Слике страница
PDF
ePub

that refer to the health and comfort of their employes.

That the defense of the health of the printer by these various methods is bringing the expected results, is promised in the statistics of the International secretary-treasurer for the fiscal year ending May 31, 1909. The death rate for the year was but I I per thousand, whereas during the eleven years 1892-1902 the general average was 13, while for the seventeen years 1892-1909 it was 12. The average age at death in 1909 was 46.9 years, while in 1902 it was 42.9. The deaths from respiratory diseases in 1902 numbering 216 out of 474, or 44 per cent, fell in 1909 to 184 out of 509, or 35 per cent. Not to be expressed in figures has been the avoidance of economic waste and the prevention of human suffering.

If it is anywhere recorded that non-union printers have in the slightest degree been helpful to their craft in the anti-tuberculosis campaign, the union printers stand ready to include in their reports on the subject due mention of the phenome

non.

What Else Could Be Expected?

The following editorial appeared in the Toronto Daily Star in its issue of November 9:

The Los Angeles Times, having heard about the little midnight affair when a couple of Kilties in this city were taunted into pulling down an American flag, and making off with it, gives Canada It warning that that sort of thing will not do. speaks of the magistrate who dismissed the charge of flag stealing, brought against the Kilties, as "one Colonel Denison." But let that pass.

The man who wrote the article in the Los Angeles paper must be a son of one of the journalists Dickens describes in Martin Chuzzlewit. Hear him:

"It is not to be wondered at that Old Glory, with its brilliant stars and its red stripes, is an object of disapprobation to the eye of the Britisher, soldier or civilian, especially soldier. Those stars stand for the imperishable glory that American soldiers and American sailors have won time and again on many a hard-contested field, and in many a duel at sea where the red coats have bit the dust and the Union Jack has been hauled down. The red stripes are said to stand for the welts on the backs of all persons who have had the unwisdom and the temerity to insult the flag."

To no man's just appreciation of his country's flag should any person object. But why does the Times, in praising it, use the rhetoric of a schoolboy essayist? When did the redcoats bite the dust at sea? Even if beaten, even if slain, where, in their last moments, did they get dust to bite? But the Times gives us a warning. It is not surprised that the American flag is displayed pretty liberally in Canada. It says: "With 80,000, 90,000, 100,000 Americans going into Canada every year, carrying with them the American flag and a patriotism quite as exuberant

as that of the Highlanders, it might become a little bit dangerous for the bare-knee Kilties to do despite to Old Glory. We do much business with the Dominion, but advise the people there to look A out, whether they wear kilties or red coats. few incidents like this exuberant patriotism might just result in the Yankee farmers stealing the Dominion as they stole Texas."

It might be well for the Los Angeles Times to look into its facts. The United States does, indeed, do much business with Canada, this country buying three dollars' worth of goods for each dollar's worth bought from us. As a rule we wear neither kilts nor redcoats, but tweed business suits. The Americans coming into Canada find the country so directly governed by its inhabitants, instead of by bosses and trusts, that they quickly become enthusiastic citizens. The questionable taste of the reference to the stealing of Texas does not call for remark. When this flag incident was up for discussion some little time ago, letters were published in these columns from American tourists, in which they deplored the bombast and bad taste of a small percentage of their countrymen, who flaunted flags offensively in a neighboring and friendly country, and by their incivility injured It is the great country from which they came. evident that these irresponsible persons are not without a newspaper press to encourage them.

It was fortunate for the readers of the Star that President Lynch was in the city at the time the above comment was printed, as they were no doubt considerably enlightened by the following letter to the editor of the Toronto paper, which was given a prominent position on its editorial page:

Editorial comment in your issue of yesterday, anent the attitude of the Los Angeles Times in its reference to "the Kiltie affair," suggests to me that perhaps you are too far away from the editorial rooms of the paper you refer to to properly appreciate its editorial effectiveness. As "distance lends enchantment to the view," so it often gives an exaggerated notion of the importance of objects that are beyond the true perspective. The shadow cast by an infinitesimal body is sometimes of proportion to give an idea of enormous size, when the truth is the object that intervenes is a mere speck.

