The Gem worker and the Idaho labor herald., December 17, 1914, Image 1

About The Gem worker and the Idaho labor herald. (Boise, Idaho) 1914-1917

Image provided by: Idaho State Historical Society

                
Here is The Gem Worker—
Idaho's thriving and prosperous
labor paper—made so by the loyal
support of organized labor and the
generous patronage of Boise's bus
ness firms.
All indications are for
a prosper*
ous year in Boise and The Gem
Worker will do its share in the
publicity work that is essential to
"'ll
progress.
ltd !
JlnlwxtffillJ
À
A
m
AI
nta.
<;! I
• dll
And the IDAHO LABOR HERALD
BOISE, IDAHO, DECEMBER 17, 1914
Vol. II. No. 29. )
( $1.00 Per Year.
5c a Copy
Unemployment Is Cause of
Untold Misery and Suffering
Unemployment is the question
■which is uppermost in the thoughts of
everyone. Unemployment, the cause
of unfold suffering, has itself a cause,
therefore any effort to reduce unem
ployment, which does not take into
consideration the cause of involuntary
idleness will be at least partly wasted.
Our business system which demands
so much from the toilers and gives so
little in return is the chiefest cause of
unemployment.
Our country is suffering from the
fallacy of long hours and low wages.
No greater mistake can be made
than to attempt to lessen idleness by
reducing, wages, and every time it is
done the problem is made more dif
ficult to deal with.
There are a number of things that
can be done to help indirectly. What
would be the matter of organizing a
company to build a woolen mill in
WOULD END WIRE MONOPOLY
i ■
i ■
Washington.—"I expect to make an
effort, together with other members
of Congress, who have studied the
question, to bring up a bill to turn
the telephone system of the United
States over to the postoffice depart
ment, during the present session of
Congress, and I have reason to believe
hat we shall be able to pass it," said
Representative Lewis, a member of
aver
of mail matter
m
the labor group.
"The American postal service
aged 60.00U pieces
handled per employe, in 1913; 13.000,-|
000.000 in all.
The average cost to
or
URGES BOYS TO JOIN UNION
Detroit, Dec. 15.—In an address to
union newsboys, Judge Jeffries, the
j
well-known police court official of
this city,'said:
"The world has come to the point
where we must belong to some kind
of an organization in order to exist.
,, . .
Men m unions are getting high wages
because they are in an organization, j
j
they are an organization, j food and better clothing."
j
WANT STATE PRINTING OFFICE
The Typographical Union of Oma
ha, Neb., has appointed a committee
and started a campaign to develop
sentiment for a State printing office.
The law now provides for a printing
commissioner, and the typos ask that
this law' be extended so that the com
missioner will 'have control of all
THE NATION'S STRENGTH.
The average annual wage of indus
trial workers throughout the United
States is about $600 and 75 per cent
of them earn less.
The United States Commissioner of
Labor, when investigating labor
ditions after the strike at Lawrence,
Mass., in 1912, found that 7,275 of the
21,922 employes of the textile mills
earned less than $7.00 a week, even
working, full time—36 per cent of
them less.
These are the statist«:» that tell the
story of a nation's standing,' not the
'proud report of the banks.
A nation is just as rich as its poor
est class, as a chain is no stronger
, than its weakest link.
in
to
con
be
WIN LONG FIGHT.
The Retail Clerk's Association and
the Tailor's Union have won a victory
over a large clothing concern that
operates stores in Oakland, Cal., as
well as in Los Angeles and San Diego.
The contest has been a stubborn one
and has lasted for a year.
at
Most Boise business men are in
^sy mpathy with organized labor. Look
pHp^r our ads Mr. Laboring Man and
patronize the Herald's advertisers.
as
Boise. This industry alone would be
a big help to citizens of this locality
and furnish a pay-roll in the city
something that is much needed at this
time.
1
Public comfort stations could be
built now in preparation for the time
in the near future when they will be
an absolute necessity. Regardless of
when they are built, they are an asset
to the city and would provide work
at a time when so many of our citizens
are out of work and in distress from
lack of employment would be all the
more commendable.
