sister cities should be doing the same thing. We know it takes courage, but surely Minnie hasn't a corner on the courage of the United States women. We are the wives, mothers and sweethearts of courageous men, men who take their lives in their hands more often than we care to think of and as helpmeets for such men we just have to have courage. And why not show it? We approve of our men and their work. Why not say so? Why not boost? It is all we can do. That and stand pat.

[blocks in formation]

over. Winter just ahead and coal here is $10.20 a ton. We are far enough west and north to have to pay rather stiff prices for the necessities of life, altho I presume there are higher places to live. And our winters are long and cold.

The work here is still slack, and many of the men of No. 9 are filling other positions.

Before closing I want to revert to the Ladies' Auxiliary as a possibility. I have had some very nice letters from the secretary-treasurer assuring us that all the elevator boys he has talked with on the subject thought it a good thing and that it would be a benefit to the "regular" constructors. Now, if this is the case and the men feel that way about it, why not make it a subject for discussion at the next regular meeting and look for ways and means to help start something in your own town? If it is of any value push it along. If not, we would like to know why. Have you the courage to tell us in the next issue of the Journal?

MRS. F. PIERCE.

PHILADELPHIA.

To the Editor:

The summer may be ended, but the harvest is not all gathered, and from present indications it will be a long while before our season's work becomes slack. We have been going at a very fast pace for several months past. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, so Labor Day came as a happy respite from our strenuous labors. Our picnic committee was unable to secure the grounds we usually have, so we cast our lot in with the Central Labor Union and held our picnic at Point Breeze Park. This old familiar place was the scene of many happy days when one of man's best friends (the horse) was in the

« AnteriorContinuar »