The labor advocate. [volume], April 01, 1916, Page 6, Image 6

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

Image provided by: Ohio History Connection, Columbus, OH

                
THE LABOR ADVOCATE
Ibittoljpjs 3&agg?it - iHrnli Mthcnu
GEO. KUHLMANN
COAL AND GAS RANGES
All kinds of Sheet Metal Work
Roofiiifj and Spouting
1207 Main Street, riionc. Canal 21
SMOKE
SOINTADA
(QualUutt ntrla btr lirotr.
Dirrrltt tna 2iaun ijclttfrrt
Telephone Canal 1869.
IMtiui Sir.
'Quality Only"
and
M. IBOLD
Cincinnati, O.
GIGTIRS
.-------------..--.-. .----A
AMUSEMENTS
liVICIC.
Mr. MacFarlanc has had a most in
teresting career as an opera singer and
ballad sinner for a number of years, lint
until lie went into the all-star cast of
"Trilby" at the Shubert theatre in New
" ork last summer, and in Huston last
autumn, and in which he played the part
of ""I he l-'iird," he had never appeared
in a dramatic performance. In Ins new
play. "The I lean o' tlf Heather," lie por
trays the ride of a rollicking young Scot,
who leaves his home as a boy to become
a soldier of fortune, and wins his way
in strange climes with his charm of per
sonality, his effervescent spirits and a
rich, natural voice. Love, romance, ad
venture and thrills are harmoniously
blended in this charming story of Scot
land in the early l'Jth century. The cos
tumes are unique, attractive and abso
lutely correct as to the period, etc. The
play is sweet, wholesome, and clean as
the proverbial whistle. Mr. MacDon
ough, the author, has provided many
striking situations which gives the
comedy many interesting characters. A
company of thirty distinguished artists
support the young star, including Viola
Ciillette, Walter Connolly, Colin Camp
bell, Gilda Leary, Jack McGraw, A. J'.
Kaye, liarlowc Borland, Madge Cor
coran. II. Henry llandon, James Cooper,
Henry T ravers, Klcanor Daniels, and
others, who have been at different times
prominent in successful plays of .recent
linage During the action of the comedy
Mr McFarlaue will sing several new
songs, including "N'o Man's Land,"
'Heart o' til' Heather," "Lass o' My
Dreams" and "A I-ongiti' for Mother."
The incidental and atmospheric music is
composed by Mr. Raymond llulibell, the
musical director of the Xew York Hip
podrome. K.MI'KKKK TIIIOATItl
One of the best, most brilliantly equip
ped and splendidly artistic character
.medians in America will, with his
oiiipany of clever associates next week
headline a remarkable show at the F.iu
prcss theatre. The distinguished visitor
is Kdward Ksmonde, who has always
previously appeared under the costliest
vaudeville conditions, ami whose per
lormance here next week is an eient of
.iisidcrablc importance.
Mr. Ksiunudc, in addition to his
praiseworthy gift as an actor of notable
mish and ability, is justly regarded as
the foremost artist in "make-up" mi the
iuericau stage, and although practical
ly a young man, his assumption of old
age is so true to life that it is realistic.
I or the last ten years his prominence in
.be theatrical world has been such that
he has continuously held one of the high
positions in the White Rats Actors' Un
ionnow alliliated with the American
I ederatiou of Labor; and, unless all
signs fail, he will soon be elected pres
ident of that iiilliieiiti.il organization.
Mr. Ksmondr will make his appear
ance in the Kmprcss show in his latest
play, one of superior calibre and of
screaming delight, "The Soldier of I'rop-
ville. It will be a rare treat for I'.in
piess audiences.
uother act on the same bill of equal
merit and excellence, but of a different
type, is that of West and Van Siclen.
who have also appeared in the highest
priced vaudeville theatres in the coun
try as a big feature of their shows.
Tliev call their beautiful and elaborately
staged act "The Uose Arbor." It is
damn and harmonious.
lso on the bill are these first-class
.uts Charles (iibbs, the prince of mimics
and the human phonograph ; the Duue-
l.n Du
whose acts alunuits in many
Kath Brothers, m a novel
surprises
study in Brawn; Lewis and Chaj.iii, in
a volley of screaming "nut specialties;
ill tvvo reels of comedy film.
