|Jorfhmù 3£abnr
Volume XIV.
Number 50
Portland, Oregon, March 22, 1915
Whole Number 789
MASS MEETING THURSDAY NIGHT
CONTRACT WORK ; NOTICE TO FARMERS
VS. DAY WORK :
EIGHT-HOUR CLAUSE
STAYS IN CONTRACTS
A large m ajority of the unions affiliated with the
Central Labor Council have given their endorsement to
The Labor Press is now be
ing mailed each week to the
the political program of the Council and at the regular
officers of the various Farmers'
meeting last Friday evening it was decided to hold the
Union locals in the state. There
In spite of the protests of the
A committee of the Central Labor ♦ will be no charge to the recipi
U nited Slates Steel P r o ’acts Com mass meeting on Thursday evening, March 25, at 8
Council is at work preparing an , ♦ ents of the paper, the subscrip
pany which lias the contract for the o ’clock in the large hall in the Public Library.
amendment to the city charter that ♦ tion being paid by the State
steel to be used in the inter-state
will, if enacted into law. permit the i ♦ Federation of Labor.
The Council also adopted a set of rules to govern the
bridge the eight-hour clause will
city to do the work that is now let ' ♦
stay in the contract.
meeting. Tin* officers of the Central Council will be the
lit contract by day labor.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Representatives of the company
It is expected that the contractors
la‘
r
du
officers
of the meeting. Each nomination must receive
have been trying since the aw
..ml those who fatten off public | of $2220. The floor area of the
ing of the contract to find a loop-I a t It’ttSt t e ll S e c o n d s ,
Nohiinating
speeches are to be
work will oppose the scheme. Never- Hanford street offices and toilets is
hole in the law that would enable
, ...
.
.
,
them to work any old kind of hours l i m i t e d t o f i v e l l l l l l l l t c s a i l d SCCOllds t o t w o U llllU teS . The
tin,ess we believe that if the day 21154 square feet. While the total
labor plan should be followed it area of the Stacv and Landtr strcct
they wished, but Attorney-General public will be adm itted to the hall but only union men
„.Id result profitably to all c o n -! oflicr, and toi|'et> is 1212 square
Brown put a crimp in their plans!
when he said .
and women will be allowed the floor and vote. A fter all
cerned.
. feet and furthermore, the Hanford
In this connection the follow ing, street offices and toilets are very
"If the material for the bridge is candidates have been nominated each voter will vote for
article appearing in last week’s is- 1 much better built, and better fin-
already manufactured and on the
„11 of the Seattle labor paper is in- ¡shed than are the Stacy and Han-
open market when the contract is one candidate and one only; the five highest names will
t. resting:
ford >.reet offices.
signed, tt can be used without re-
gard to hours of labor taken in its I be
. declared the ones to be submitted to the refereudiun.
"In a letter to the commissipn of! "‘The offices and toilets, including
C. H. KELLY
manufacture, but ¡f it is manufac- A committee was also apjH tinted to have charge of the
die Port of Seattle, under date of the plumbing at Smiths Cove, cost
March 10. Chief Engineer J. R. West $1630.88 and have a floor area of M e m b e r o f th e B a r b e r s ’ U n io n o f tured after the contract is signed it
and examine Cards.
P o r t la n d , a n d w h o w a s r e c e n tly must be made under the eight-hour
„..pares the results and costs ot 1 1612 square feet. The cost of these
a p p o in te d t e th e p o s itio n o f m e m requirements, whether the work is
work done for the port under con- offices compare favorably with those
Despite the attem pts of tile enemies of organized
b e r o f th e S ta te B o a r d o f B a rb e r performed in Oregon or elsewhere.”
tract and by day labor, greatly to I of i.anford street.
¡labor to cause dissension in the ranks by spreading false
E a a m in o rs .
This helps some.
tin advantage of the latter method.