May I venture to give you a closer range view of the editor of the Los Angeles Times, that your future judgment may be based on a more accurate estimate of his caliber and capacity? At home he has on many occasions proved himself a patriot of the sort the poet immortalized when he sung "True patriots we, for be it understood, We have left our country for our country's good." The editor of the Los Angeles Times has violently opposed practically every forward movement suggested for the betterment of his home city. He opposed every possible obstacle to the erection of an additional high school building in Los Angeles, when the existing ones were proven utterly inadequate to the demands made upon them; he op

posed to the utmost the efforts of his fellow townsmen to secure a more reliable and efficient water supply; he championed the movement that had for its aim the abandonment of the graft prosecutions in San Francisco, pleading in the name of "business" that the looters of the public be allowed to go unwhipped of justice; he has arrayed his influence steadily on the side of the reactionaries, and has been found at all times an ardent advocate of the doctrine of "laissez faire," as applied to social and political affairs in his own state. California repudiated him in May of 1908, when he aspired to be one of the delegates at large from that state to the republican national convention that met at Chicago. "Patriotism" of the ultra type animates him at all times, but his efforts have been mainly devoted to exploiting others of his kind, and his attitude, as shown in his solemn warning to Canada, is but a part of the jingoism that has been his stock in trade for so long that thinking people in the United States have ceased to pay serious attention to him.

We

We of the United States reverence our flag. It is the concrete symbol of our government. We lift our hats when it goes by on the street. stand up when the band plays "The Star Spangled Banner," and we give it not only lip service but heart service when such is required. Yet we do not deem the prank of a couple of hot-blooded youngsters as indicating the sentiments of Canadians, nor do we think that Canadians would take such an escapade on the other side of the border as an example of the attitude of the people of the United States. It is to be regretted that expressions such as that referred to find their way into print at all, but no large or influential part of the press of the United States assumes such an attitude, nor does the instance you quote deserve the importance it will acquire from the attention you have given it. JAMES M. LYNCH, President International Typographical Union.

THE enemies of trade unionism will be unable to get much comfort out of the figures submitted by Secretary Morrison in his report to the Toronto convention of the American Federation of Labor. The federation shows a healthy increase in membership during the past year, with the funds in the treasury of the organization at the high-water mark.

THE members of Richmond (Ind.) Union No. 301 gave a dance on the evening of November 18, which was a great success in every way. The program was designed in the form of the printers' label, with a picture of the Union Printers Home in the center, and made a decided hit with those in attendance.

IN a letter sent to a number of local secretaries in our southern jurisdiction, Horace Johnson, secretary of Memphis Union No. II, says that it has been his experience that there is a large divergence in the construction of International laws by local officers, especially of the smaller unions. Mr. Johnson is of the opinion that this will be especially noticeable since the adoption by the St. Joseph convention of measures that bear upon the financial end of the union, and suggests a conference of local secretaries to exchange views. There is no doubt that such a conference, at which a comparison of bookkeeping methods, etc., could be had, and a uniform system of enforcement of laws discussed, would be of great benefit to all concerned. It is suggested that a meeting be held in some southern city the coming winter at the time cheap railroad rates would be in force-the Mardi Gras at New Orleans, for instance. The movement inaugurated by Mr. Johnson should receive encouragement, as an interchange of knowledge and experience of local officers along the lines mentioned would be of immense advantage in the proper enforcement of union laws.

AN advertisement in the classified columns of this issue informs JOURNAL readers where lantern slides of the Union Printers Home can be obtained. Many local unions are taking advantage of this manner of letting the public know of the greatness of our institution, and no doubt many more will take advantage of the offer made by A. J. Harlan, 304 East Pike's Peak avenue, Colorado Springs, Colo. The price is 50 cents each, in sets of eight and twelve.

BELIEVING in charity of a definite and helpful form, Memphis Typographical Union has incorporated in its book of laws a provision that annually an assessment of one-half of I per cent on the October earnings of its members shall be levied, the sum realized to be divided equally between the day nursery and the foundling home. Concurrent with the receipt of the check last month, a youngster weighing less than two pounds was left at the foundling home,

which was registered as "Typo." A local paper at once started a fund to buy an incubator, which will be used to keep life in the baby until nature can take care of it.

SECRETARY GRIBBEN, of Topeka (Kan.) Union No. 121, says that the members of that local have induced the publishers of the Knights and Ladies of Security, a publication with 80,000 circulation, to carry the label, and also that all printing of the society will hereafter bear the label.

A CALL has been issued for the thirteenth annual convention of the Tennessee Federation of Labor, to be held at Chattanooga, beginning January 10, 1910. All organizations are urged to be fully represented, as the convention will decide upon the presentation of certain measures to the next state legislature. Other questions of equal importance will occupy the attention of the body. Every local body should be represented, to the end that proposed legislation may reflect the judgment of the entire membership of the labor movement in the state.

