The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-14

demands-in other words, to suppress
them. If that is the purpose of the coming
convention then the trades unions will oppose
its actions to the bitter end. 1t will be hard
fight and suppose q long one. The Manufac-
turers' and Employers Association, headed by
Mr.. Davis, set out to suppress labor unions.
Well, in this they nearly succeeded Most OF
the labor unions were practically broken up.
The typographical unions and the Sailors
Union were about the only ones that remained
intact But the mang Ia; and employers
fairs. On the contrary, all classes of industry
and Investment suffered.
Four years ago, for example, most of the CT
CARS used on this coast were made here by
union labor The same may be said of various
kinds of ironwork. The result was that the
trade was driven to the far East. This is q
TACT that the leading spirits IN the Manufac-
turers' Association know and cannot truth
fully deny Consumers cannot pay California
prices for goods unless they get California
wages. II the convention declares against the
be forced to retaliate. 1t is only by both sides
labor and capital, coming together that any
lasting good can be done
A. C. Schwatka, president of Typograph.
ical Union No. 81, when asked about the
attitude of the trades unions to the forth.
coming convention, said:
The trades unions are not taking stand
against the manufacturers or other EMPLOYERS
as a class but against the man who has as
sumed or has been given the leadership of the
movement. Mr.. Davis is known 20 all labor
organizations as an enemy OF labor He has al
ali times worked against the interests of labor
unions and has done all in his power to break
them down. He asserts one thing and means
another whenever labor and he are concerned
together. His promises and pledges to labor in
the past have been ignored as if they had
never been made at all. How can the trades
unions think of securing any consideration
from him, or any movement that he is at the
head of? TradeS-union men cannot muster up
enthusiasm for q cause that is led by their
known enemy.
On general principles the Federated Trades
would be in favor OF the convention provided
that labor unions were allowed full representa-
ton. But without that labor will have to
stand off by itself and fight for itself.
We, as representatives OF union labor, would
like to see the whole peninsula of San Fran
mand that union wages shall be paid all the
way through.
William Zahn, secretary of the Brewery
workers Union and member of the
Labor Council, said:
1 don't see what good the Manufacturers
Convention can do US, or anybody else, if the
representatives of labor are not permitted to
be heard. The trades unions have not been
invited to send any delegates thus far We
know very well what it all means and what
the purpose is. Mr.. Davis tried long ago to
break up the labor unions but he didn't quite
succeed. The Manufacturers Association hurt
itself more than it hurt us. Four years ago
trades unions agitated home production and
home consumption, but the Manufacturers
Association broke it all up. For instance, four
years ago there was scarcely any Eastern beer
imported to San Francisco. Now all kinds of
beers, porters and ales are brought here from
St. Louis and Milwaukee. l believe that fully
20 per cent of the beer consumed in this city
at the present time comes from the East. If
the Manufacturers Convention fights us we
shall fight back.