“ ‘These figures I believe show
[Ihis calls to mind the report sub- conclusively the wisdom of doing a
¡and misleading reports the union men are determined to
miitted by Superintendent of Streets i certain class 'o f work by day labor WOMEN’S WORK LAW UPHELD. I MINE OWNERS TO “UPLIFT."
jgo
th’rougli with the proposition and it is expected that
Tlurles R. Case after the first year ra,her than by contract.’”
it his incumbency in which h
e
---------- . -g- -----------
Colorado mine owners will enter ¡the capacity of the hall will be taxed.
Again has the United States Su-
«flowed that the city could run its
ASKING FOR HIGHER WAGES. ( preme Court declared a State Leg the “uplift” business for the benefit
The scheme is absolutely on the level, open and
(asphalt plant and bid in competi
islature can specify trades or call of employes, and several "club
tion with the contractors for street
Before the arbitration board at ings in which women can work only houses” will be erected, according to abovd board and there has been no framing on the p art
„k and do more and better work Chicago that will decide the wage a certain number of hours without Prestidc.it
(tor less money by the day labor requests of Western engineers and violating those sections of the Fed Fuel and I Ln' comi'uny’^hic'rim-J’^ anyone interested in the success of the meeting. There
| plan.
firemen. General Manager Tren- eral constitution which provides for ported strikebreakers and private i is no cut and dried proposition to nominate anv one man
,
„
,
J
"Day labor vs. contract labor is a holm of the “Omaha" railroad .op "liberty of contract” and against detectives to resist efforts of the
miners to compel this and other Ior sc* ot nien and you are perfectly free to nominate
constant source of argument on pub- posed the workers’ claim that en- "unreasonable discrimination."
lic work and the letter of Engineer g.neers and firemen shall not be.re
The cc art reaffirmed this position iaO
wierMr‘Vebrbornhesay7,t?e "rectnt " h° J °U plea8C;
faCt
plflH °f Vothlg InakeS it abso-
v e st goes far to show that the co n -.q Ujred (O throw switches or do flag- in the case of a California law
tentions of organized labor in this ! ging. The railroad official insisted which limits the hours of women strike cost the operators $1.250.000, lutelv sure that if your candidate has anv considerable
regard have been correct. For the that the work was “insignificant.” workers to eight per day, but which and he closes his "uplift” announce support he will be among the five chosen.
ment with this rather vague state
information of our readers the let- and couid be dcne j (y fjremen. The excepts canneries and farms.
ment :
No charge of “ assemblyism” can be made because
ter is given herewith in full:
workers’ representatives replied that
In answer to the claim that the
“ ‘Considerable work has recently in below-zero weather, after a fire- law prohibits "liberty of contract.” ‘‘Although our m i n e employe» the meeting is open to all who care to attend.
been done by day labor and it is in- man had shoveled six or eight tons the court held, in effect, that the
rhe charge that the Tillieum Club will pack the meet
tercsting to compare the cost of_the of coal, if he is obliged to leap from liberty of contract guaranteed by with working conditions at the time
work done in this way and the cost his cab into the freezing atmosphere the constitution is freedom from ar the strike was called, and had been
of the work done by contract.
and walk some distance to throw a bitrary restraint and not immunity for many years prior thereto. I ing in the interest of that organization is ridiculous be
“ ‘Two adjustable slips were built sw*tch °r wave a flag it may en- from reasonable regulation to safe- know I am safe in saying that they cause many who are member’s of thv club are delegates
are better satisfied and have a more
at the Hanford street wharf by day danger his health.
! guard the public interest.
to the Council and have favored the holding of the meet-
labor at a total cost for wages and
The general manager a n s w e r e d T h e court also held that legista- ¡friendly feeling toward the company
today
than
they
ever
had
before.”
mater ial oL $1111.20.
______________
mg from the beginning and it is not likely th at they
Oh, I don t.think it would hur^ the ; tures have the right to classify
’’’This is to be compared with the fireman.
¡trades or callings, even though, said pleads for shorter hours . " ’ould do anything that would bring discredit on the
cost of two slips at Stacy and Lan
Mr. Trenholm expressed much , t},e court, "it is possible by analysts
der street docks which were built concern over the stockholder and lo discover inequalities as to some
----- ,
' Council
and the club as
well. ».
rni
.