C. W. POST believes in and practices the boycott. In a late issue of American Industries-the chief reason for the existence of which seems to be the printing of antiunion diatribes and pictures of Kirby, Post, Emery and others-that blatant individual advises advertisers to boycott the Detroit News and certain Scripps-McRae newspapers, and declares that "we have decided not to continue to supply money to such papers." The only offense committed by the papers mentioned is their refusal to coincide with the views of the union haters and that they deal fairly as between employers and employes and unorganized and organized labor men. To quote the News, "the outrageous character of Post's attacks on organized labor show him to be beside himself with rage, and therefore unable to treat the subject of the rights of labor from a sane standpoint. The News has refused to print these ravings of Post as paid advertisements, and this explains his anxiety to boycott the News."

IN the Toronto convention of the American Federation of Labor, the bookbinders had 71 votes, indicating an average membership for the previous year of 7,100; the pressmen, 178 votes, or an average membership of 17,800; the stereotypers and electrotypers, 35 votes, average membership 3,500; the photo-engravers, 32 votes, average membership 3,200. The International Typographical Union had 455 votes, representing an average membership for the previous year of 45,500. The membership now is about 47,000. On the basis of per capita tax paid to the American Federation of Labor our allies had a combined membership of 31,600, as against our own membership of 45,500. Despite all claims to the contrary, it is the membership that is paid on to the American Federation of Labor that is accepted as the correct standard in trade union circles. Our payment for the month of October was on 46,303 members.

A RESUME of the deliberations of the convention of the union label trades department of the American Federation of Labor, held in Toronto, Canada, November 5 and 6, is printed elsewhere in this issue, under the heading "Label Department." This section of the federation has been in working order for the past six months, and Secretary Tracy reports that great progress has been made in advancing the interests of the union labels of the affiliated crafts. President Lynch was chairman of the committee on secretary's report at the annual session, which outlined methods hereafter to be employed by the department in its label propaganda.

THE I. T. U. Course has more than 1,200 students enrolled. It has been declared by the most influential committee ever appointed by the American Federation of Labor to be without an equal in trade training and to mark a new era in education. That is some glory. The substantial compensation to the union and the craft is bound to follow.

A HEARTY endorsement is given the action of the St. Joseph convention on sanitary workrooms by the Novelty News, of Chicago, Ill., in urging the discussion of hy

gienic problems in relation to the printshop. That periodical declares that the most efficient thing that could be done to induce employing printers to conduct their plants in accordance with hygienic laws would be for all buyers of printing to decline to give any work to an employer who allows dry sweeping to be done in his composing room while men are at work; or to any printer who permits metal to be melted in composing rooms, subjecting everybody to the danger of lead poisoning; or to any one who fails to maintain a sufficient exhaust pressure over linotype metal pots to draw away lead fumes from the room where men are at work. We are not so confident in the assertion of the Novelty News, that the time is coming when the public will refuse to patronize printers who conduct their plants in so careless a way as to endanger the lives or health of workers. However, harmful working conditions could be eliminated speedily if those who buy printing refused to patronize printers who permit such crimes against health in their plants.

ARRANGEMENTS are being made for a meeting of representatives of the typographical unions of Indiana at Anderson, on Sunday, January 16, for the purpose of forming a state organization, similar to those now in existence in Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Texas and elsewhere. These organizations have proven of great benefit to the International Typographical Union in many ways. The numerous industrial localities of the Hoosier state constitute a great field of endeavor for advancing the interests of the union label and for organization work. Each local union can send as many delegates to the meeting as it wishes, and every organization in the state is urged to have representatives at the initial session. Karl C. Wolfe conceived the idea of forming an Indiana conference, and any one desiring further information can address him at 414 East Fourteenth street, Anderson, Ind.

THE Guide Printing and Publishing Company, of Brooklyn, N. Y., is using the

label of the allied printing trades council on most of its product. This action was brought about through the efforts put forth by W. A. Young, chairman of the composing room chapel of that company.

THE International Typographical Union book of laws for 1910 has been sent to all subordinate unions in the usual quantities. Secretaries who have not received their quota should notify Secretary-Treasurer Hays, and a sufficient number will at once be forwarded to meet their requirements.

DECLARING that labor unions are doing a great deal of good work for the public, Dr. Frank J. Warne, of the New York University, last month addressed the students of the University of Pennsylvania and showed how this good work was being accomplished. "Labor unions," he said, "are a check to poverty. Each year they distribute about ten millions of dollars in death and sick benefits, strike benefits and unemployed insurance."

