Portland labor press., April 21, 1910, Image 1

A
f
o 'F A C IA L P A P E R
OF THE
11
H U . LA H O R C O U N C IL O F
, J U T L A N D and vicinity
PORTLAND LABOR PRESS
OFFICIAL PAPER
OF THE
OREGON STATE FEDERATION
O r LAHOR
"TRADES UNIONS ARE THd BULWARKS OF «ODERN DEMO CRAC1E8"—W. K GLADSTONE
Volume X
Number 8
prohibition
TO THE FRONT
Anti-Saloon League Super­
intendent Explains About
the Unfair Printing
Clarence T rue W ilson called at
iffice of the Labor Press to expla in
: the petitions for state-w ide pro-
hition were being printed in a unit
a nting office, that only through
-take some of this printing went to
Independent P rinting Company, the
unfair'’ printer» of Portland.
Rev. W ilson was assured that as
.uch prominence would he given to a
iinunication from the Anti-Saloon
[ « ague as was given this m atter in the
■n.r issue of the Labor Press. Hence
a.c following letter from Mr. knod »11,
superintendent of the A n ti-S alo o n
League, is here given in full:
«CV.
K iltor Portland Labor Pres*
'Dear S li: 1 observed In your Issue of April
4 an article entitled. ' "Anti- League and Labor.’
»blch you make some very unfair remarks about
Antl-Baloon League, concerning the printing
, , and Petition» for our Prohibition campaign
Something» that you ray nre true; but they
in ly half truths, and. like many half truths,
v damaging In view of your friendly call made
our office, early In the Winter, you might at
„t have used the 'pi ne and asked an explana-
II I,f our action when the word came to you that
»••re dealing unfair to labor.
' Please give the following statement of facts
laige publicity, in your excellent paper, as your
.hind criticism s received.
When our Oregon Dry Campaign Committee
..! finished the writing o ' »heir Amendment and
. w. they committed to me. as secretary, the work
f getting them and the petitions printed.
"A number of printers were suggested to whom
should offer the chance of bblding on the work.
I i-.ng these was the Independent Printing Com
any. When the bids were opened, this shop's bid
as a little the lowest. Another shop, which I
nd out since waj also non-union, was the highest.
Without thinking of the question of union or non
niou, we awarded the contract to the Independent
rfice.
"Last Saturday another member of the Oregon
rv Campaign Committee reported to me that the
«dependent Company was a non-union concern.
went immediately to see them, and found that
ils was true. I alopped the presses at once, und
ok the Job to the Metropolitan office, where we
are been getting moat of our printing done that
as been done in Portland The great bulk of our
rinting is done In our own office in Salem, which
; a union office. The error cost us $66. hut every
troke of non-union work was eliminated and re-
laced by union labor. Our l a s Ameudment and
'etltions. as they are now. ready for use. are the
roduct of a unipn shop, and will have on them
he union label.
"In making the transfer, a union printer wx-
insulted and his directions followed—all non-union
til or was discarded and only union work used.
Please give this a place In your paper equally
rominent as that In which you did us an unin-
entional wrong. You might even say that you
«ere too hasty in calling the man who awarded
he coni', act a 'common fool.'
"Yours sincerely,
J. R. KNODELL.
"Superintendent Anti-Saloon Leagues
The cause of the objectionable article
ivas the following report which ap­
peared in the m inutes of the Central
Labor Council of April 8:
"Anti Saloon League gave Its printing to Inde
icndcnt Printing Company, the only Portland print-
ng company declared unfair by organised labor of
’ortland. This action was taken by la-ague after
iroiest from union men This League evidently be
leves that to make for reform Is to lower wages
nd lengthen hours of the workers."
PORTLAND, OREGON, THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 1910
tlti the company work which is stretched
out between 10 to lb hours in 24. If
the men to keep warm in w inter hat,
Old-Time Carpenter Caring for Busi­
to
loiter around saloons or shiver in
ness of Union
the carbarns, there would be less efii
cient service, even the much-driven am!
Th, Carpenter* of Portland through tfceir di*
trict council, hare just pul Chris Bomberger, ou-
eask carmen have only so much resist
of their oldest and statiuvhvat nirmlx-rs, ai tie
ance against overwork and exposure.
head ol their affairs as executive officer.