These projects and others can be
gotten under way, and the city and
county will lose nothing and humanity
will be served. Every practicable and
desirable piece of work already antici
pated should be started, and what's
more, every citizen ought to interest
himself to that end.
the consumer was about 2 cents. Pri
vate monopoly would require from 5
cents to 10 cents for such service. In
June last the express companies were
losing about a ce.nt on each package
carried, on an average charge of about
50 cents. The same month parcel
post charged an average of 15 cents
for the^packages it carried, and after
paying all costs, including the rail
way pay, has some 3 cents profit left
! on each package. Telephone com
j munication is in the same class as ex
j press service.
It is a natural mono
poly, and must be in the hands of the
public to be either cheap or efficient."
They are getting wise, and they are
' earn ' n g that by combination they
can get better conditions,
j as you come together, one, two and
The world
You boys.
is
culm '* ,ltc fortnlpijs and don t know
how to spend them.
is to let all have hetter home8> >better
j food and better clothing."
j three, help yourselves.
on longer beginning to rate men
by physical strength. Some men ac
What we want
State printing.
Idaho would do well to look into*
the matter of a State printing, office.
California has her own printing plant
and it has proved a good investment
for the people of the state by
them thousands of dollars on the text
books of the state alone.
y
-
saving
LABOR MEN DONATE.
The members of tile Boise Trades
and Labor council have shown them
selves to be Good Fellows by donat
ing $25 to the Associated Charities
in answer to their appeal for help for
the needy so they may have
fortable Christmas.
Workers have appointed a committee
to look up some needy folks, and the
will play Santa Claus to them.
a com
The Electrical
... . .
Atlanta.—Distinct improvement was
reported by attending physicians to
day in the condition of Arthur Bris
bane, the editor, who has been
ously ill from intestinal trouble here
for several days. Mr. Brisbane has
been removed to a hospital, where hisi
physicians, after a consultation early
today, decided an operation would not
be necessary unless some more seri
ous complications developed.
BRISBANE MUCH BETTER.
sen
CARPENTERS TAKE NOTICE.
We have a communication from the
Great Falls Building Trades Council
at Great Falls. Montana
warning car
penters to stay away from that city
as there are more men than jobs.
THE TRUE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
/ MD iSOAT£r
neues HOAssy
I, TO <Sf*£:ALC>.
"1
be
V
be
be
of
be
a'i
!
m
<n
h
tï'/iVî"
f
V
\ .
'/
it,
»
ii
■ zm
n>
«
pr
Is
\ «
A
7:
,!!
U
V
W*
LIFEDEPE NDS UPON UNIONISM
Indianapolis, Dec. 15.—In an edi-l
torial on "Government Statistics Show I
!
" 1 lle vcr<lict of the kroner's jury
in over half the cases of death from
accidcnts in the coal mines should j
be. Death was due to lack of organi- j
Life Depends on Unionism," the
United Mine Workers' Journal says
.
zation.'
"Alabama, where they will tell you
the operators lay awake nights figur
ing how best to advance the welfare
of the miners, but where they have
crushed out the union, killed eighty
four, as against twenty-five in Indi
ana, where the organization is 100
per cent strong; where the miners
are able to safeguard their own in
terests, to a great extent, and to con
duct their own welfare work.
NEEDS JUSTICE, NOT GUSH PROFESSIONAL LIST GROWS
Pittsburg.—What
mankind needs
Pittsburg.—What
mankind needs
is more justice and less love, said
j the Rev. C. R. Zahniger, in a sermon
in this city. "Justice and love are not
comparable," said the speaker. "They |
are not in the same category.
is a function of the mind, of soul;
justice is a characteristic of the ac
Love
tions and relations of man to man. To
talk about substituting justice for love
is like proposing to adjust the mach
inery of a mill so well that there
would be no need of engines or power
plant.
