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No. 34
•ily fnt'fernatl^nai Latior News Service,
Indianapolis, Ind.—Tension in the
tfoal trade situatipn has grown more
taut, following the letter Jdhn L.
illewis, President of the miners, sent
President Coolidge regarding the
I'^feavage repudiation" of the Jackson
ville wage agreement by a certain co-
:pbne
of bituminous operators.
The Rev. J. J. Curran, pastor of St.
•tipary's Church, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.,
0 Who has acted as mediator in labor
disputes between miners and opera
-tors for many years, and who was
mediator in the hard coal strike in
1900, and co-operated with President
Hoosevelt in the strike settlement
,. when Roosevelt was President, has
held conferences with Gov. Pinchot of
Pennsylvania, Samuel D. Warriner,
Jiead of the optrators and President
W Lewis of the miners seeking a way out
of the difficulty.
Justifies Wage Demands.
Father Curran flatly says the min
ers should have an increase in wages.
**lf
there are no increases in wages
ifi industry," he said,' "and profits
continue to pile up we will soon have
»s in this country two classes, the very
i^ch and the very poor one class liv
ing off of the sweat of the other."
The venerable priest said that if,
an Charles M. Schwab has said, the
jjOuntry is prosperous and industrial
n life is growing, if coal companies
make more money than ever this
year, why not divide a little of the
profit with the men who are instru
mental in making the profit for the
operators
Bares Operators' Tactics,
v President Lewis, in respect to the
'general situation in the coal industry,
told President Coolidge that substan
tial coal-producing interests, signa
tories to the Jacksonville wage agree
ment, have violated and repudiated
?. their word of honor and impaired the
Wage structure of the miners through
out the bituminous industry. He asks
if the mine workers would be justi
tied in using their own efforts to pro
tect a meritorious wage agreement,
provided the Federal Government did
M«ot see its way clear to take a hand
the settlement.
It is pointed out that the Govern
."toent had a very important part in
bringing about the Jacksonville wage
"pact, Government officials going so
liar, at the time, to assure the miners
",H,nd operators that a joint conference
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Noted Priest Upholds Miners
As Lewis States Workers'
Case in Letter to President
A MAN'S GIFT FROM A MAN'S STORE
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would not be tegftrded as a "Conspir
acy" by the Government in the effort
tp bring peace and stabilization to
the industry.
Miners Rest Case.
On these grounds the miners are
content to rest their case. Officials
of the union have refused to add any
thing to the statement given out by
Lewis, as included in the communica
tion to President Coolidge,
SHOES ANDCLOTHES
Needed for Kiddies and
Women in Fight For
Justice
Washington.—President Green re
quests A. F. of L. organizers to ac
quaint trade unionists with conditions
in families of striking miners in
northern West Virginia. Shoes and
clothing are needed for the women
and children.
This, said President Green, will
supplement the relief work of the
United Mine Workers which is spend
ing thousands of dollars each month
for food, fuel and shelter. Another
ltvrge expense is contesting injunc
tions issued by former corporation
lawyers who are jiow in judicial posi
tions.
All packages should be forwarded
to the international representative of
the United Mine Workers, Van A.
Bittner, Odd Fellows building, Fair
mont, West Virginia.
The miners suspended work when
the operators scrapped a three-year
agreement signed at Jacksonville,
last year. These operators have dou
bled the price of their coal since the
anthracite strike and are now using
every power of the state and federal
judiciary to smash the Miners'
Union.
The strikers and their families are
housed in barracks erected by the
union.
In urging organizers to impress the
situation upon trade unionists, Presi
dent Green says:
"There are many wives and chil
dren of striking miners in northern
West Virginia who are suffering for
lack of shoes and clothing. I know of
no place in America where the need
is greater or the call for assistance
is more justifiable."
We're Ready
For The
Shoppers
again the Christmas candles are biirn
ing the Christmas season is here. With
it comes good cheer and the inclination to make
gladsome hearts.
