TRY TO SMILE WASTING TIME A company of colored actors was playing "Othello" in Alabama. Everything had gone along nicely until they came to the scene where Desdemona's fidelity is to be tested. Iago has secured her handkerchief by cajolery, with the connivance of Othello himself, that her incontinence may be established. Othello-"Desdemona, where am dat hankerchef?" (Desdemona remains silent.) Othello "Desdemona, once more I ask yo': where am dat hankerchef?" At this juncture an old negro woman in the front of the house rose furiously from her seat: "Go way, yo' fool niggah!" she exclaimed loudly. "Wipe youah nose on youah sleeve and let dis play go on." THE LIMIT If that man had a match and it wouldn't light and he thought it would do anyone else some good he'd eat it. HE TUMBLED A witness in a railroad case at Fort Worth, asked to tell in his own way how the accident happened, said: "Well, Ole and I was walking down the track, and I heard a whistle, and I got off the track, and the train went by, and I got back on the track, and I didn't see Ole; but I walked along, and pretty soon I seen Ole's hat, and I walked on, and seen one of Ole's legs, and then I seen one of Ole's arms, and then another leg, and then over one side Ole's head, and I says, My God! Something muster happen to Ole!'" KNEW THEM Oh, yes," said the pilot on the river steamboat, "I have been on this river so long I know where every stump is." Just then with a jar the boat struck a stump. "There! that's one of them now," he continued. AN IMPORTANT EVENT "And now, children," said the patient teacher, "the war with Spain began in 1898. Remember the year. Now which little boy can tell me what great event happened in 1898?" For a moment there was no response. Then the smallest boy in the class held up his hand. "I know, teacher." "Well, Willie, what is it?" "THE RETORT COURTEOUS" A school teacher sought to reprove a boy who had failed to solve an example. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself," said the teacher. "When George Washington was your age he was a surveyor." "Well," came the quick response, "when he was your age he was President of the United States." HE KNEW HIS FATHER "Suppose," said a father to his little boy, "you have half an apple and I give you another half. How much have you?" "A whole apple," said the boy. "Well," continued the father, "suppose you had a half-dollar and I gave you another half-dollar. What would you have then?" "A fit," promptly answered the boy. A STRONG BOY Employer-"Yes, I advertised for a strong boy. Think you will fill the bill?" Applicant "Well, I just finished lickin' nineteen other fellers out in de hall." Does Vibrations Trying To Suspension music other bridges? Bridges weaken metallic or and march more or less irregularly. This question, recent- The reason for all this is obvious. ly asked of a well-known bridgebuilder, brought this reply: "Measured vibrations are more trying to any kind of bridges, and particularly to suspension bridges, than irregular agitation. Music alone would not strain a bridge enough to injure it materially, but a regiment of troops keeping step to music when crossing a suspension bridge would subject it to a very severe strain. Consequently, it is customary to stop the music before the troops reach the bridges, and let the men break step, The structure naturally will suffer least strain when at rest. When in uniform motion the bridge acquires a momentum equal to its entire suspended weight multiplied by the velocity of the motion. It is manifest that, in the case of a heavy structure, a uniform vibration, be it ever so small, would develop a momentum of many tons in the direction of a breaking strain. The same disturbing forces acting irregularly, so as to counteract one another, would be far less trying to the structure." CAN'T ESCAPE EIGHT HOURS Boston, Nov. 6. A Springfield manufacturer threatened to move to Michigan because of eight hour strikes, and the Boston Journal says: "But removal to Michigan won't mean escaping the eight-hour daynot for long, anyway." The Journal pays this tribute_ probably unconscious-to the power of trade unionism: "In fact, the eight-hour day for men in the heavier occupations is making progress much faster than the law-regulated working day for women ever did. There are no State laws making a woman's working day less than ten hours, while many States make eight hours the minimum for men employed on public works. And State labor laws are much easier to dodge than union laws, too." EASTERN TEAMSTERS STRIKE Springfield, Mass., Nov. 6. A strike followed the discharge of nine teamsters employed by the American Express Company because they re fused to withdraw from the Teamsters' Union. The company is now called upon to pay 25 cents an hour for overtime and grant a 10-hour day. The teamsters say they are forced to work from 13 to 17 hours a day, and that they receive on an average, $13.85 a week. Most of the drivers begin work at 6 and 7 o'clock in the morning and are allowed 15 minutes for lunch at 2 and 3 o'clock in the afternoon. They are then worked, in many cases, until 9 and 10 o'clock at night, with no pay for overtime. When the men joined the union they were told the company "would give them a square deal" if they withdrew, but they had heard this promise before. "MITCHELL DAY" OBSERVED Wilkes-Barre, Pa., Nov. 6.