The Butler County press. [volume], June 04, 1920, Image 1

About The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946

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VOL. XX. No. 7.
PRISON DOORS
Are Not Unlocked By Heat
ed Accusations, Says
Labor Leader
Ottawa, Ontario.—Heated accusa
tions and blatant threats are not
helpful in liberating several workers
who are serving prison sentences in
connection with the recent Winnipeg
general strike, says President Tom
Moore and associate officers of the
Trades and Labor Congress of Can
ada.
Officials at the Congress show the
work that is being done to secure the
release of these strikers, who were
convicted under the seditious con
spiracy law. The bona fide trade
unionists are attempting to have this
law amended on the ground that it is
"too vague in its definition and pos
sible of such wide application as to
practically make impossible any or
ganized activity for the betterment of
social and economic conditions."
The trade unionists say that they are
convinced that the convicted men were
not indicted simply because they were
strike leaders as most of them held
minor positions on the strike commit
tee, and many others who were far
more responsible for the direction of
the strike were not interfered with.
It is declared that the one big
union advocates who called the strike
are using the present situation for
propaganda purposes.
The trade unionists declare for the
upbuilding of constitutional authority,
and as the law has been vindicated a
review of the whole matter, with r.
view to the exercise of clemency to
wards the convicted men, would show
a spirit of generosity in keeping with
the times. The trade unionists an
nounce they propose to work alons
these lines.
"We feel confident," it is
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stated,
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"that the members of the trade union
movement will continue to loyally
support our efforts in this direction.''
The Winnipeg trades and labor
council has withdrawn from the de
fense committee that assumed charge
of the defense of the convicted men.
The Winnipeg unionists refuse to be
identified with the one big union the
orists, and are now distributing mon
ies for the relief of the families of
the imprisoned men. Donations to
this fund should be forwarded to E.
Robinson, room 1, labor temple, Win
nipeg, Manitoba.
K
SHIP YARD STRIKER
SHOT
San Francisco.—Thomas Laughran,
a member of the Boiler Maker's Union,
was shot and killed by an imported
thug employed as a guard at the
Union iron works. The shooting oc
curred half a mile from the plant.
Laughran was shot when he refused
to obey the guard's order to "move
on." The entire trade union move
ment, including the 40,000 striking
ship yard workers, are asking what
right had the guard to control the
movements of a resident of San Fran
cisco on a public thoroughfare.
The strike is now in its eighth
month. It was caused by the ship
yard managers abrogating a wage
agreement. It is stated that the ship
yards are so thoroughly disorganized
that they are unable to do even minor
repair work.
ANTI-UNIONISTS BUMPED
Dallas, Texas.—Anti-trade union
ists were given a hard bump when
practically every electrical contractor
in this city withdrew from the non
union shop association and signed an
agreement with the organized elec
trical workers.
CIENT ABOVE COST TO PAY OUR ACTUAL EXPENSES/
No Profit Sale. No Profit Sale
WE ARE ON OUR WAY-WE DON'T KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING, BUT WE ARE
GOING TO HAVE A BIG NO-PROFIT SALE.
WHAT GOES UP MUST COME DOWN. BELIEVE US, THIS NO-PROFIT SALE IS GOING
TO BE A HUMMER. WE ARE PREPARING FOR THE BIGGEST TUMBLING DOWN OF SKY-
HIGH PRICES IN OUR CAREER. WHEN WE GET THROUGH PRICES WILL ALMOST BE NOR
MAL. WE CERTAINLY STARTED SOMETHING AND WE ARE GOING TO SEE IT THROUGH.
WATCH THE HIGH-PRICE STORES HOWL—IT'S TEN TO ONE THEY HAVE BEEN CAUGHT
WITH A HIGH-PRICE STOCK—DON'T LET THEM PEDDLE IT OFF ON YOU AT DRUG STORE
PRICES. THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE WANT TO CUT THE HIGH COST —WE'RE
GOING TO DO OUR SHARE. PRICE CUTTING, THE WORLD KNOWS, IS AN OLD HOBBY
WITH US. WE HAVE MARKED DOWN OUR ENTIRE STOCK TILL THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO
PROFIT TO US AT ALL. WE ARE OFFERING THIS BIG STOCK ON HAND AT JUST SUFFI­
Set Your Alarm Clock—Be here Saturday at 8 o'clock Throw Down Your Tools Telephone Your
Friend about this Great No-Profit Sale.