OLV.MI'IC TIIKATKIt.
t the Olympic Theater, .Manager
Harry Hart offers as its next week's
i pril Dtb) attraction, the heavily ad
vertised and much heralded flirts from
tin hollies Company, headed by the
'lever Jew comedian, Harry Steppe, who
i- well-known to the lovers of hurlcs-
iu- in this city. Always a clever enter
tainer in any part he portrayed, it is said
that bis character of Misfit Cohen in
the two-act musical burlesque, "Cohen
in Chinatown," eclipses his former ef
lurts. The first act is laid in Chinatown,
New York, and the second on top of
the Palace roof garden. He is assisted
1 1) an able cast and a chorus of thirty
live young and shapely girls, in songs
and dances of the period. Matinees will
be given daily.
dded Attractions Tuesday night.
plantation and battle royal ; Wednesday
night, chorus girl waltz contest ; Thurs
day night, sparring contests; Friday
night, a real amateur show : Saturday
night, the big cottntrj store.
Unionizing of Clerks Has
Caused Government Uneasiness
The Charter Granted Government Clerks by the A. F.
of L. Expressly Omits the Power of the Federation
to Call a Strike But the Right of Wholesale Resig
nation Still Exists. The Case of France Called
to Mind.
Washington, D. C. Considerable
curiosity and not a little uneasiness has
been occasioned in Governmental cir
cles over the recently-developed activ
ity of the American Federation of La
bor in the direction of effecting an or
ganization of Government clerks,
which is to be affiliated with the Fed
eration. Considerable progress has
been made, the work being systemati
cally carried on in the various depart
ments, and a charter has been issued
describing the new organization as the
Federal Civil Service Employes' Union
No. I :,(H)7 of the A. F. of L. This
charter has been modified to comply
with the act of August si, l!)l:.', which
forbids Government clerks to affiliate
with outside organizations which would
have the right to call them nn strike,
or which would aid them in a strike.
The charter issued to the new union
specifically states that there will be no
obligation on the part of its members
to strike, and apparently nullifies any
power the Federation might have to
call a strike of Federal employes. In
spite of these assurances the Govern
ment, it may fairly be stated, regards
the transaction with a good deal of
suspicion. If not organized to carry
1 out the fundamental principle of the
l'ederation that it shall enforce its tle
iiiauds wherever necessary by means
of a strike the strike being the great
and powerful weapon of organized la
bor what then, is being
asked, is
the
has
real purpose
lor winch
the union
been tormeilr
Itorltiiiil is lEi'sponsiltli',
Congressman Borland, of Missouri,
is in large measure responsible for the
general response of Federal clerks to
the invitation of the A. F. of L. to
enter the field of labor politics. Mr.
Borland, in a rider to the legislative
appropriation bill, endeavored to in
crease the working hours of the clerks,
without corresponding increase in their .
pay, and although the attempt failed ,
in tile House, it occasioned a great deal
of irritation among Uncle Sam's civil
service employes. The Borland rider
unquestionably made the Federation
propaganda more palatable to the
clerks and much easier for the l'edera
tion. And yet, on the surface of things,
the clerks would appear to gain noth
ing by organization except what might
be called the moral support of the Fed
eration, and the Federation itself would
seem In gain nothing from the new af
filiation. Members of Congress who
are not fully reconciled to the situa
tion point to a statement made in I '.HI
before the House Committee on Ue
form in the Civil Service, when Frank
Morrison, secretary of the . F of L,
took the position that if Government
clerks did not strike, they had the right
to resign, and that "if one man has the
right to resign, a thousand men have
the right to resign." But llie answer
is made thai, if the basic idea (bus ad
vanced is that if the clerks, as an or
ganized body, purpose In enforce their
demand by wholesale resignation,
uriiKerllliiiii lltiil(r ill,, l.iw i1ii,tiii,ir ,,ii-
s,,jrnC. eerlauily hoiiM result. If the
,. ,.ru are rm-i-Kilinu iniilnr ilw .--
sumption that actum ( concerted
character could limit be had without
, violating the law against striking, they
! would be confronted by a situation
, quite as meimciiiK ami disturbing.
I The movement looking to the union
j ization of Government clerks is not
J of recent oriuui In the thirty-fir.t an-
niial convention of the
v r. ) i... iieiu
in Atlanta. La., in 11111, a vigorous
statement ait to the necessity of promot
ing such uimiinntiiiii was matte. 'Un
report of the convention priicccilniK
promise that during the next cion
of Congress, "c.cry endeavor will lie
made to secure the enact nu-nt n( this
legislation (a bill to jHTitiit civil serv
ice employe- to urgaiu'r) in order that
all Government employe may thor
oughly and completely enjoy" the con
stitutional right of free speech, iteacc
ful assemblage and petitioning of Con
gress. The iui:i convention aIotcd
a resolution instructing all urgmiijcrs
of the Federation to ue every effort to
organize Government clerk. A simi
lar resolution was adopted in ll-'t.
again in 1U1.1. The organizers kept
to their tasks, but met with little suc
cess until I he feeling pr.iilin c-il li the
presentation -i tin- Ib-rlanil aim ml
inent played int" Hut hands
Treatment Not Liberal.
conceeded that the Govern-
It is
incut's treatment of its employes is not
as liberal as it should be, and that many
reforms in the service are demanded.