So these “club" rooms were built by the
Permanent offices have been established for »hi
,
t
company. to be used free of charge by
new offleer 111 Car twater»' Hail. Eaat Pine and
Grand avenue, the building ow ned by the Car;» l i ­
its emplove«.
ters. Any one wishing to get in touch with the
But the shrewd officers of the com ­
carpentera will always find Bro. Bomberger in his
pany saw a way out to burden the em ­
office.
Olds,
Worhnan
&
King’s
Open
Shop
Chris. Bomberger Is one of the beat and most
ployes with the expense of these clubs,
favorably known union men of Portland. He is
also to make a grandstand (.‘hristian
Tactics Fail-Fair Dealing and
play a la Rockefeller. So th e' scheme
was evolved to have the Y. M. L. A
Reform Sweep Country
take charge of these club rooms, the
carmen to pay $1 a year.
For decency's ami appearance's sake
the question was subm itted to the car­
Olds, W ortm an & k in g are the leading local ex- men. Ami what <k> you think was the
ponents of the open shop ttplicv. Their great new result? Fuller's Union, as the unorgan­
trade emporium has been built from foundation to ized carmen of Portland are nick­
roof under the open shop— (hat is, anti-trades union named, turned the scheme down good
method.
an tf hard. Too bad. too bad, for the
Olds, W ortm an S' King, foolish opponents of philanthropists u h o m anage our rotten
progress, believing .that worRmUmen could he tooled servicc cars T qo bad a ,so for the open
or cajoled in giving their (Hole to a firm which is . , y M c A which in<ists on em.
opposing union labor, are ndw realizing their error. ,ovi
on| v npn.union engineers.
I he "lespised mudsills, as th< workingmen are otten
--------
called by the higher ups, are Unexpectedly developing'
A Visitor from San Francisco
self-assurance and brains. Tricks about the "open” ) Marcel Wllle. general organiser for the Bakery
shop being the paradise of the w orkers do not any'anil Confectionery Worker» International Union,
C H R IS B O M B E R G E R
longer work their magic chann. Likew ise union labor dropped im, io . u for a few hour, this' «•’Jv. on
now sixty-three years old. Bro Bomberger's experi Ol I O r tla n d , h a v i n g b e e n tricked und injured SO tur
Hnxh«*r Will« reports that all branch«** of the
euce in trade union work began in August. IBS? hv Olds. W ortm an & K ing and their T rustee Com bakery b„«tue.>( are well o.ganized in the Bay city,
when the Joined the Carpenter»' Union here in
Fruco »ecure» » u n io n card
Portland. This was four years a*ter his arrival in panv. refuse to he tricked ami injured any more. T he "■*’ » bak‘r cumin«
the city from the East. Since becoming a mem one dollar, union finish on tbrty nine dollars ot non- raitkil o, ,te utuon arv the meu employed in the
tier, he has filled every office iu the union, except­ union work will never be put on with the approval French hakerie«.
ing business agent.
of union labor of P ortland. ■
i comprisea
The M uter Baker. A unciatlon of San
On three different occasions the mechanics have
,
,M j
x i-
e
i .1
but fouriven shops, but these are the
sought the services of Bro. Bomberger as their
lh e only chance O lds. W p rtm a n
k i n g an d th e ir
e-pk)y ,hre,.fOurth, of the workmen
National representative.
While serving in this millionaire hackers have in making their enterprise «.„gneed in the husineaa The v»wCiation at <>ne
capacity he was sent by the local union to the
nav through w orkingm en’s patronage is to pitch in 'tme «»s hostile to the union, t>ut its nember»
Atlanta, Milawukee and Salt Lake City conventions.
with might and main and help in making I ortland a <KJua, ta to eIul)jo>. on|y union men. which warrants
good union city in the building, iron and other trades p,,iM ,hr >amc scale of »»«»« and working the
One Union Label
same number of hour*
The number of union labels exceeds the capacitv now needing and seeking fair labor conditions.
for memory in the average man The farn-.eii wiio
Humbug, hypocrisy, co rifp tio n and unfair dealing dlt“™‘h" "
are asked to lock for and demand the union label
has been found out not only ill Portland, hut through- fian |.-rancis<o recently ha* been lhe completion of
are bewildered with the number and variation.
a sectloeal cenlral hod> For some time the Build
Each trade knows its own label, out each map out the length and breath iff our COlintrv.
