The labor advocate. [volume], September 11, 1915, Page 3, Image 3

About The labor advocate. [volume] (Cincinnati, Ohio) 1912-1937

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
THE LABOR ADVOCATE
-.
"The Labor Movement Will
Not Tolerate Secession"
Washington. Officers of the Ameri
can Federation of Labor have forward
ed the following letter to international
unions, after repeated failures by Presi
dent Gompers and the executive coun
cil to induce the "United Hebrew
Trades" of Xew York City to desist
from harboring and maintaining seced
ers from the trade union movement :
Washington, August 21, 1013.
The United Garment Workers of
America has, since its formation, been
in full affiliation to the American Fed
eration of Labor. Due to its efforts,
aided by the American Federation of
Labor and its affiliated unions, the sweat
shop system has been practically driven
from the trade. 1 lours of labor have
been reduced, wages increased, and other
improvements secured. Despite these
achievements and the necessity for unity,
a few locals seceded from the parent
organization and' undertook and estab
lished an isolated and independent or
ganization. They made alliance with the
Journeymen Tailors' Union of America,
under the title of "Amalgamated Cloth
ing Workers." Later the Journeymen
Tailors' Union of America, by direction
of the convention of the American Fed
eration of Labor, by referendum vote,
withdrew from that alliance.
The entire situation regarding the ac
tion of this secession movement was
considered by the Philadelphia conven
tion of the A. F. of L. Secession was
frowned down upon and the convention
declared that no recognition should be
given to the seceding locals from the
United Garment Workers.
A few of these seceding locals were
represented in the United Hebrew
Trades, a central organization of unions,
the major portion of the membership of
which were made up of Hebrews. Both
the American Federation of Labor and
the Central Federated Union of Xew
York, the chartered central body in Xew
York and vicinity, encouraged the work
of the United Hebrew Trades for the
assistance they could render to organize
the newly arrived Hebrew immigrants,
to familiarize them somewhat with the
practice and the ideals of the American
trade union movement. So long as the
United Hebrew Trades carried on that
work, they were encouraged. It resulted,
however, in the United Hebrew Trades
not only harboring, but encouraging and
maintaining in every way the secessioii
movement from the United Garment
Workers of America and defying the de
cisions, laws and declarations of the
American Federation of Labor.
Desirous of avoiding conllict and ac
complishing the best results without fric
tion, the executive council of the Ameri
can Federation of Labor directed Presi
dent Gompers to appear before the
United Hebrew Trades and to endeavor,
by conciliatory policy and address, to ac
complish the trade union results. The
address was made by him. Conferences
were held by him with all parties in in
terest. The matter dragged along for
months. The request for the compliance
with the decision was postponed from
time to time without an encouraging
word that compliance would be had.
The last request in regard to this was
made for the meeting of the United
Hebrew Trades to act upon on August
10, and again it was denied.
Queer Creatures.
There arc microscopic creatures which
live in roof gutters and on the bark of
trees and are known as water bears
and wheel animalculae. If allowed to
dry up under the microscope they can
be seen to shrivel into shapeless masses,
which may be kept for years uninjured
in the dried state. On being placed, af
ter this long interval, in water they
gradually plump up, resume their proper
shape and move about in search of food
just as if nothing had happened. Much
of the same is true for the minute
worms which, from the substances in
which they live, are known as paste and
vinegar eels. Westminster Gazette.
Know Yourself.
If you're not succeeding have a heart
to heart talk with yourself. Maybe you
haven't so many brains as you imagine,
or maybe you don't know how to use
them to get results. Have a ten minute
talk with yourself every night, and dp
it in the coldest blooded way you possi
bly can. Every little failure of the day
should be analyzed; every opportunity
you have let pass you uncaught should
be used as a club on your brain. Then
avoid those errors tomorrow.
Too Strenuous.
"Jack," said a friend to a patrolman
vho had just turned in a report about
:i man taken ill on the street, "what did
you say was the matter with the man
in your report?"
"I reported," said the patrolman, with
all the dignity of an accurate diagnosis,
"that he had fell down in an athalctic
fit." Baltimore American.