"The type of love we are needing is
that which expresses itself in justice
rather than in cheSp, gushing senti
mentality. I he world is sick and tired
of the love tha. sends toys to a sick
child and opposes child labor laws.
gives nickels to cripples and opposes I
, workmen's compensation, or 'pities'
I the poor and grinds labor below a liv-!
ing wage. Constructive service is in-;
:
j deed what the world is sorely needing,
] But Biat 's the kind of love for which
Christianity stands." j
-•
1
I
Battle Creek.—The followers of the
STIR UP HORNETS NEST SURYEY ALASKA RAILWAY
Washington—Chairman Edes, of
I
Battle Creek.—The followers of the
Dan Cupid are rushing, to the support
I of the Iitt,e Kem because the *>orad of
I e<ll »cation has put its ban on weddings
among school teachers. The practice
is verging on an epidemic, and the
authorities have resolved to stop it
by ordering the county clerk to refuse
marriage licenses to any young wo
man employed in the schools, on the
ground that the brides-to-be are "con
tract-breakers." The county clerlj is
"dared" to do his worst by parties of
the first part.
"Colorado, as usual, presents a
I terrible high per ccntage. With less
than 10,000 miners employed her
! death list is fifty-two, as compared
with twenty-four in Iowa, with some
20,000 miners employed,
"Compare Illinois, with her 82,
j 000 miners; 111 fatalities, an unus
j " a,, y lar K e number for Illinois, with
West Virginia, partially organized
only, with 468 fatalities.
"The evidence is here that the or
ganization is directly responsible for
the savings of lives of the miners,
and those who have worked under
union and non-union conditions can
testify as to the vastly better sani
tation in the union mines.
"If other reasons were lacking, the
labor union has fully justified its ex
istence by the fact that it to can be
traced the saving of life and health."
.
Washington.—In ten years the list
of persons engaged in professional
pursuits in thir'fcountry has increased
500,000 according to figures given out
| by the federal census bureau. In 1910
with 1.258,538 in 1900.
the number was 1.825,127, compared
Of those en
gaged in professional occupations in
1910, 1,151,709 were males and 673,
418 females. This compares with 827,
per cent.
women to every seven men engaged in
professional service, a large propor
tion of the women being teachers,
Some of the noteworthy increases
I follows: Architects, males 110.5, fe
males 200.7; literary and scientific per
sonSi ma)es ]0 2.9, females 126.0; ac
tors, '■bales 95.0, females 88.1. The
941 males and 430,597 females in 1900.
During the decade the proportion of
males decreased in the professions
from 65.8 to 63.1 per cent, while that
of females increased from 34.2 to 36 9
In 1910 there were four
smallest increase was in the number
of lawyers, being males 6.5 and fe
j ] 33 0
the commission named by Secretary
of the Interior Lane to select routes
for the proposed government—owned
railroad in Alaska, has returned to
this city after a field survey, and is
now perparing a report on prospective
routes. It is believed the commission
will also recommend the government
taking over the Copper River or the
Alaska Northern railroad.
it
Strikebreakers Will Now Have
Opportunity to Join the Union
Denver, Colo.—Strikebreakers
working in the Colorado coal mines
will be given an opportunity to join
the United Mine Workers of Ameri
now that the strike has been called
off, according to John R. Lawson,
Colorado member of the executive
board of the organization. Mr. Law
son said today that many of the miners
brought into the state by the
tors had been for some time
to join the strike, but that the organi
zation had not thought it wise to en
courage them to quit their jobs.
A convention of District IS, United
Mine Workers, votçd last night to
call the strike off, effective December
10. 1914.
I
i'll.
opera
anxious
The tent colonies will be continued
for the present, according to Law
"The tents belong to the union,"
son.
EQUAL SUFFRAGE TO EXPAND
Washington.—Ev.en in. the
states '
where woman's suffrage was, defeated j
last month, the largest vote ever cast :.! su
for the suffrage cause was recorded,!
...
butt rage association, in a statement,
on the recent elections.
says the National American Woman 1
i
i
The statement also says:
"A summary of the results of the No-I'
and Montana to the I
number of suffrage states gives equal |
suffrage an opportunity to compete j
for seven more electoral votes,
franchises 99,881
vember elections shows that the addi- j
tion of Nevada
en- j
women, increases the or
WAR BUGET IS GREATEST, YET
Washington.— Appropriations
gregating $104,124,512, to Æarry the
army through the coming year, are
proposed in estimates which the war
department has completed for sub
mission to Congress. This is
crease'of $3,105,300 over the total
ried by the army bill for the current
year, although reductions are made in
the allowances for many branches of
the service.
ag
an m
car
warships.
