The Butler County press. [volume], April 26, 1929, Image 1

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

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
4|h
VOL. XXIX. No. 3
Strikes in the southern textile in
dustry will probably mark the end of
blurbs that this "native American
stock" can not be interested in "for
eign agitators who foment unrest by
organizing trade unions."
This indictment is wrong on two
counts:
First, the American trade union is
distinct from any other trade union in
the world. In this country organized
workers depend upon themselves,
rather that attempt to "capture" the
government that will be run by a few
"leaders" who hand down blessings
from above.
Second, economy necessity, rather
than "agitators," is the base of Amer
ican trade unions.
Our opponents can't—or won't—un
derstand that workers join trade
unions only after they are convinced
individual effort has failed.
Our opponents are the real trade
union organizers. Low wages, long
hours and speed up systems in the
southern textile industry again proves
that the Bourbon never learns.
These southern workers are the
last of old-time Americans. They
"knew nothing of trade unionism until
they became industrialized. Then
they realized that the exploiting em
ployer cares nothing for sex, nation
ality, creed or politics.
Then they awakened to the fact
that employers and allies play on
their prejudices and their fears to
keep them from the unions.
LOCAL RESPONSI
BILITY
One of the measuring rods which
organized labor must constantly ap
ply is that of growth and strength.
So long as there are unorganized
workers in its jurisdiction the union
has a problem in increasing its mem
bership. The responsibility for this
work rests primarily upon the offi
cers and membership of that union.
It is a mistake to expect any central
organization to carry on the local
work. No organization has sufficient
staff, and even if it had it would be
a distinct loss through depriving lo
cals of opportunity for growth. In
stead of writing to a central office to
send someone to do this work, the
union should find out what is to be
done and what resources it has to
meet the problem. Any central offi
cer is only too glad to supplement
local initiative by sending someone
to counsel and by supplying organ
izing and educational literature.
With the help of suggestions and
information, the local union can usu
ally deal with its own problems. One
thing both central and local officials
should have constantly in mind—to
be on watch for manifestations of
ability in all members, so that the
union may help develop such ability
and have its additional service for
the promotion of the cause of labor.
There is an old adage that ex
presses a very large element of truth:
If you want a thing well done, do it
yourself. The local labor movement
must be primarily responsible for lo
cal organizing work. Inspiration,
counsel and aid may come from out
side sources, but the main burden
rests upon the local group.
LINCOLN'S FAIRNESS
In 1864 the printers struck on the
Democrat and Republican, of St.
AAA
y
Industrial Bourbons
Force Workers to Unite
ALL WOOL
LATEST STYLES
Tailored to Measure
UNION MADE
VVVV v
The experience of southern textile
workers is the experience of every in
dustrialized section.
Deportation of two trade union of
ficials from Elizabethton is another
phase of the historic opposition to
organized labor.
Northern anti-union employers, as
a rule, abandoned this outlawry and
have substituted opiates known as the
company "union" and shop represen
tation.
These permit the employer to tell
his "hands" they, are getting some
thing without effort—a claim that is
contrary to human experience.
The company "union" is supported
by the "yellow dog" and the labor
injunction—two powers which will be
removed as organized labor exposes
the injustice of the government aid
ing employers.
The company "union" is a polite
form of thuggery. It is deceptive.
It takes no part in the social and
economic life of the nation. It is
silent against wrong. It drugs work
ers, as did the so-called "open" shop
and the "American plan."
These systems have the same back
ground—control of the workers and
a denial of their right to act col
lectively.
The anti-union employer yields just
in proportion to the determination of
workers to unite and have a voice in
working conditions.
Louis. That was in war times. Gen
eral Rosencrans was in command at
St. Louis. He detailed a number of
soldiers who were printers to take the
strikers' places. The union printers
sent in a report of the condition of
affairs to President Lincoln. The
answer returned was as follows:
"Order those soldiers back to duty
in the ranks. The servants of the
federal government shall not inter
fere with legitimate demands of la
bor as long as 1 am president."—
Abraham Lincoln.
ARE YOU
Did you, as an individual, ever get
invited to a legislative hearing? Did
any political party ever ask you, as
an individual, to help it make out its
program? Were you ever individually
consulted as to the desirability of a
particular law? The chances are, if
you are a working man, that you
never have been and never will be
asked about these things as an indi
vidual.
Wage earners can make their
voices heard in these things by acting
collectively. There is no other way.
The- Ohio State Federation of La
bor is simply the organized workers
of the state. It is a working man's
organization, with headquarters two
blocks from the state house. Its
business is to make you heard.
SIGN WRITERS WINNING
Detroit, Mich. Organized sign
writers are defeating a lockout order
by the anti-union Sign Manufactur
ers' Association. The union reports
that 21 agreements have been reach
ed with individual employers.