It is quite evident that the "United
Hebrew Trades" no longer regards itself
as an auxiliary body of temporary ex
istence which shall ultimately become
part of the American labor movement
in time, but as permanent, independent
institutions in rivalry and conllict with
the chartered central bodyof Xew York,
the Central Federated Union. The latter
body has protested against such rival
and hostile acts and demanded that, un
less the United Hebrew Trades would
unseat the seceding locals, the local un
ions belonging to international unions
and to the American Federation of La
bor should be instructed to withdraw
from representation in the United 1 le
brew Trades.
As has already been said, every effort
was made, every honorable proposition
was submitted, conferences held, a policy
of conciliation urged, all to be utterly,
ilatfootcdly rejected, and procrastina
tion in order to avoid a compliance with
an intelligent, earnest effort on the part
of the American Federation of Labor to
secure unity, fraternity and solidarity
among the ordinary force of labor in
and around Xew York.
The constitution of the American
Federation of Labor provides that it is
the duty of all national and international
unions 'and the American Federation of
Labor itself to instruct their local un
ions to join chartered central bodies,
which duty precludes the right of locals
of internationals and. of the American
Federation of Labor to be represented
in a central body which is not chartered.
Now, in view of the fact that the
United Hebrew Trades is a rival, and
therefore a hostile body to the charter
ed central body of Xew York and vicin
ity, the Xew York Central Federated
Union, because the United Hebrew
Trades harbored and encouraged and
gave recognition, support and co-operation
to seceding locals from the United
Garment Workers of America, an inter
national union affiliated to the American
Federation of Labor:
All international unions having local
unions which have representation in the
United Hebrew Trades of Xew York,
are hereby called upon to perform their
duty as prescribed in the constitution
of the American Federation of Labor,
and in compliance with the laws, deci
sions and declarations of the Philadel
phia, convention to direct that such local
mucins' 'withdraw from the United 'He
brew Trades of Xew York.
The labor .movement of America is
large, influential and comprehensive and
powerful. This continent of ours is also
large and extensive, but in all of the con-,
tineut there is no place for two rival,
hostile organizations of labor.
Secession is intolerable and must be
frowned down upon.
Secession and division means playing
in the hands of labor's common enemy,
frittering away the rights and interests
of the toilers.
Please give this matter your prompt
attention, action and reply, and oblige,
yours fraternally,
Exixutivi: Council oi tih: Amkiiican
Fkiikhatio.v of Laiiok.
liy Sa.muix Gompkks,
Pres't American Federation of Labor.
Attest :
Fuank Mokkisox, Secretary.
lili-tli of the Theater.
The theater is the creation of the an
cient Greeks. The drama, in the true
sense of the word, was born in Athens
immediately after the great victory over
the Persians, B. C. 300-180. The famous
Dionysiac theatre at Athens was com
pleted about B. C. 3-10. Rome was never
much on the theater. In Rome there
was far too much real tragedy every
day, so that the people had no occasion
to mimic it on the stage. It was as late
as B. C. 154 when the first permanent
playhouse was erected in Rome by Cass
ius. Even as late as B. C. 53 Ponipcy
had all he could do to make the theater
popular in the Eternal City. New York
American.
The Way to Cain Klesh.
Little Fish Are flies fattening?
Big Fish Very. You will weigh two
pounds more after eating one. New
York Sun.
Poetry.
Poetry is the record of the best and
happiest moments of the happiest and
best minds. Shelley.
Kusily Understood.
"Do you understand French?" "At
times." "At times! When?" "When I
talk it to myself." Exchange.
Itniii ami the Seot.
Dr. John Watson (Ian Maclarcn)
said: "Never ask a Scotchman if it is
raining. I never heard a Scot admit that
rain was falling. What I have heard
him say is that if it goes on as it is
now it will turn out wet."
EXTEND EIGHT-HOUR RULE
Washington. Acting Secretary of the
Xavy Franklin D. Roosevelt, has sustain
ed the position of the A. F. of L. metal
trades department that the federal eight
hour law should apply to torpedo boat
engines manufactured by subcontractors.