T aft. Aldrich and Canntm. the truim virs o f our
J— ^ X
o r ^ Z
^ ‘Cero
know.« but few other trade labels. Every attempt
to secure a uniform label on union products has so
pltltocrilCX
.
Jlist
a
short
tn<»U ^llt tllC L I lltc c l
Always hknnouiov* Hut the dci»rtni»*nt n+thotl
far faiied. Some trades have spent hundreds of
thousands of d« liars advertising their labels. They States was their own, ju st Is did Olds, W ortm an ¿V of conducting n central body appealed to the build
will not abandon them They simply cannot.
k in g and the Em ployers’ Association believed they
It has been suggested that a label of uniform
could
rule and fool 1 ortland wlorkers. I»*it what a
council, which completes the chain of depart-
design accompany the special trade label. This
hl P ortland unions have'meats and strengthen* the movement generally,
uniform label to be varied in sixe to suit the label change, my countrym en.
on which it rests, but in all cases to be issued by more than doubled their membership.
H ours are de-
~
“
the A. F. of L. Some simple design or image, creasing and wages increasing. The enemies of lalmr
Costs the Company D ear
registered and easily remembered is what is wanted
are scurrvillg to their holes.
The Portland Sheet Metal Workers la paying a
Many farmers are willing to buy union labeled
Just ;o are treated the rational trium virs. T aft
V » X ‘*,n
goods, and many people in the city would demand
It on everything, but they simply must "forget it" is about down and out.
His speeches against the
Ijmt week the experienced union man. who
when they are ca'led upon to remeinbei scores of
trades unions, against strikes and boycotts, his fatuous operated the power brake quit. An nnakllleil non
dilferent trades labels.
We need to get closer
c
lo g y of lhe ro tten est tariff hill ever sa.hlle.l upon
5 2 ^ « “
together on the label matter, » 1 to simplify our
label guarantee.
a long-suffering people, his defense of Lannon anti
Thtg t* ,hB .«-ond nonunion m»n to i<x>*a a
Aldrich and Ballinger, have opened the eves of even hand at this machine it is reported that the firs’
Waiters and Waitresses
the dullest anti most devoted partisans. '
¡unfortunate man
for $1.500. to be paid at
The Waiters and W aitresses Union at last meet
And just as the workingmen ami women ot I ort-
Thl„ hl.m
another claim to settle ai«». T hu
iug levied a 5'l-cent assessm ent in order to send
Ben Paddock, an old member, to California in the land are against Olds, W ortm an X k in g and ’he open one tor the death of Archie Hansen. Who met his
hope of improving hts health.
shoppers, so the voters are turning against the Re-i«**«“’ b> faim»« from a defective «-affoiding at
* ♦ *
new controlling it.
Business Agent C. T Frederick was granted a publican party and the
Senator
Aldrich
has
annouucetl
his
retirem ent. He
three weeks’ vacation.
Cigarmakers
*
*
*
sees the w riting on the wall. Senator Hale, the Nes­ The Cigsrmakerg. at their last regular meeting,
The restaurant keepers have an association and
elected Thus P. McAndrew* delegate to the Cen
have shown their good judgment by signing an tor of the senate, says he has served long enough.
“
aereem-mt with the local union in a body, in order He knows he would he defeated as would have been ’^ o f * ^ ^ ^
to ’ old membership in the Restaurant Keei>ers Littlefield.
In M assachusetts, in the blackest Repub-
Au ap>eai for f.nanciai assistance was received
Afroslxtkin a jierson must conduct a uuion house.
lican district, tile D em ocrat won. Anti the other -from the Cicarraakers of Philadelphia, who were
*
*
*
Lavender is the color of the button for Anri!. day a U C 00 m ajority for a Republican congressm an
m the 32ml district in New 1 ork was turned into aj An appropriation
pproçriatlon of $10 was ai»o made in aup-
What the “Open" Shop Really Is
¡port of the Meal (Titters and the same amount to
f>000 m ajority for a Democrat.