WIRELESS USED TO RUN TRAINS
Scranton, Pa., Dec. 15.—After a six
month's trial, officers of the Dela
ware, Lackawana & Western railroad
announce that they will replace the
wire system of telegraphy for wire
less telegraphy in the operation of !
their passenger trains between Hobo- I
HE WAS FIRED—NIT.
One of the bosses at Baldwin's
Locomotive Works bad to lay off
argumentative Irishmen named '
Pat. so he saved discussion by put
ting the discharge in writing,
next day Pat was missing,
week later the boss was passing
through the shop and lie saw him
an
The
but a
again at his lathe. Going up to the
Irishman, he demanded fiercely:
"Didnft you get my letter?"
"Yis, sir, Oi did," said Pat.
"Did you read it?"
"Sure, sir, Oi read it inside and Oi
read it outside, and on the inside yez
said Oi was fired, and on the outside
yez said, 'Return to Baldwin's Loco
motive Workks in five days.'"
FINED FOR "CRIMPING."
New York—James J. McNantkra,
one of New York's most prominent
shipping masters, was fined $7.50 in
the federal district court for "crimp
ing," the term used by sailors when
money is taken from them With the
understandirfg they will be given jobs.
One of MeNamara's agents was held
in $1,500 bond.
Eat Brink's New Home Made bread.
A stick of candy with every loaf.
he explained, "but they are the only
homes the men have and they will
be loaned to them until they are able
to secure work."
J. F. Welborn, president of the
Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, is
sued a formal statement on the ter
mination of the strike.
"The calling off of the strike,
almost 15 months old, is naturally a
for general satisfaction. It
must, however, be borne in mind that: '
"First, the general trade conditions
made it impossible for the mining
companies to give immediate or early
employment to all of the strikers who
have been connected with any viol
ence, though we will reemploy such »
men as fast as vacancies occur or
nimproved trade conditions make it
possible."
It follows:
now
cause
' amount of suffrage territory by 256,
j 901 square miles, and increases the
su ^ ra 8 e population by 457,928.
Iul1 e ' luaI suffrage now prevails
over 1,738,Off square miles of the
United States, or nearly one-half of
the total area,
1
i "Woman now have an equal
i with men casting ninety-one electoral
voice
0 '?' ° r m ° re ,han onc - sixth of the
total number in the electoral college.
* The total population of the full
I equal suffrage states is now 8,253,240.
| "The total population of the
j where women
j
states
can vote for the Presi
j dent of the United States is 13,531.831,
or 15 per cent of the total population."
A new item of $150,000 for purchase
of automatic rifles is asked,
gether $2.900,000 is sought for ammu
nition.
Alto
For field artilery for the
ganized malitia $2(090,(MO is asked,
$2,100,000 having been appropriated
last year.
or
The estimates of the navy exceeds
year's total of $145,000,000 by
about $1,000,1X10.
last
This department
also wants an increase of 240 addition
al officers and about 4,600 men to fully
equip American warships.
ken, N. J., this city and Binghamp
ton, N. Y.
ft is said that the com
pany is equipping a wireless station
in Buffalo, and when this is in opera
tion will be able to communicate direct
! from its western terminal to its east
I ern terminal, Hoboken.
DEPUTIES SLIP ONE OVER ON
ORGANIZED CHARITIES.
The deputies in the sheriff's office
' were so touched with a case of destitu
tion which came to their notice Wed
nesday that they did not wait for the
Associated Charities.
ln fifteen min
utes Deputy Champlin had collected
$12.50 from the employes of the court
house and in another fifteen minutes
it was expended in groceries for a
family living out of the city, consist
ing of a sick father, a mother and
sesren children, five of whom have re
cently recovered from typhoid fever.
The family was absolutely desti
tute, tile children not even having
shoes and their story as told to the
county commissioners was too much
for the tender hearted deputies. The
family will need much more than the:
money collected Wednesday to make
it comfortable but the immediate
cessities were secured through the
money collected.
iif
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
The Typographical Union of Wash
ington, D. C., has appointed
mittee to arrange a celebration in
honor of its one hundredth annivers
ary. The event will take place Sun
day, January 10, 1915.
a com-