,
,
.
I ,n an address on the necessity o f ’
by contract at a cost of $1183.43. It insisted that "the unions were eter
rhe success of the meeting depends entirely on the
shorter hours. Rev. Robert E. Good-
is worthy of note that this contract, nally asking for too much.
any specified class.
II ich, ,of Oklahoma City, said :
[•rice was considered at the time to
"If we can show you that capital j
---------- - -r
interest displayed by the individual members of organ
"The toilers of the world must be
be very low price and further that has received more than 10 per cent 1
MAKING PROGRESS.
given shorter hours for work. Much ized labor and you should let nothing interfere with your
the two slips built by day labor at on all it has invested in railroads.
_____
¡has
already been gaine., in some being there next Thursday evening.
Hanford street are considerably bet will you approve the request of the
|, is reported that the joint coin-
ter constructed than the Stacy and brotherhoods as to wage increases?” ,nission of employers and employees branches of industry, but shocking
We can win if vou’ll stick.
l.ander street slips.
inquired Grand Chief Stone of the Iare making progress in their effort injustice still abounds in many di
rections. Fewer hours and one day's
to reach an agreement on proposed rest out of
is the demand o f r I ,
E M P L O Y E S WHO WERE half-holiday. Then he became in
amendments to the Illinois state the church in seven
America for the labor
GLAD WHEN BOSS TOOK
compensation law.
terested in baseball, and bought an
ing men.”
UP BASEBALL.
automobile. But when you work
The workers’ representatives on
from 7 A. M. to 6 P. M. there is
this commission are:
President ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Walker, of the State Federation of ♦
♦
In the April American Magazine scant time for either games or driv
¡Labor; Duncan McDonald, secretary ♦ PATRONIZE T H O S E W H O * Ida M. Tarhell writes another arti- ing. Pete tried to bring himself
Illinois United Mine Workers; Pres- ♦
♦ ’ cle in her new business series en- boldly to going off Saturday after
PATRONIZE YOU.
, ident Fitzpatrick, of the Chicago ♦
♦ titled. "The Golden Rule in Busi- noons, and to leaving early when
1 Federation of Labor ; President : ♦ The cold. hard, unvarnished ♦ ness.” This month’s article has to do the notion took Dim. He couldn’t
O’Donnel, of the Chicago Building ♦ truth about the matter is. this ♦ i with the length of the working day do it and be easy in his mind I More-
' Trades Council, and Robert Fitchie. , j ♦ paper depends mainly upon ad ♦ and many interesting points and •over, if he did it. he heard of i|.
secretary of * the —
Teamsters' Joint j ♦ vertising support for its ex ♦ stories are brought out showing that ‘Fine to he the boss, ain’t it?’ some
j ♦ istence. While it lias a large ♦ I the old-time long working day was operative who had begun at the be-
Council.
Miss 8i.npin« a"(l ’hand ups and downs
-------- . — .------------
)♦ circulation the income from
of no prrcical advantage.
At regular intervals lately there sion has consented, to introduce an
Tariteli tells the story of a certain ! w,‘h, 1x‘ea,,fa’t »»'•** and »ympathy
PRESENT NEW AGREEMENT.
♦ that s o u r c e is comparatively
,
n
next saw him I
••« emanated from the ucadquartars anti-banner ordinance. The matter
factory in the central part of the I w°?,.
--------
1 ♦ small.
f the Employers’ Association state has been under discussion several
United States where five hundred ! Finally Pete announced there was
The two unions of carpenters in ♦ All of our readers are inter-
ments to the effect that the City times and the concensus of opinion Allentown, Pa., have presented neve ♦ csted in seeing that the paper
girls are employed in making cotton (to >c a ^a ,iirday half-holiday. They
Commissioners have agreed to place- among the different Commissioners agreements to contractors, same to j ♦ is kept alive and knowing that
articles. There was a great deal of werV_^° Jnabc>^,P Jor it in part. By
an anti-boycott banner ordinance on was to the effect that legislation take effect May 1. The new -a te j* merely the small amount they
friendliness between the employes coming at 6:30 they could get in
the ballot at the June election.