The law gives heads of government de
partments power to buy supplies in the
ojien market regardless of the hours em
ployed in the manufacture of these sup
plies. The unionists have held that tor
pedo boat engines are built under special
specifications and are not a commodity
as generally understood.
Acting Secretary Roosevelt has sus
tained this position and has written the
following letter to Secretary Ilerres of
the mctal trades department.
"Referring to your inquiry of the 10th
instant concerning the department's de
cision on the question as to whether the
construction by the Xew London Ship
and Fngine Company, as subcontractors
of the Flectric Boat Company of the
engines for submarine boats for the
navy is to be regarded as eight-hour
work, I have to advise you that on the
10th instant the department addressed
to the Flectric lloat Company a letter,
saying:
"Heretofore the department, following
opinions of a preceding attorney gen
eral, has held that the engines for sub
marines under construction by your sub
contractor, the Xew London Shin and
Fngine Company, were excepted from
the eight-hour rule by the second sec
tion of the act, as being materials or
articles that may usually be purchased
in the open market and not of a kind
customarily manufactured by the gov
ernment, hut the view of the attorney
general set forth in said opinion makes
it plain, as you will see upon perusal
thereof, that the engines of submarines
fall within the eight-hour restriction, and
not within the exceptions therefrom of
the second section of the act.
"It is requested that you inform your
subcontractor, the Xew London Ship
and Fngine Company, of the foregoing
and instruct that company to observe
the requirement of the eight-hour law
in the construction of the engines they
arc now building for submarine boats
under contract with you for the navy."
SECURING EIGHT-HOUR DAY
Bridgeport. Conn. Through the ef
forts of A. F. of L. organizers, thou
sands of working girls in this city arc
included in the eight-hour movement.
Nearly 4.000 of these workers employed
by the Warner Brothers' Company se
cured the shorter work day after a short
strike.
The La Resista Corset Company has
signed a similar agreement with its em
ployes and rates will be adjusted so
that these girls will receive the same
pay for forty-eight hours that they for
merly received for fifty-live. Other gains
include thread at cost, no charge for re
pairs, and recognition of the shop com
mittee. Women employes of the Crown Cor
set Company and the George Batcheller
Company has secured concessions.
Women core makers employed by the
Crane Company have secured the eight
hour day, a 10 per cent wage increase
and recognition of their shop committee.
Men workers arc continuing their
eight-hour progress and many interna
tional unions have assigned organizers
to assist in this work.
Three strikes in as many boiler shops
were settled by the management grant
ing the 50-hour week in place of the
55-hour schedule, effective about a month
hence, when contracts can be adjusted
on that basis.
The absence of armies of strikebreak
ers has made it possible for the numer
ous strikes to be conducted in a peaceful
manner. Special Agent George A. Par
sons, who is investigating strikes in this
city for the Connecticut Bureau of La
bor Statistics, said: "Nothing like this
has ever happened anywhere in Con
necticut before, and I don't think such
a condition has been experienced any
where else in the country."
"MAOII1XK" NOT DHIWCTIVK.
Olympia, Wash. Edward Kellv was
kicked by a mule, and in explaining to
the State industrial insurance commis
sion how lie was injured, he filled out
part of the official form as follows:
"State part of machinery on which
accident occurred:
Answer "The hind part of a mule."
"Was the machinery in good work
ing order?"
Answer "Yes."
The commission failed to make any
safety first recommendation but allowed
Kelly $27.03 in settlement of his claim.
CAlt MAX AVKKAOHI) $10.70.
Providence, R. I. At the wage ad
justment hearing before the board of
arbitration, street car men testified that
the present wage basis is unfair, and
that no extra pay for Sunday work is
allowed. It was shown that in the case
of one motorman the lowest weekly
wage was $3.01. and the highest $14.05,
an average of $10.70 from January 1,
1015, to April 17, 1015.
ALL WOOL SUITS
B nA
mm i i
MINIMA ,V-M . M aMM
am m i4y
rnmi i' tJfiMM rs r.u i a
Ml 1LS
RinrlMM i villi
ML QS7A
W
The Bit Store
419-427 WEST FIFTH STREET.
A S JK FOR
BARBAROSSA
Finest Beer
Brewed
THE SPECIAL EQUIPMENT CO.