THAT the agitation against the abuse of the injunction in labor disputes is bearing fruit, is shown by the report of President Gompers to the Toronto convention. Two cases noted are those of Judge Baker, of the United States District Court of Indiana, who refused to grant a petition made by the American Sheet and Tinplate Company against the Amalgamated Association of Iron, Steel and Tin Workers, and the incident of a judge at New Castle, Pa., who refused to enjoin picketing and peaceable persuasion on petition of the same company. It is also pointed out that in state courts there is a noticeable reluctance to go to the extremes they formerly did. Even in West Virginia, where the United Mine Workers of America have been bitterly fought in their efforts to organize the mining industry, Judge Dayton's decisions seem to be less comprehensive and sweeping in character, as he does not now draw the line on "inducing or persuading," as on former occasions. Which all goes to prove that continued agitation brings relief.

TAUNTON UNION No. 319 has secured an advance of 50 cents per week all around for its members employed in the newspaper branch.

THE Daily Gazette, of Morris, Ill., has signed a union agreement with Ottawa Union No. 265. The plant includes a linotype machine, and several journeymen are employed.

NEWSPAPER printers of Kalamazoo, Mich., have been granted an increase of $3 per week for ma chine work, all others to receive an advance of $2 per week. Organizer Brown, of Toledo, Ohio, assisted No. 122 in securing the new agreements.

SECRETARY SCHOENFELD, of New York HebrewAmerican Union No. 83. informs headquarters that an agreement for one year has been signed with the Hebrew Publishing Company, whose product consists chiefly of religious work. Heretofore this concern has been non-union, working its employes nine and ten hours a day. In addition to the shorter hours secured, the payroll for the first six months will be increased to the amount of $18 per week, and $24 per week for the next six months.

A CONFERENCE in New York city, November 13, the participants in which were Organizer McLoughlin, the officers of Hungarian Union No. 440 and Publisher Berke, resulted in an agreement being reached for a period of two years from November 15, 1909, machine operators to receive $20, $21 and $22 per week, day work and night work, respectively, an increase of $2. The handmen and job printers are to receive $16 per week from November 15, 1909, to November 15, 1910; $17 from November 15, 1910, to November 15, 1911, an increase of $1 each year.

THE new book and job scale of Boston Typographical Union went into effect on November 1. The agreement is in two parts, one providing for "compositors," which term is defined as "all journeymen employed in the composing room with the exception of machine operators and machinists," and the other for machine men. By the new agreement hand compositors are increased $1 a week, or from a minimum of $18 to a minimum of $19, and another increase of $1 a week is to be granted on September 30 of next year. The machine operators likewise receive a raise of $1 a week, and a further increase of $1 on September 30 of next year, which makes the new minimum rate for them $21 on and after November 1, and $22 a week on and after September 30 of next year. As nearly all the union employers had practically agreed to the scale in advance, no trouble occurred over the introduction of the scale.

CALGARY TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION has concluded negotiations for a new scale, giving increases of $3 a week to machine operators and $2 a week to hand compositors. Calgary is in the center of the fast-growing Canadian northwest, and the members of No. 449 seem to be abreast of the times, and now have a scale that compares favorably with the best in our jurisdiction. Under the new agreement the machine scale for night work is $25 per week, and for floor, ad and job men, $22 per week, with the hours of work placed at seven and onehalf. The pay for day machine work is $23 per week, and for floor, ad and job men, $20 per week, eight hours constituting a day's work.

A THREE years' contract has been entered into between the publishers of Tacoma, Wash., and Typographical Union No. 170 calling for a wage scale of $5 for day work and $5.50 for night shifts of seven and one-half hours each, or a week to consist of forty-five hours. This reduces the day one-half hour and increases the old wage contract 50 cents per day. The book and job scale has been raised from $24 to $27 per week of fortyeight hours. Vice-President Tracy assisted No. 170 in the negotiations.

MEMBERS of Hutchinson (Kan.) Union No. 243 have had their pay increased by a new scale which took effect November I. All handmen now receive $16.50 per week, and machine operators receive $18 for day work and $20 for night work. This is an increase of $1.50 per week for all except night operators, who received a raise of $1 per week. At the end of a year a like advance will take effect.

WRITING under date of November 21, President Beahn, of Worcester (Mass.) Union No. 165, says: "We have received an increase on evening papers from $18 to $21 per week, and on morning papers from $21 to $24, flat in all cases. This is the first raise in wages Worcester has received in fifteen years, and the most pleasant relations now exist between the publishers and the union."

SECRETARY FELLOWS, of Manchester (N. H.) Union No. 152, writing under date of November 15, says: "It is with pleasure that I report that the night scale of this union has received a boost of $2 a week, this being the fulfillment of a pledge made by the proprietor of the Union last January. The operators and admen will now receive $20 per week and floormen $19."

By the terms of an agreement entered into a year ago all newspaper printers of Omaha, Neb., now receive $27 per week for night work and $24 for day work.

« ПретходнаНастави »