along this line s now particularly I provides for a wage increase of ♦ pay in subscriptions will not
and tile owner. The owner was three hours, and he thought the
called “Pete" and he discussed shop business could stand a cut of two
In an endeavor to find out the j UP to the initiative. Similar ordi- 2Vi cents an hour. The prevent rate ♦ keep it up they should, each
matters with his employes on terms | hours. So they started that scale;
<xact truth in the matter we have nances and laws have been twice de- is 35 cents. Fifty hours shall be ♦ and every one of them, render
of entire equality and mutual inter but the girls didn’t like the earlier
•cenred statements from all of the feated. once by the referendum and the work week from April 1 to De ♦ the further assistance that is
hours. They were very often late.
est. Miss Tarhell’s story goes on:
members of the Commission except- j again by the initiative, and it would cember 1. Overtime at the rate of ♦ within their power bv p a tro n iz
ing Commissioner Difck whom we ' seem poor public policy on the part time and one-half and double time ♦ ing its advertisers.
"For years Pete's day was that of Pete didn't complain, he did not
♦
”
of
the
Council
to
again
burden
the
for work on Sunday. Christmas,
«ere unable to reach.
the operatives, from 7 A. M. to 6 like 6:30 himself; and in six months’
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
ballot
with
a
measure
of
this
kind.”
Fourth
of
July
and
Labor
Day.
P. M.. ten hours and no Saturday time, without any discussion of the
“I have not promised the Em
matter, everybody was coming in at
ployers’ Association, their repre
7 A. M.. and everybody had his Sat
sentative or anyone else that I
urday half-holiday, which they will
would vote in favor of placing the
continue to have, as the law has re
banner ordinance on the ballot.”
ce n tly sanctioned 5 hours in that
•aid Mayor Albee. "Furthermore 1
state.
«ill say that owing to the fact that
“I asked the forewoman who told
this subject has been before the
me the tale, a loyal and humorous
voters on at least two occasions
person, How about the output? Did
and decidedly beaten, I do not think
it fall off?’ 'That’s the queer thing,’
it advisable to again submit it. If
she said; ’there are girls on piece
any group of citizens want the or
work who make more, and the shop
dinance on the ballot again they
does more.’ ”
should" put it there through the
initiative.”
PAROLE SYSTEM A SUCCESS.
Commissioner Brewster said: “I
.. Tb‘ ^’ I'fornia parole system is a
nave discussed the matter with Mr.
splendid success." reports state
McCusker but 1 did not promise hint
prison officials to Governor lohn-
that 1 would favor submitting his
son. who is told th a t:
"rdinance for the reason that 1 do
Experience has demonstrated its
"<>t approve of this particular ordi
value m weaning men away iron,
nance. His ordinance is aimed to
crime and restoring them to the
exclude only boycott br.nners, while
ranks of self-supporting and self-
I believe all banners should be re
respecting citizens. There are 764
moved from the streets.”
prisoners on parole from both pris
Commissioner Bigelow said; “I
ons. Twenty-two per cent of the
have not promised Mr. McCusker or
men paroled in the two years are
anyone else that I woifld or would
clawed as failures, hut only 4 per
not favor submitting the ordinance
tent committed new crimes/’
o a vote of the people at the coin-
Fresh air treatment, ventilated
ng city election.”
cells, increased baths and increased
Commissioner Daly: “I have not
medical attention bate caused a
onsented, and I do not believe that
large improvement in the health of
‘•iy other member of the Cominis-
I tile prisoners, it
reported.
” ’The total cost of the offices and engineers.
toilets including the plumbing at the
Mr. Trenholm hesitated, and then
Hanford street dock was $1965. This said :
figure is to be compared with the
"I hardly think that such a thing
cost of the offices and toilets at could be shown, and if it could be.
the Stacy and Lander street docks 1« do not see how it would have any
which were constructed by contract I bearing on the present case.”
COMMISSIONERS HAVEN’T AGREED
TO SUBMIT ANTI-BANNER ORDINANCE
LO W ITS
A.