And as for years the Strauss store is here to help
you. We have taken on our Holiday attire
Christmas stocks are in readiness our salespeo
ple ready to serve you courteously and intelli
gently. It will indeed be a pleasure to do your
Christmas shopping at Strauss' because in doing
so you may rest assured that no matter what
your purchases may be the recipients will regis
ter one hundred per cent satisfaction when gifts
are unwrapped on Christmas morn.
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RELIABLE SERVICE
(Copyrfftbfc.w!
By International Labor News Service.
Washington, D. C.—At the first
meeting of the Board of Directors of
the Union Labor Life Insurance Com
pany, held in the American Federa
tian of Labor Building here, Matthew
Woll was elected President and Geo.
W. Perkins of Cricago was elected
Secretary and Treasurer.
Mr. Woll is Vice President of the
American Federation of Labor, and
President of the Photo Engravers' In
ternational Union. Mr. Perkins is
President of the Cigar Makers' Inter
national Union, one of the veteran
figures in the labor movement, and
for years an intimate and personal
friend of the late Samuel Gompers.
Executive Committee Chosen.
An executive committee also was
elected. Officers will hold office until
the second Monday in March, 1926,
when the first meeting of stockhold
ers will be held. President Woll, Sec
retary-Treasurer Perkins, and five
members of the Board of Directors
were elected to constitute an execu
tive committee for the purpose of car
rying on the campaign for the sale
of stock and to arrange for the be
ginning of actual business in the
writing of insurance. They are in
structed to get the affairs of the
company in shape to do business as
on as $300,000 worth of the capi
tal stock has been subscribed for and
the money paid.
CANADUNUBOR
Declares War on Commun
ist Groups
By International Lebar News Service.
Montreal.—The ninth annual con
vention of the Quebec section of the
Canadian Labor Party declared itself
entirely opposed to the admission of
all Communist organizations, and in
structed the recall of charters t» such
organizations in its jurisdiction. The
Nova Scotia Labor Party has taken
similar action.
This brings the two provinces in
conflict with the national organization
of the Labor Party, which at a con
vention in Toronto a year or. so ago
admitted Communists.
The Quebec Labor Party objects to
the Communists because experience
has shown "that we of the labor
movement have had to suffer from
the destructive propaganda of the
Communist Party," and because "it is
a known fact that the Communist
Party is trying by all means to direct
the Canadian labor movement toward
the Revolutionary International at
Moscow."
MeClMjCDEQSION
Not Surprising In View of
His Record
Executive Committee Named
To Direct Selling of Stock
and Begin Actual Business
(By Frank Morrison, Secretary, Amer
ican Federation of Labor.)
The recent decision by Federal
Judge McClintic, West Virginia Dis
trict, that the miners' union is a vio
latioa, of the anti-tr^yaw, apd which
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HAMILTON, OHIO, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1925
Back on the Job
Matthew Woll and George W. Perkins
to Head Union Labor Insurance Co.
The five directors elected to serve
with the officers are members of the
executive committee are: Martin F.
Ryan, President of the Railway Car
Men of America James Lynch, Pres
ident of the International Typograph
ical Union Thomas E. Burke, Secre
tary-Treasurer of the United Asso
ciation of Plumbers and Steam Fit
ters Luther C. Steward, President of
the Fedex-ation of Federal Employes,
and Thomas Flaherty, Secretary
Treasurer of the National Federation
of Postoffice Clerks.
Home Offices at Capital.
The home offices of the new com
pany, which is incorporated under the
laws of Maryland, will be in Wash
ington, D. C.
Stock will be sold at $50 per share,
$25 of which will be applied to capital
stock and $25 of which will be sur
plus.
At the meeting here the by-laws of
the new company were approved. It
is provided that the membership of
the Board of Directors shall not ex
ceed 25, of which number three
fourths must be trade unionists be
longing to organizations affiliated to
the American Federation of Labor.