Mr. Workingman, Buy for Your
Present Needs. Buy for the Future
UNION
THE OLD RELIABLE
RED TRUNK, 246 Hi^h Street
THE BUTLER COUNTS
Remedy
"Politicians have had little to say
thus far about the cost of living, and
e Workingman's Store
Relief Way Pointed Out But They
Fail To Act Do Not Hesitate, How=
ever, To Pass Measures Against
Labor Activities.
"Labor protests against a rampant but few remedies of any value have
tragedy," declares Samuel Gompers, been suggested. The cost of living is
president of the American Federation sue is in reality a wage issue. The
of Labor, in the June number of the cost of living determines the actual
Federationist, in a stirring article in: value of wages. It determines tlK
which he strongly indicts the present manner in which people shall live and
congress as one that has shown gross
incompetence, has been negligent in its
duty and thoughtless of the welfare
of the people.
"Regardless of whatever artificial
issues politicians may seek to inject
into the present political campaign,
one of the great issues about which welfare,
the masses of the people are thinking I ments as
most seriously is the cost of living," may be indicted for incompetency on
says Mr. Gompers. "The cost of living the same grounds. It recently an
has become a serious question because nounced that the high cost of living
it is out of proportion to income. It campaign had been abandoned on ac
constitutes therefore a reduction of count of the high cost of the cam
income for the average American paign."
family which will not submit to a re-j Mr. Gompers then calls attention to
duction of income and consequent' the fact that President Wilson, in
lowering of the-standard of living August, 1919, appeared before con
without protest. The greater the gress and delivered a message deal
margin between income and cost of jng ^jth the high cost of living and
living, the more energetic will be the
protest.
Politicians Have Little to Say and No
PRESENT CONGRESS INDICTED
BY GOMPERS AS ONE OF INCOMPETENCE NEGLIGENT IN
ITS DUTY AND THOUGHTLESS OF WELFARE OF PEOPLE
riembers Sit Idly By While Cost
Of -Living Soars-Have No Con=
ception Of Present Day Problems
whether there shali be existence or
life.
"The present congress may be in
dicted fairly as a congress of incom
petence on the cost of living issue and
as one which has been negligent of
duty and thoughtless of the people's
sion
Such government depart
the department of justice
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UNION
CLERKS
HAMILTON, OHIO, FRIDAY, JUNE 4,1920 75 CENTS PER YEAR
the date of the ratification of the
peace treaty to the extension of the
scope of the act to include fuel, food
and clothing an amendment to pro
vide penalties for profiteering the
enactment of a law limiting the time
goods may be held ii
marking the cost pric»:
at the time they were stored re
quiring that all goods be marked with
the price at which tney left the hand
of the producer to license and regu
late corporations doing an inter-state
business to prevent profiteering, an!
the enactment of u law to control se
cuiity issues to prevent speculation.
Seven measures were suggested by
the president but congress gave no
heed. He sent another .message in
December renewing his former rec
ommendations and still congress re
mained passive. During this time
prices continued to soar and labor
was forced to ask for higher wages
to meet the new demands on their
pay checks.
Declare Big Dividends
Mr. Gompers at this point gives out
a statement of the net profits of a
number of the big corporations of the
country. These show increases in
ISJl'J over 101S running from a min
imum of 84 per cent to 1547 per cent.
He analyzed carefully and thoroughly
the financial report of the American
made several sui?i?estions to eonurcss. Woolen Company, which enjoyed a net
but since that time no action has been'income in 1918 over 11114 of Sill per
taken on a sinele recommendation. cent, and a net increase in common!
President Urges Relief (stock earnings' of 531 per ccnt.
The president asked for the exten-i "Another phase of business activity
of the life of the Lever act to about which the public has little or no
knowledge," continues Mr. Gompers,
"which at least has some bearing on
the inflation of living costs, is that of
iiie speculative broker. In Chicago
the other day a speculator purchase I
en a quick sale a large lot of webbing.
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The deal was no sooner closed when
l.e sold it at a profit of $20,000 with
out
seeing the "webbing" or knowing
what it was.
Neither Toil Nor Spin
"A carload of live chickens was
hipped to Chicago from Omaha.
Kventually the same carload of chick-
ns, dressed, was returned to Omaha
Mid sold in the Omaha retail market.?
I uring the round trip the chickens j«»
passed through 11 hands, all of which
levied a toll of profit.
"A New York broker bought a ware
house receipt for several thousand
yards of silk. Within a few days he
^old the same receipt at a profit said
o have been $10,000. He didn't see
(he silk and didn't touch it. He had
no knowledge of its condition or color,
lie added nothing to its quality and
performed no service in getting it
from producer to consumer. He
'.ought a piece of paper and sold it.
Freebooting is Prevalent
"Perhaps there never has been a
time in American history when this
land of freebooting was conducted on
o large a scale as at present.