The union man who has never en
joyed the thrill of boosting the union
label has as yet to learn what real
pleasure is.
*i*
$••••••••••
19
(Copyright, w. N. U.)
*1**1*
*i**i**i**i**i**i**i+*x++i+
«$•
MEN! YOU CAN'T GO WRONG
ON THESE HAND-TAILORED, READY-TO-WEAR
SUITS A LOOK WILL CONVINCE YOU—AND THE
PRICE WILL SUIT YOUR POCKETBOOK.
$
.50
ALSO
$
29
.50
See Our Window Display
Up-T
o-Date Tailors
NEW LOCATION 115 SOUTH THIRD ST.
PLEASE MENTION THIS PAPER WHEN BUYING
Kli/.abethton, Torn. (I. L. N. S.)
First steps toward actually getting
the prosecuting machinery of the state
under way in the famous kidnaping
cases of Edward F. McGrady and Al
fred Hoffman, will be taken early in
June, when the grand jury meets in
regular session.
McGrady, representative of Presi
dent William Green, of the A. F. of
L., and Hoffman, southern organizer
for the United Textile Workers, were
taken from their hotel by an armed
mob and deported' from the state as
an aftermath of the big Glanzstoff
and Bemberg mills strike here.
The mill situation here is quiet.
Workers discharged following the
strike gradually are being restored to
their old jobs through negotiation be
tween union officers and mill offi
cials. President Thomas F. McMahon,
of the United Textile Workers, is ex
pected here at the end of this week.
He will, it is understood, remain sev
eral (lavs.
Conference at Greensboro
Greensboro, N. C. (I. L. N. S.)
Thirty-eight labor leaders of the
state, including officials and execu
tive committee members of the State
Federation of Labor, met here on
Sunday to confer with President
Thomas F. McMahon, of the United
Textile Workers of America. Edward
F. McGrady came from Elizabeth
ton, Tenn., to attend as the represen
tative of Piesident William Green, of
EXTRA TROUSERS
TO MATCH ONLY
$4.50
ANY STYLE
PERFECT FIT
•t*
7
7
i
7
7
7
7
THE BUTLER COUNTY PRESS.
Textile Organizing Headquarters to Be Estab
lished in Greensboro Under President Thomas
F. McMahon—Conference is Held With Gov
ernor for Survey of Labor Conditions Through
out North Carolina.
HAMILTON, OHIO, FRIDAY, APRIL 26,1929
Assistance
RR
Grand Jury to Get Kidnap
Cases in E Sessi
ion
the American Federation of Labor.
A tremendous state organizing
drive was planned. Pi-esident McMa
hon agreed to open state drive head
quarters here in charge of a southern
organizer in charge. The State Fed
eration of Labor will name the man,
it was announced. Offices will be
opened later in other principal cities
of the state.
A plan for a general organizing
drive for this city was outlined to the
conference by Mr. McGrady, who, in
addition to serving here as President
Green's personal representative, is a
member of the A. F. of L. legislative
committee, with headquarters in
Washington. The plans in detail for
the state drive will be outlined and
initial steps taken within the next
few days.
Following the conference of state
labor leaders, President McMahon and
Organizer McGrady held a long con
ference with the governor of the
state, in which labor and industrial
conditions throughout the state were
examined.
All members of the conference of
trade unionists were enthusiastic
about the forthcoming oi-ganizing
drive. It was predicted that it will
be one of the most successful state
organizing campaigns ever waged.
Heds Exploit Gastonia
Gastonia, N. C. (I. L. N. S.)—The
red unit is still here. Mill operators
have thus far played into their hands
by refusing to take an intelligent
position. The Gastonia Gazette, how
ever, senses the situation and has
urged mill owners to recognize the
United Textile Workers of America.
WHAT WOULD YOU
SAY?
What would your answer be if an
unorganized worker told you that he
did not belong to a union for one of
the following reasons:
1. He is getting union wages as it
is.
2. He belongs to a union organized
by his company.
3. He doesn't like to pay union
dues.
4. He thinks that no benefit can
come to the worker until the whole
economic system is changed.
5. He works in an open shop.
6. There is no local in town.
It wouldn't be a bad plan to think
over the answers in advance. Write
the Ohio State Federation of Labor
for suggestions if any of the answers
stump you.
NIGHT WORK
WOMEN
FOR
The United States differs strikingly
from the practice of the largest part
of the rest of the civilized world in
its lack of laws prohibiting night
work for women, according to a new
bulletin just issued by the women's
bureau of the*United States depart
ment of labor. Only in 16 of our
tates at the present time are there
any prohibitory laws, and these in
many cases are limited to one or at
most a very few occupations. Where
as in 36 other countries of Europe
and Asia practically complete prohi
bition prevailed at the end of 1927.
MILK DRIVERS UNITE
Portland, Ore.—Milk wagon drivers
are uniting. They are aided by repre
sentatives of the Brotherhood of
Teamsters.