-Miners in the anthracite district of this State observed "Mitchell Day" in honor of the termination of the strike in this section conducted by John Mitchell, then president of the United Mine Workers of America. A. F. of L. Convention Convenes San Francisco, Nov. 6. All arrangements have been perfected for the thirty-fifth annual convention of the American Federation of Labor, which will convene in this city next Monday morning. The convention's opening session will be held at the exposition grounds. Addresses of welcome will be made by Governor Johnson, Archbishop Hanna, Mayor Rolph, President Haggerty, of the State Federation of Labor; President McCarthy, of the local and State building trade councils; President Murphy, of the San Francisco Labor Council; Harris H. D. Connick, director of works at the exposition, and President Gompers. Practically every craft in the city has arranged for open meetings, to be addressed by their representatives or other visiting unionists. It is quite probable that the European war will be given serious consideration by the convention, as President Gompers and his associates on the A. F. of L. executive council make the following reference to this subject in the convention call, signed by them: "The tremendous conflict now being waged in Europe, and its possible consequences and results, not only upon the people of European countries, but upon the whole of the people of America, as well as on the whole civilized world, must of necessity receive the deepest solicitous consideration of the working people of America. How and what further action can be taken by the American labor movement to help bring about an early peace among the warring nations of Europe; how that peace can be secured with the establishment and maintenance of justice, freedom and brotherhood the world over. These, and other great questions of equal importance will, of necessity, occupy the attention of the San Francisco convention." GROUND BROKEN FOR A. F. OF L. BUILDING Washington, Nov. 6.-Labor's first representative in a President's cabinet-Wm. B. Wilson, ex-secretarytreasurer of the United Mine Workers of America-removed the first spadeful of earth for the A. F. of L. office building, on Thursday, October 28. President Gompers removed the second shovelful, and Secretary Morrison the third. The simple ceremony was witnessed by a large delegation of trade unionists, two of the most interested spectators being C. G. Ammon and E. Bevin, fraternal delegates from the British Trades Union Congress to the A. F. of L. San Francisco convention. The building will be five stories in height with a basement. The structure will be completed next spring. WANTS REAL COMPENSATION Dayton, O., Oct. 23.-Ex-Governor Cox opposes the ruling by State Commissioner of Insurance Taggart which permits private liability insurance companies to write compensation in competition with the State fund. The former State official says: "If it is necessary now to preserve the plain intent of the compensation law and its blessings to our people by writing an inhibition against this infamous thing into the Constitution, then I volunteer my services as a private citizen to lead the fight for a final and lasting victory in this great cause." The commissioner's ruling is now being contested by the State Federation of Labor, which has secured counsel and will appeal to the State Supreme Court. In Memoriam WHEREAS, It is in deep sorrow and with extreme regret we learn of the sudden death of our Brother Robert C. Patrick WHEREAS, In his death Local No. 17 of I. U. E. C. has lost a true and loyal member, an officer of sterling qualities, beloved and respected by all who knew him; and WHEREAS, He departed this life at the very threshold of a useful career, and in the prime of his young manhood; and WHEREAS, We fully appreciate his magnificent character; therefore, be it RESOLVED, That our Local No. 17 of Cleveland, Ohio, in meeting assembled, extend our heartfelt sympathy to the father, brothers and sisters of our departed brother in this their hour of sorrow; and be it further RESOLVED, That our charter be draped for a period of thirty days, and that a copy of these resolutions be spread upon the minutes, a copy sent to our official journal for publication and a copy to be forwarded to the relatives of our departed brother. Yours fraternally, E. M. Spore | Carl Fruit Committee Bert Barnes Andy Friedel John Bishop PAUL KING. T HANKSGIVING DAY in its present form is a distinctly American holiday, although many forms of harvest celebrations and feasts are mentioned in history, dating back through the ages and the nations to the time of the Canaanites. The harvest celebration appeared later among the Hebrews as an act of worship, and was called the Feast of Tabernacles; because every one lived in tents during the feast in memory of the years when the nation had had no settled home. The harvest festival of ancient Greece, called the Thesmophoria, was akin to the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. It was the feast of Demeter, the foundress of agriculture and the goddess of harvests, and was celebrated in Athens in November by married women only. Two noble and distinguished ladies were chosen to perform the sacred function in the name of the others, and to prepare the sacred meal which corresponded to our Thanksgiving dinner. The Romans worshiped the Har vest Deity under the name of Ceres. Her festival, which occurred annually on October 4, was called Cerelei. In England the autumnal festival was called the Harvest Home, and may be traced back to the Saxons of the time of Egbert. It was known in Scotland as the Kern, and was a peculiarly secular method of celebrating the close of the harvest. Being in the blood of America's first settlers, the custom rapidly spread in our land. The first harvest festival or Thanksgiving was ordered or proclaimed by Governor Bradford in 1621, and little by little the custom spread until it has become a national holiday proclaimed by the President, and reproclaimed by the Governor of each State, and observed by every good and true American. The trade unionists throughout the country observe the day, and celebrate in a manner as depicted in the frontispiece, and insist, when preparing working agreements, that Thanksgiving Day be included in the list of legal holidays, on which occasions double time is paid for service rendered. CORRESPONDENTS The correspondence department of The Elevator Constructor is "bidding fair to rise," a few of the old-timers responding since the September issue. We would be pleased to hear from the numerous correspondents, who as yet have failed to accept the invitation of the Editor, by sending in a contribution. Our Journal should be at par with our trade, and in order to place The Elevator Constructor among the shining lights of the labor literary world, the necessity of cooperation and unity is necessary. Come along, fellows, put one across for the Christmas number. THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE I. U. E. C. The members of the Executive Board have been actively engaged in the labor movement for many years, and are well known amongst the members of quite a number of the Local Unions. |