"If congress had seen fit to re
pond to the wishes of the president
.nd enact some of the legislation
uggested by him, it would have been
possible to curb, at least to some ex
tent, this unlicensed plundering in the
necessities of life.
"For congress to deny that relief is
possible is for congress to confess
the incompetency of which the evi
dence convicts it." Mr. Gompers pays
his respects to the department of just
ice for its activity in prosecuting the
corner grocer and permitting the real
profiteers to go unharmed. He compli
merits labor on the remarkable self
restraint it has shown through it all.
A Course of Plunder
"Through the whole period that has
elapsed since Nov. 11, 1918," con
i tinues Mr. Gompers, "the American
political and industrial bourbons have
laid a course of plunder, restriction
and coercion. There has been an
abandon and a ruthlessness worthy of
high seas piracy. Buccaneering tac
V tics have been used in the conduct of
and management of industry without
regard to the needs of society or of
the workers. Politician has played
hand and glove with industrial mon
arch to press down upon the people
the burdens of industrial empire
While profiteers have reaped untold
gains, while they have piled fortune
I upon fortune in gold, beyond the
dreams of avarice, makers of laws
have gone about the business of writ
ing into the statutes measures for the
suppression of trade union activity.
"Out of this repression and out of
this ruthless exploitation and profit
eering, there has been bred among the
working people a deep and stern re
sentment. No excuse will be accepted
from the congress of the proposals of
constructive nature to meet a situation
that has long been of alarming pro
portions and of the utmost gravity
and significance.
Labor Now Demands
"The working people of the United
storage and States are speaking today in manda
on the goods tory terms. They have reached the
point at which they, will no longer
endure or sutler injustice by legisla
tive enactment and profiteering by
private pirates. If those in control of
i
the legislative destinies of the coun
i
try do not understand, at least the
workers themselves understand. They
know the condition in which they find
themselves. They know the restraint
which they have practiced. They
know the limit which there is to their
endurance. The service they have
1
given entitles them to the right to be
heard. They will be heard. Their de
mand to be heard is a demand which
comprehends the welfare of the coun
try.
"The labor movement in its recon
i
struction program adopted in June,
li19. and in its declaration of Dec.
13, 1919, has laid before the
country
constructive proposals for relief with
which the congress of the United
States is familiar. These proposals
are in addition to the long standing
economic policies and activities of the
i labor movement..
Can't Hlame President
"The congress of the United States
cannot say that it has not had laid
before it suggestions for effective ac
tion and plans for real relief. It caii
say only that it would not listen and
Hamilton. ./.•/
REQUESTED TO ATTEND AN OPEN
MEETING IN
TRADES COUNCIL
HALL
TUESDAY EVE., JUNE 8th
AT Ts,
MR. THOMAS FLYNN, representing the
American Federation of Labor, will address this
meeting of great importance.
He has a message for the trades unionists of
COME AND BRING SOMEBODY WITH YOU!
CO-OPERATIVE TRADES
AND LABOR COUNCIL
WS.&
WAksmoiftoMPs
ii«u«rni
UNITED «TA.TF S
OOVUMMWT
would not act.
"Against the congress of the United
States there rests an indictment
which an alert electorate will not
overlook.
"There must be an overturn in con
gress!
"Enemies must be defeated. Friends
must be elected.
"There must be sent to congress
men who understand and men who
can be trusted. The record of betray
al must for the sake of the nation's
welfare give place to a record of con
structive progress.
"The declaration of war by power
ful and unscrupulous employers is
recognized by the working people of
America. For 16 months and more,
tiiese employers have been conduct
ing a silent, insidious warfare. In the
face of this welfare the labor move
ment will stand firm and will tolerate
no breakdown of its standards. It
will resort to no undue haste and it
will countenance no conduct that is
not in strictest accord with trade union
traditions, trade union laws and rules
and the highest concept of the patriot
ic duty of American citizens. But war
forced upon the workers must be rec
ognized and it is recognized.
Appeals for Progress
"The war of another character but
driving toward the same end typified
by the enactments and the philosophy
of the present congress can be no less
ignored. The working people of the
are aroused not only
as trade unionists, but as trade
unionists, workers, and American cit
izens.
"There is a determination through
out the United Suites to right the
wrongs that have been inflicted. The
indictment is based upon the estab
lished facts of what has taken place.
The remedy in every case must be
in
...
United States
a remedy applied with the facts
view.
(Continued on last page)
'I- ,!• 1 1 l"l I 'M**
ALL MEMBERS OF ORGANIZED LABOR ARE