To Have Advisory Board
It is also provided that there shall
be an advisory board, to be composed
of 50 members who are either gen
eral officers or promiment members
of national or international unions or
newspapers allege is the reason why
no move will be made by Government
officials to adjust the anthracite
strike, is not surprising. Those who
have followed Judge McClintic's de
cisions in labor cases know his bias
and his disregard for justice and law.
Some one should remind Judge Mc
Clintic that the Clayton amendment
to the anti-trust law declares that
"the labor of a human being is not
a commodity or an article of com
merce." The purpose of this amend
ment is to acquaint injunction judges
with the fact that Congress makes
a distinction between a group of busi
ness men who would monopolize a
commodity and a group of human be
ings who would unite to improve their
working conditions.
Judge McClintic's attitude toward
labor is well known in his jurisdiction.
In 1922 he issued an injunction against
West Virginia striking miners from
erecting tent colonies on land they
had leased. This astounding writ was
set aside by the Federal Circuit Court
of Appeals.
WOMEN'S CONFER
ENCE CALLED BY
U. S. BUREAU
Washington.—Miss Mary Anderson,
head of the United States Women's
bureau, has issued a call for a wom
en's industrial conference to be held
here January 18 to 21. The bureau
is a unit of the department of labor.
The call states that no fewer than
8,500,000 women are occupied in
"gainful work in this country," ac
cording to government statistics, and
this nugnjwr is increasing $yery year.
of other labor organizations which
are not hostile to the A. F. of L.
This board is to meet at least once
a year. These arrangements, it is
stated, permit the railroad brother
hoods to be directly represented on
the advisory board and on the board
of directors.
Attention was directed by the of
ficers to the fact that these agree
ments provide for the bringing to
gether approximately 75 general of
ficers of national or international un
ions and of the railroad brotherhoods
to help guide the affairs of the com
pany.
To Be Ready for Business.
Pending the completion, of the
stock-selling campaign, the Executive
Committee is charged with the duty
of taking all steps necessary to put
the company on a casis of where it
will be prepared to operate as soon
as the necessary capital stock is sub
scribed and paid in. This includes
the preparation of policies, the estab
lishment cf rates, the perfecting of
an organization and the securing of
proper actuarial and medical service.
It is announced that all policies will
be issued on a profit-sharing basis
and that the company will provide
group insurance as well as indivdiual
insurance.
Sees Bright Future.
"Great interest and enthusiasm has
been aroused by the project through
out the entire trade union movement,"
said President Woll.
"Scores of letters have been re
ceived commending the enterprise
which I am sure will prove to be one
of the most remarkable developments
in the labor movement in recent
years."
ROCK DUST
Is Menace To Miners'
Health
Washington.—The menace of lung
diseases contracted by miners as the
result of breathing extremely fine
dust particles is again emphasized by
the United States Bureau of Mines.
The most important of these diseases
is silicosis, also known as miners'
phthisis, or miners' consumption which
caused by the breathing of rock
dust, especially fine silica.
Investigation by the Bureau of
Mines reveals that silicosis is pres
ent in many mining districts. In one
district 433 miners out of 720 exam
ined had silicosis. In another district
432 out of 1,018 examined were af
flicted. Men having silicosis are more
susceptible to tuberculosis than nor
mal men.
The bureau says this disease can be
eliminated if coal operators improve
working conditions.
WANT MORE KILL
INGS IN ANTHRA
CITE MINES
New York.—At the annual meeting
of the anti-union National Founders'
Association the Pennsylvania miners'
license law was condemned. Member*
of the association residing in that
state were, urged to work for its re
peal.
The law antedates the organization
of anthracite miners, and was passed
by the Pennsylvania Legislature to
reduce the killing of workers in an
thracite mines. As these mines are
gaseous, skill is necessary to operate
them. A miner must know how to
detect gas sad to protect
B1 International Labor News Service.