I,eatheiW'orkers
Ed Rosenberg, secretary of the Central I,abor
Surely the forces of reaction arc on the run. ' D i e the Vote
on candidates for seventh vlce-pre»ldent
Council, has agreed to explain to the People's Forum
next Sunday evening the true Inwardness of the same as they were when som? len years ago the B rit-|of ,he internatioi-ai Union to fill vacancy, resulted
"open' shop. He will l»e the opening speaker on ish tories and open shoppers denied the right to strike in e g . Hall, of Minneaimiis. receiving «6. and
this question. Alter three-quarters of an hour. If and boycott to the British workers.
pvm. so ansa, of Brooklyn, ia_____
he requires that long, brief questions from the
Ami
that
is
the
meat
of
the
question.
The
workers)
Many enterpr,*1I1|f „„chanta m Portland arc
audience will be answered lor twenty minuter
of
the
United
States,
having
their
cost
of
living
in-
contributing
time and money to gain the glorious
Then I..ere will follow five minute speeches (or
lorty minutes, or theieabouta, from any |>erson in creased and told hv T aft and the courts thev had no'noai of half a minion population by hub . as the
the audience desiring to speak to the question.
legal right to tight for higher wages to overcome the !iaMons haTC
to
!jtrgP C!He» make tend
The meeting will be held at Alisky hall. No charge.
rise in the cost of living, arc turning the Republicans values th»,t are enormous slums that are terrible,
The Hazelwood Cream Company and the City- out and electing men to office who will do as did the *nd breed armies of criminals, disenaed and do
i -i
i ot - England,
i- i i give v back t . to , the
l
l.
Whr? That Is the problem of elvllliatton.
Market Ice and Cold Storage Compahyr. eruidoylnr Liberals
workers , th
e , proved.
p hjch muat
go , ved or „ per ,, h „
union engineers, are increasing their business.
, ’nion men and women these days are taking more legal right to defend themselves against oppression
k tlnnvllle Telephone-Register calls on Ita
and more notiee of the friends and foes of union and injustice.
property-owners not to be too hoggish and drive
BOMBERGER IN CHARGE
ilic Labor Press took this statem ent
i< sufficient proof. And Mr. knotlell
■imply shows that a bad error was
iglited when the m atter had been re­
tr ie d to the Labor Council and given
•roniinence in the Labor Press of labor. Hence it IS also re|>orted that the Diamond
lee Company and the National ice Company, de­
\pril 14th.
unfnir to union labor, are kicking xbout
Only when on Saturday, /\pril 16, a clared
loss of trade.
nember of the O regon Dry Campaign
In Wallowa County the deposits of marble are
"inmittee, who evidently had read the
enormous. Recently attention has been again called
rtiele and seen the blunder, called on to the fset »»-at the best lime in all the west is
dr. knodell, was the unfair printing made from it With reasonable consideration from
the transportation combine of Oregon thia valuable
topped.
will be developed, and lands now very nearlv
I lie Labor P ress feels somewhat asset
worthless except for the timber or pasturage will
lated that it has done good service to be of immense value.
mion labor by the publication of the
The union Leatherworkers are still out for the
rtiele referred to. H enceforth Mr. eight
hour day . A few non-union men with weak
knodell and the O regon Dry Campaign fert. who wanted a few days' Spring vacation, and
"inm ittee will not aw ard printing eatne out with the union men are the only ones
vithout thinking of the question of who have pone back to the slavery of the non-union
mion or non-union" printing shops, shop and the nine-hour day.
lei ceforth these gentlem en will rcal-
An association of h< "est farmer» In L-irthern
'c the great reform power of the labor New York la contfmp atlng renaming one of its
hills Mount Hood, and thereby securing a legiti­
nions.
mate label for Its apple orchards for miles around.
Mr. knodell concludes. “ You might This beats moving to Oregon.
cn say th at you were too hasty in
The Carpenters Unions have taken from the
• ling the man who aw arded the con- unfair
list G.
