News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-09-20
THE LABOR QUESTION.
INTERPOLATION BEFORE THE UNlThS
ETATES SENATE COMMITTEE
Some Interesting Statistics Given By PrAS
cal Men,

Richard Pawers, of Chicago, GeneraI
Superintendent of the Seaman's Union
of the Lakes, was a witness before the
United States Senate Committee on Ed
ucation and Labor. He testified that
seventy-fve per cent. of the sailors on
the lakes were members of the organlza-
ton. There are about seven thousand
members banded together to ameliorate
their condition, to shorten the hours OF
labor, and to increase their wages. They
have improved under the operation OF
the society so that they are no longer
run by the rum shop. They want the
Government to supply some place OF
refuge like Sailors Snug HarbOr for dis"
abled sailors. One abuse that should
be corrected is the overlooking of ves-
sells, which makes voyages dangerous to
| the lives of seanen. The sanitary con-
| dition of the vessels also calls for re-
| form. The custom on the three thou
sand-tOn steamers is to carry six men.
Many accidents occur because vessels
are shorthanded. The owners depend
more upon their machinery than they
do on God. Probably the vesselE are
well insured. If the machinery breaks
the ships have not sailors enough to save
them. 1t is the same with passenger and
freight vessels. Before the organiza-
ton the wages were a dollar a day.
As to wages now the witness said:
"We get 50 a day now. In short
time we will get 50. so, and for few days
at the end of the season, 81 q day.
Some vessels We -~-771 not 70 on for
less than ten dollars day, because they
are not seaworthy. We raise the wages
by refusing to work with those who do
not belong to our organization. The
mates, cooks, and captains need not be-
long to the society. What we want is q
Piimsoll to look after the rotten vessels,
and prevent their being used when they
are unsafe"
OF the seven thousand members of the
society, the witness said, not five had
saved one thousand dollars about ten
had saved five hundred dollars, ten had
saved four hundred dollars, ten had
saved three hundred dollars, and about
fifteen hundred had saved one hundred
dollars each In 1878 not man had
saved one thousand dollars, and not two
men had saved one hundred dollars.
two-thirds of the men are Americ an
citizens.
George G.. Block, representing the
| iourneymen bakers, told the committee
that the bakers began work at 2 p. m. +,
and work along up to various hours in
the morning, sometimes as late as 9 a. m.
of the following day. Most of them are
unmarried, because they cannot afford
to get married. Much of their money
! goes for beer. Statistics obtained from
sos bakers showed that only $50 were
married. Their wages average $500 a
week. This is often paid partly in board
at 81 a week. They work in O very hot
atmosphere for long hours; few have
decent sleeping rooms. Mr.. Block told
the committee that there are 2,3O0 men
employed in the brewing business, who
work long and irregular hours, like the
bakers, at wages ranging from $50 to
800 a month. Only a few get the larger
wages. They formed union of 1000
members. They were brutally treated,
and the foreman OF boss made them vote
to please himself.
Adolph Strassar, President of the Cigar
Makers International Union, gave to the
committee an account of that organiza-
ton, which, he said, is protective, benev-
olent. educational and moral ia its pur-
pose Last year it paid SIG, 643. 70 in
sick benefits. Workmen travelling from
place to place in search of work have
their travelling expenses paid, which in
cludes actuel fares and so cents for a
meal in each place. For this purpose S19,-
722.60 was paid last year. They have
had a trade journal eight years. The
wages in one union averaged $5 a week
for each workman; in A unions the wages
were $40 a week, in two unions the aver
age was SIG a week, and in 100 unions
from which statistics were obtained the
wages varied from So to SIS week. The
cost of supporting a family of five was
variously reported to be from Sc a week
to SIS week. In most cases the So
cieties reported that the workers did not
earn enough to support them decently.
The hours of labor vary from 4S to 60
per week; without the organization the
hours of labor are from Sc to 80 per
week. In the last eighteen years there
have been 1858 strikes of cigar makers,
of which 1877 have failed and 204 have
been successful. The cost of these
strikes have been 1886, IA, but they
have added 81, 100000 year to the
wages of the strikers, and have prevented
reductions estimated at $500, 900. There
are :, $50 persons employed in tenement
houses, making cigars in l., 900 families.
There are so, 900 coolies employed max
ing cigars in San Francisco. There are
1856 branches of the International Union.
They have managed to equalize wages in
the State of New York.