800-802 WEST SIXTH STREET
Phone West 113 CINCINNATI, 0.
Japan's National Symbol.
The origin of the emhlem of the sun
as the Japanese national synihol dates
hack to time immemorial. The first
record of its use on land is that of a
famous war lord of the eleventh cen
tury. Again in the fifteenth century
the emhlem was adopted hy the feudal
lords and warriors. The connection of
the emhlem with the navy is also deep
rooted, having had local usage as early
as 71 A. D. and a more extended field
in 111) A. D. The official adoption of
the sun flag to represent the nation took
place in ISM). Argonaut.
An Ominous Outlook.
"The judge of my court is a charac
ter," remarked the clerk. "He saw a
play called 'Seven Days,' and the fol
lowing morning every prisoner got seven
days. Then he read a hook called
'Three Weeks.' and every culprit got
three weeks. I'm a little puzzled as to
the outcome of his present literary ac
tivities." "Why so?"
"Just now he is reading a volume en
titled 'One Hundred Years of Prog
ress.'" Kansas City Journal.
Three Steps
In the quest for happiness one could
not do hotter than put into practice the
precepts of a great Persian, "Taking
the first step with the good thought, the
second step with the good word and the
third step with the good deed, I entered
paradise."
Try to Look Like the lJoss.
"Did you ever notice in a big office
how employees try to look like their
boss?" inquired an ohscrvant man. "It's
not always true, of course, when the
hoss is a grouch, and unpopular with
the men under him, hut where he is
popular and sizes up as a pretty hig
gun to the staff you'll find that about
half the men in the place wear their
mustaches or whiskers or both just ahout
the way the hoss does. If he has a
stuhhy little business man's mustache
you'll see several more of those around."
Pittsburgh, Dispatch.
FOR ALL
MEN
and
YOUNG
MEN
Guaranteed Suits
The Big Store's famous guaran
teed dothes are recognized every
where as the greatest standard f
values the best values on earth.
50
Every suit is made in our own
great Cincinnati Tailoring Shops
and sold direct to you. and the mag
nitude of style and pattern varieties
is the largest in America.
Lackmnn's Pale and Old Laser
Celebrated Hccr On Tap
BAY HORSE EXCHANGE
GUS. SCHMIEO, Prop'r
216 E. Fifth St. Cincinnati, 0.
TELEPHONE. CANAL 43S0
Telephones, Canal 4395 and 4396
RICHTER &, CO.
MANUFACTURERS OF
SUPERIOR BRASS GOODS j
2i0 E. Ninth St. Cincinnati, 0. j
Union-Made HATS
Riela
1120 Main Street
The Maiden's Lament.
The following lines are said to be the
effort of a seventeen-year-old girl near
Lamed :
He came and stole my maiden heart,
From south of Wichita.
He drove across with Mr. Sands,
And worked awhile for Pa.
His eyes were blue as the Pawnee sky;
His' hair was brown and curly.
He drove the header barge and milked,
And had to get up early.
But now he's went away again.
His face I'll ne'er sec more.
My bruised and bleeding heart is broke
And crushed and sad and sore.
Kansas City Star.
His Idea of Thrift.
"I always put $10 of my salary in the
savings bank every Saturday," said the
young man who was holding down his
first real job.
"That's a very good idea, my son,"
said his father approvingly.
"You bet it's a good idea, dad. l!e
lieve me, that ten comes in mighty
handy along about Thursday or Friday."
St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Discovered by Accident.
Fuller's earth was discovered in Flor
ida in lS'JIJ through mere accident. An
effort was made to burn brick on the
property of a cigar company near
Quincy. The effort failed, but an em
ploye of the company called attention
to the close resemblance of the clay
used to the German fuller's earth.
Florida is now the leading state in the
production of fuller's earth.
A One-Sided Argument.
"lie wants to marry Marv."
"Well?"
"What do you think of him?"
"Oh, he's all right, I gues !"
"Hut doesn't it strike you that he is
a little bit foolish?"
"Of course, dearest, I can not argue
that with you because the fact that he
wants to get married would give oii
the strangle hold." Houston Post