Gordon. J. W. Bailey and W. 8.
ict a ‘common fool.’ ’’ T he sugges- Buckner, and -equested the Central Labor Council
n is accepted. Mr. Knodell is only to do the same. Request was compiled with.
'common innocent” of th a t type of
i^evlsh knocking of Senator Bourne by the
n who are so rapt up iti the saving Oregonian <s makinc him friends all over the stata.
men’s souls and bodies from dem on'
m that they entirely forget that the! Every union man should hurry and sign the In­
itiative petition for the Employer»' Liability law.
latest force against intem perance arc J
" short hours anti gootl food w hich i The Carpenter* of Spokane. Washington, are
■les unionism gives to the workers. J receiving $’« per day for an eight-hour day.
REACTION
ON THE RUN
FULLER’S UNION
PROVES FAILURE
Philanthropic” Portland Railway,
Light & Power Co. Fails to
Saddle Clobs on Men
away the Oregon Electric with high figure* for
rights of wry. This Is good advice Many a town
has aide-tracked itself by trying to beat a railroad
at being hoggish. The Oregon Electric Injures Ha
business by Its own foolish hogglahneaa In charg­
ing thr»e cents a mile fare when one cent would
give It more dividends
The Telephone-ReglMer of McMinnville estimate*
that an county assembly ticket will be turned down
to the extent of three-fenrtha of It» nominees Some
wise men from the E ast—and several other dtr«c-
tiona—have alsed up thing» that way, too. and tho
congealing of the atnic .p ere around the once rone
Ing assembly furnace la sufficient to produce Icicles
upon Ils chief engineer aud stoker In the Portland
brick tower.
The Poo land union Bakers don't take tho Royal
Bakery any more serious The unfairness of that
concern. Instead of being announced by aturdv
| bannermen, la proclaimed io the public by two
C o n i p a n v . ’••■>• mule* i«aiienti, tnidging along draxzimt a sign
•
•• ¡for all Io read. All union baker« in Portland are
The Portland Railwav. Light & Power
.
,
• ,
•
, .- , I- 1,
B. S. losselyn president and F. 1. Fuller vice prest- at
dent, is out tor reform the«c days. O f course with
---------- — ------------
these philanthropic gentlem en reform spells “profit,"
The Frank i. Smith Meat Company I* still
r,
,
h
,
,
.1___ l"fighting Ihr beef trust'' with a wink In the left
like ” Rockeieller
he
„ howev„ no doub, ,hst ,hlB
just *'■
* r ’* when
'
’ donates
J -------- * to churche>
'*■----- *-*' ™
and universities raises the price of oil. reduces wages pary |* fighting the shorter workday of the union
in theiMeatcutter».
of miners and hardens the slave conditions m
south of the m iserable wretches who produce tu r­
The Vancouver. B. C.. Building Trad»« Connell
pentine.
is carrying on an advertising campaign, boosting
Now Mr. Fuller especially looks after the comfort the virtues of their home city.
of the platform men of h ist'm p an y. W aiting rooms 1 glgn
„p,
ap,, Bi<,
You
euphoniously called 'c lu b rooms, have been provided fr)iwi stgn uo that Emuiovers' Liability initiative
for these men where they cun rest and recuperate to^petiticn.
..
<-.
W hole Number 533
SEAMEN AND
INSURANCE
Lake Strike Against Steel
Trust Open Shop Humbug
Affects Insurance
A< a result of the strike on the Lakes,
a remarkable situation has developed
in vessel' insurance rates. For the first
time in history wooden ships on the
Lakes are given a lower insurance rate
than is accorded to steel vessels.
At a conference between the vessel
insurers and representatives of lumber
car ving vessels at Cleveland. Ohio, on
April 12. rates for wooden vessels were
made slightly lower than last year. Just
previous to this meeting the insurance
rate for steel tonnage was increased
one per cent above the lfOO rate.
The significant feature of this is that
normally the greatest risk is attached
to wooden tonnage, especially to those
in the luu.ner trade, but nearly all of
that class of vessels employ competent
seamen, union men, and were not in­
volved i i the strike, hence they made a
good showing last season and have now
secured a reduction of rates.