New York City.—The Building
Trades Council, on behalf of 120,000
workmen, representing 37 trades in
the metropolitan district, has pre
sented a new- wage scale to the em
ployers, which if granted, will ad
vance wages from 50 cents a day for
some crafts to $4 a day for others.
The Building Trades Employers'
Association rejected the demands and
instead offered to extend the present
wage scale through 1926.
Mediation in Prospect.
Mediation or arbitration is in pros
pect on the various demands, many
of the present agreements providing
for this adjustment of differences.
More important than any of the
wage demands, which would lift wage
vels to a new standard for the build
ing industry, is the demand for the
ive-day week.
The building crafts were the pi
oneers in the eight-hour movement,
tne carpenters being among the first
to win it. Then came the 44-hour
week, with the Saturday half-holiday.
The present four hours' work on Sat
urday is regarded as uneconomic in
view of the fact that the workers
have to travel nearly two hours that
day from far distant places where
they live to do four hours' work.
CRIME COMMISSION
Proposes Helpful and Con
structive Investigation,
Says Frayne
By International Labor News Service.
New York City.—"This is not a
man-hunting expedition," said Hugh
Frayne, labor member of the National
Crime Commission, to International
Labor News Service.
"It is a searching investigation of
the causes of the crime wave with the
view of making a finding and a recom
mendation that will be national in
scope to remedy the situation.
The executive committee at its first
session drew up a program of re
search. The labor view that eco
nomic causes have an important bear
ing on crime has been put forward
and will be considered as among the
most important factors in a grave
problem.
Anything that will advance the
economic and social standards, and
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New York Building Trades 3 i
In Plan For 5-Day Week Set
Pace For Nation's Toilers
NEPONSET
RUGS
With Border $ 1 AC
9x12 Size lv/«c70
Christmas Suggestions
Hoover Sweeper ^Estate Stove
Edison Phonograph Whittall Rug
Englander Da-Bed
Sellers Kitchen Cabinet
Kroehler Living Room Suite
Berkey and Gay Bed or Dining Room Suite
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ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR
Two Trade* Set Pace.
The bricklayers and stone masons
again are setting the pace, they being
the first to demand the five-day
week. The carpenters and several
other crafts have also asked for the
shorter work week. This if carried
out will be one of the greatest ad
vances in a generation for the build
ing unions.
In general the demand is for $12
a day for mechanics, and $9 a day
for helpers, although bricklayer's la
borers now receiving $8 a day are
asking for $10. As a general thing
the mechanics' wage at present is
$10.50 a day and the laborers between
$7 and $9. Among the lowest in
creases asked is by the elevator con
structor laborers, who want 50 cents
a day more. Other requests for in
cieases a^e for $1, $1.50, $2, $2.50
and $4 a uay.
The bricklayers' demand of $4 a
day more would bring their wage to
$16 a day.
To Get Collective Reply.
The various trade groups will ne
gotiate separately but the employers
will have a collective reply to all
through their association.
The building industry h^s enjoyed
great prosperity in the metropolitan
district ever since the war.
improve the moral outlook is of bene
fit to labor. We can not lose when
we co-operate in the work of the
crime commission.
"Among its first investigations is
the practice of the criminal courts, the
matter of easy bail, lack of co-ordina
tion of authorities, and failure to mete
out justice to convicted persons.
"When criminals go unpunished the
workers as much as anyone, are the
losers. We hope to remedy this evil
and tighten our judicial machinery as
well as to recommend a general pro
gram to diminish the motives that
promote crime."
THEATER WORKERS ENJOINED
K-R-E-B-S
THIRD and COURT STS.
6ash Your Christmas Checks Here
Pawtuckett, R. I.—Efforts to se
cure the reinstatement of a discharged
theater worker employed by the E.
M. Loew theatre has affected a dozen
Massachusetts cities. Superior Court
Judge Qua enjoined motion picture
operators, stage employes and musi
cians from "interfering" with the
business of the Loew concern.
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