The pay is regarded as inadequate and
there has been popular agitation in fa
vor of a civil pension system. But in
spite- of these grievances, the Govern
ment has never yielded its contention
that there is a decided difference be
tween the position of clerks working
for the Government and of the em
ployes oi private corporations. If
Government employes, because of dis
satisfaction with the acts of Congress,
are to be permitted to strike, chaos in
the Government service is predicted.
If Government clerks are to be permit
ted to organize for purposes of strike,
carrying the idea to its logical conclu
sion, soldiers and sailors should have
the same privilege. The Government
has stood by this contention, although
not denying the Federal workers the
right to organize for the purpose of
promoting their own interests; but their
organization in affiliation with the great
labor body of the nation has given rise
to doubts and misgivings.
Some of the executive orders which
from time to time have been issued
denying clerks the right to take active
part in politics or to present petitions
for changes in working conditions, ex
cept through their superior ollicers, with
out appeal to members of Congress, have
been tile occasion of dissatisfaction and
annoyance. But these restrictions, ex
cepting the prohibition of political ac
tivity, have substantially vanished, and
the clerks' side of any situation is now
readily presented to the attention of
Congress. Opponents of the plan of
unionization point as an argument to the
railway mail clerks strike in lS'.llS, when
Debs was the active agent and when ::7
railroads were paraljzed, entailing in
. terruptioii of the mail service and scr
' ions interference with all commerce. The
French government railway strike of
11)1(1 is referred to as another instance of
the effect of unionizing Government em
ployes. On October Mi of that year a
general strike ol railroad employes was
called and the railway service of the
country was crippled. Communication
with Great Britain was interrupted and
the food supply of I'aris was cut off.
The strike was settled peremptorily when
the prime minister issued his call to the
colors and the striking employes, be
ing liable to military duty, had to re
spond and were then assigned to the mil
itary task of operating the railways.
That particular power, however, is not
vested in this government, and it prob
ably would have to proceed under the
anti-strike or anti-conspiracy statutes al
ready mentioned.
The Government has taken no action
to discourage the clerks from joining
the union which is now being organized.
But il is evident that the proceedings are
being watched with increasing curiosity,
and an eye is being held open to the de
velopments which may disclose whether
or not the purposes to be accomplished
are in harmony with the best interests
of the Government service and the pub
lic. XI'AVS HltlM FALL ItlVKIt.
Fall River, Mass. Iron molders have
secured wage increases of .'.'.I cents a
day in one shop. After a three days'
strike in another shop the management
posted the increase and stated it "was,
being considered when the strike was
called." When the union's committee
visited the company officials, they de
clared they intended running a non-union,
or so-called "open shop." The strike
is still on at this place, as the iron
molders refuse to exchange their uniou
isin for :.'.' cents a day.
At a mcetiiig of Portuguese, Hebrew,
French and Knglish-spcaking carpenters'
locals a demand for an increase of 10
cents an hour, to take effect May 1, was
agreed to.
The strike of freight handlers and
longshoremen for wage increases from
IP to '.'."i cents an hour and one hour for
supper, is still on. A gang of strike
breakers was imported from Ilostou, but
.',( of them have been discharged because
..l their destruction of the company's
ir..perty
STAGE STARS AWAKE;
UNIONISM FAVORED
New York. Failure to secure an
equitable contract between theatrical
managers anil themselves has resulted
in the unanimous adoption of a resolu
tion by the Actors' Hquity Association,
last week, that the question of joining
with the American Federation of Labor
be submitted at the annual meeting of
the association, to be held next May.
Nearly '.)()() actors and actresses attended
the meeting, which was presided over by
its president, Francis Wilson. Before
tile vote was taken Wilton Lackeyc,
Digby Bell and other actors spoke in
favor of the plan. President Wilson
said :
"Our members, having suffered for
years under various injustices, or from
various injustices, felt, of course, that
our demands were equitable, and the
managers felt that they were equitable.
They not only felt that they were equit
able but knew they were. But they also
said, equitable as they may be, let us
see you conic on and get them. They
even" dared us to come and get them, and
up to the present time we have been
afraid to take the dare.
"Are we any less important as a pro
fession, as a people, than the stage me
chanics? They took the dare, and they
now have equitable contracts. Are we
any less important than the musicians?
Are we not more artistic? Are we not
more hysterical than musicians? Yet
these temperamental and hysterical mu
sicians, from the snare drummer up to
Paderewski, took the dare and they now
have equitable contracts.