On the other hand, the big majority
of steel vessels are in the Lake Carriers
Association, and were manned by strike
breakers. Accidents were numerous
and insurance risks greater because of
employment of incompetent seamen.
Since the union men have now an­
nounced their determination to con­
tinue the strike this season, the insur­
ance companies evidently expect the
many disasters of last season due to
inexperienced crews to be again re­
peated, and have accordingly raised the
insurance rates on such vessels.
The Lake Carriers «re again recruit­
ing non-English speaking laborer» and
young boys, placing them aboard the
ships to set . * as strike breakers. They
have failed utic-ly to secure sufficient
competent seamen.
Labor Council Per Capita
A t Inst F riday night's tnewUug of the C entral
I.a b o r Council was submitted to the referendum
vote of a ffilia te d unlona the question of reducing
the per capita tax to the Council from $ cent» per
month to I t » cent».
T he argum ent favoring the change in, th a t thia
w ill p erm it a ffilia te d uuioua and aactluaal oonaella
to e x t-n d themaelvea the IH -o e n t per capita saved.
.'he argum ent opposing thia change 1», th a t tha
C. itra l Council, if the present per ca p ita
•
cents i t continued, w ill he enabled to put on from
tim e to tim e o rg anliero to organise the unorgnn-
ixed: also to assist through organisers weak unlona
unable to put on bualneas agents or organisers
thoinaebes. The executive com m ittee o f th e Omn-
cll was given thia power.
A t the present tim e,
wheii e»i»eclally the unskilled and aemi-akllled work
era are in great need of organisation, a redaction
iu the i » r capita would prevent the carrying on o t
such organlrlng. W h ile Indications point to Indus­
tria l pence in most of the trades In Portland, » till
in others the sailing la n ot no smooth.
Haacn
need of more and stronger u n lo n a
Tuberculous Sunday
On Sunday. A p ril $4. the m inister» throughout
the C n lttd States are supposed to preach an tuber-
culoela. T hey w ill tell many Interesting things, h ut
very few of them w ill tell th e ir congregations th a t
union Inbor demands the conditions that preem it
tuberculosis, and employers associations tak e th a
stand th a t it is a good thin g fo r everybody to havn
condition* and environm ent» th a t make to r the
propaaatlim o f theve little worms th a t require an
arm y of V'.otMt to m ake a column an inch long.
Tuberculosis
Is
commonly
called
consumption.
W eakened ph,steal condition, bad living, poor food
and unsanitary w orking conditions are the founda­
tion of nearlv all consumption cases.
Long hours
of labor, poor pay. women and child labr. a ll of
w h ir’ employers assoclattjns demand, cause more
tuberculosis than all o th er causes combined Union
labor demands conditions, and secures conditions
that make for shorter hours, b e tte r pay. abolition
o f woman and child labor.
How many m tnlaters
In P o itlau d w ill tell th e ir congregations thlsT
Steam Engineers Strengthen Union
Batuiday night Hoistiug and Portable Engineers’
Union, No. 3*2. and Steam Engineers' Union No. 17,
after transacting their routine business, met In
Join I eeselon to listen to the report of International
Organizer J. Kingston, who had done organising
work locally during the past week. A general dis­
cussion about organisation of engineers was then
carried on. addresses being made by members of
the locals and visitors representing the Central
|j»tor Council
The following resolution» carried:
Portland engineer». In Joint meeting assembled,
hereby Invite all engineers to attend mass meeting
of engineer«, to be held April SO. at 2051» First
«treet
Muestion for discussion to be organisation
and better condition* for engineers.”
Special Notice to Unions
At Friday night's meeting of the Central Labor
Council the folkdwng request was made on affil­
iated unions:
E ffo rt» by the C entral la b o r Council and tho
d ire c tly Interested unions to secure union cuodittoaa
tor the stationary engtneora In the T. M. O. A.
having failed, request la hereby made th a t afflllotod
unlona discipline members who support thlg anth
union establishm ent.
L ik e actlou 1« hereby requested or union
and women patronizing the Royal UnBar? and th *
Frank L. Smith Meat Co