There is one characteristic out
standing in the label booster—he fully
appreciates the benefits of trade
unionism.
Read the Press.
Third
Washington.—Organized labor fill
ed the auditorium in the department
of the interior building in this city
at a hearing before the federal radio
commission to grant a full wave
length to Station WCFL ,owned and
controlled by the Chicago Federation
of Labor.
The hearing developed into one of
the finest defenses of organized la
bor ever presented by trade unionists.
Under the law wave lengths are
issued on the basis of "public inter
est, necessity and convenience," and
the representatives of labor lifted
their cause out from the dollar-and
cents standard and showed that it is
woven into our national fabric.
The unionists refused to concede
hat the labor movement is compar
able with organizations of capitalists
or that the workers only have the
profit urge while they protest
against every wrong that affects all
workers.
The witnesses included Frank Mor
rison, secretary A. F. of L. Matthew
Wo|l, vice president A. F. of L.
Thomas Kennedy, secretary United
Mine Workers Miss Zelma Borchard,
vice president American Federation
of Teachers Victor A. Olander, sec
retary-treasurer Illinois Federation of
Labor, and Patrick F. Sullivan, presi
dent Chicago Building Trades Council.
The workers were opposed by Sta
tion KFAB, Lincoln, Neb., and Station
WBBM, Chicago. These have the
same wave length that labor asks.
\ttorneys for the two stations at
impted to prove that the unionists'
request was not in the "public in
terest," and was merely urged by a
group of citizens. The workers' rep
resentatives were more than a match
for these attorneys, who were una
ware of organized labor's long serv
ice record that the trade unionists
presented.
The latter declared that the labor
movement is inseparable from the na
tion's social, economic and cultural
development and that its purpose and
policies must be understood.
"We stand in the front rank as
leaders of social progress, and to sup
port this claim we present our rec
ord," said Vice President Woll. The
unionist insisted that labor's message
is in the public interest, and that
workers should have a clear channel,
rather than stand hat in hand wait
ing to be heard on a wave length con
trolled by a department stoi'e or a
public utility.
NEW
Atwater Kent
$40 Trade-In Allowance
FOR YOUR OLD
RADIO or PHONOGRAPH
Model 42
Speaker ..
Tubes ..
Cabinet ..
Allowance
Workers Ask Full Wave Length
Unions Are "In Public Interest"
86.00
20.00
17.00
$ 55.00
$178.00
40.00
$138.00
Quick Action Required Call or Phone Today
This is Special Introductory Offer on Atwater Kent's NEW RADIO.
Every set fully guaranteed. We want you to know of the greater
radio pleasure with the NEW ATWATER KENT RADIO. On Terms.
Now is the Time to Trade in Your Old Instrument!
KREBS
v ft '•'-*,
ONE DOLLAR PER YEAR
In answer to a query by the chair
man of the commission if the union
ists intended to use such wave length
for propaganda purposes, Hope
Thompson, attorney for the workers,
frankly declared for the right of all
groups to urge their ideals.
"There can be no progress without
argument," said Mr. Thompson. "We
believe in propaganda. If you check
controversy, you put a damper on in
telligence."
The commission will make its rul
ing after it has considered the testi
mony.
WHY AMERICAN BOYS
SHUN THE
He said the government merchant
marine has failed largely because of
the inability to obtain men of the
right type to man its ships. He advo
cated recruiting offices similar to the
navy.
Captain Freid's theory has long
been urged by the International Sea
men's Union, whose motto is: "Sea
power is in the seamen ships are
only tools."
The finest vessel afloat can not
operate without skill, but American
boys will not go to sea when com
pelled to work a 12 and 14-hour day
and sleep in the forecastle with Asi
atics. The navy secures Amercian
boys because they are treated as
Americans.
A few days before Captain Freid
made his statement a merchant ma
rine conference in Washington was
attended by ship owners, ship build
ers and government officials.
The one cry at this conference was
"Money." Financial aid from the
government was urged in every con
ceivable form, and even included the
suggestion that the government build
merchant ships and hand them over
to private operators.
Not one suggestion on the value of
man power or good working condi
tions was hear.
And yet people wonder why Amer
ican boys shun the sea.
No matter HOW old it
IS ... no matter WHAT
make it is ... no matter
how much or how little
it cost you .. WE WILL
ALLOW YOU $40.00
(FORTY DOLLARS)
for it.
For Limited Time
Only!
Latest Models
in the New
Atwater Kent
In the Finest of Specially
Designed Pooley Quality
Cabinets
OUR ALLOTMENT IS SMALL!
Court
".MS
SEA
Captain George Freid, of the steam
ship America told officials of the
United States shipping board, and
other dinner guests who assembled
in his honor, that "the greatest need
of the American merchant marine is
men—enough men and the right
men."