"I am not discouraged. I have great
confidence in the fact that the actor vyill
not stand forever under the insulting
declaration of the manager of being the
chief business boob of the universe,
blind to his own interests and to his own
dignity. We must move in this matter.
Listening to the voice of caution, we
have delayed, and delayed, and delayed
until nothing has been accomplished to
ward our equitable demands."
Similar meetings were held on the
same day in other sections of the coun
try. Vaudeville actors ami actresses are
organized in the White Rats' Actors'
Union and are affiliated to the American
Federation of Labor.
Chicago. About lmhi actors and act
resses, members of the Actors' Fquity
Association, discussed joining with the
American Federation of Labor at a
meeting last week. Among the promi
nent stage folk present were John Drew
and Blanche Ring. It was agreed that
final action should not be taken until
all members of the association could
vole on the question.
I'XIOXISTS CALL OX IM.KKilM'JXT ,
Washington. President G o in per s,
Vice-President O'Connell, Treasurer
Lennoii and Secretary Morrison of the
American Federation of Labor urged
President Wilson, last week to put a
slop to the competition of enlisted mu
sicians of the government with civilian
musicians. It was shown that the gov
ernment furnishes uniforms and instru
ments to these enlisted men and pays
them good salaries, and that they then
enter into competition with civilian mu
sicians, who walk the streets while the
government musicians play in hotels
and elsewhere at a rate lower man tne
private citizen can afford.
The unionists also asked the Presi
dent to favor the Smith-Hughes bill for
industrial education and vocational
training.
President Wilson was presented cop
ies of a resolution passed by the A. F.
of L. convention against ship subsidies,
which take public moneys for the pur
pose of promoting private gain. The
resolution favors the creation of an
American merchant marine to be man
ned by American seamen under condi
tions that will make lliein an effective
naval reserve.
LOXCiSIIOUUMKX AlAlvIO (.'AIXS.
P.altimore. For the first time in the
history of ther organization the Long
shoremen's union has signed contracts
with the principal ship owners at this
port. ages are increased and working
conditions improved. About '.',."() long
shoremen are benefited.
The International Longshoremen s as
sociation is conducting an organizing
campaign along the Atlantic seaboard,
and officials sav their membership has
been increased from :!,()()() to '.),"" as a
result. They predict that lS.tllltl mem
bers will be enrolled in Xew York City
alone by July 1.
SKCl'ltK HKiliT-IIOUlt DAY.
Detroit, Mich. Two hundred employ
es of the American Electrical Heater
company have reduced hours from ten to
eight with a 10-hour wage after a four
days' strike. These workers, both men
and women, are organized.
Triu' Diplomacy.
True diplomacy is to get all you can
with as much courtesy as you can.
Kev. Boyd Carpenter.
Fillmore Music House
528 Elm St
Cincinnati, O.
'llv: place to get music,
orchestra instruments,
acquainted v ith us.
and band and
Call and get
Meals to Order
Moerlein's Beer
PHONE CANAL 1262
Auf Wiedersehen
Cafe and Restaurant
McrlUQH & HOCK
Successors to Ediv. L. Stophany
S. W. COR. TWELFTH AND WALNUT STS.
Reiidence Phone, Wett 2252-R
Wm. Glandorf Moving and Storage Co.
FIRST CLASS STORAGE
FURNITURE PACKED FOR SHIPPING
833-H35-837-H3V Hopkins St.
Telephone, V. MY) CINCINNATI, O.
WIIITK CKOSS AMIaULAXCIO
Prompt n J efficient lervlce for the traniporta
tlnn of patlenU to anil from homn, hotpltali, r
the R. K. itatlon. Careful attention. Pfoltlntf
like It In town. Inspection Invited.
JOHN J. GILLIGAN,
Eik'litli, Near Broadway.
Phones: Canal 1602 and 1803. Norlh 1137
REMOVED TO
1209 CENTRAL AVE.
E. H. HAGERMAN
...DENTIST...
Gold Crown and Bridge Work
The Busiest Place in The City
Niemes' Cafe
Restaurant and Billiard Hall
9 W. 5th St. GUS DOLL. Mir.
The HUB CAFE
42 E. FIFTH ST.
CINCINNATI - - OHIO
OLD RESERVE
Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
8 YEARS OLD
$1.00 Full Quart
BOEDEKER
H.
508-10 MAIN ST.
J. H. FIELMAN
Dealer in Pasteurised
MILK and CREAM
llilh Grade Swttl Butter and Efgt
2S19 Vine St. Phone, Avon 3116
Phone, Elm 498 Motilt'm's Draught Btir Meals la Order
AUF WIEDERSEHEN
CAFE AND GARDEN
Harry C. Raslucs, Edw. L Sltphany, Mgr.
Comer Madison and Taylor Aves. OAKLEY
&fm . ifr&