Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-07
A POWERFUL UNION
An Interesting Review Of the
Brotherhood CT Bookbinders.
INCIDENTS OF ITS ORGANIZATION
Improving Alike to the Interests
Of EmpIoye and Employer.
ITS AIMS AND JECTS

that was of that value which made each
local union CT bookbiAders a union of
itself. and in consequence was instrumental
in forming in the minds of it's members
a feeling of self which to my mind has
been the cause of hardness in bringing
about that which the most advanced
thinkers of the craft are striving fora
brotherhood in it's fullest sense one that
will compel every member. whether he or
she be situated in New York. California
or any other section of this country or
Canada. to feel an interest in what con-
cerLs the craft in general. and that inter-
est to be born of education by coming in
contact with the brotherhood and profiting
by its influence"
The above was part Of conversation
had today with Mr.. w. B. Hyde, president
of the Washington local union of the
brotherhood of Bookbinders, by Star re-
Porter and was in response to a request
by the latter for information as to the
aims and purposes of the International
brotherhood of Bookbinders, an organiza-
ton of which Mr.. Hyde was for three
terms president. and refused a reelection
to fourth and Is now one of its most
valUed members.
AT the time of which I speak," con-
tinUed Mr.. Hyde. there happened to be a
cthvention of two national ORGANIZATIONS
the United Bookhinders of North Amer
lea and National Trade Assembly, 23O, of
the X of L. The former was composed
principally of printed bookbinders and the
latter principally of those employed in
the blank trade; and let me say right here
II the brotherhood has done nothing else
1t has drawn closer together those two
branches and eliminated much if not all of
That bitter feeling that We know existed
at that time. Well. those two conventions
were In session in Philadelnhia in Nav.
1892. and some of the members of both
factions conceived the idea of bringing
them toeether IN the same room to try
nm thnfr
ere union to embrace the whole country
They were brought together and for the
first ten or twelve hours I, for one could
see nothing to enconra ge me In the belief
thst the object We were working for would
he attained. But. finally, after the most
bitter fight evcr took mart in. the differ
er ces were adjusted to this extent that we
would aralpnmGte and form the Infer
rational brotherhood of Bookhinders and
with that intention we left Philadelphia
ara starter for our respective homes not
kro wing what disposition our local unions
would make of our suggestion.
The Applications Ponr In
"The executive council met the following
week" Mr.. Hyde went on. land those who
were present wondered how many would
apply for charter. but we went right on
with tie prelinnarias. We got I'D char
ter. o. rather design for one when all of
a sudden Rrooklyn was heard from and
WIS given charter No. 3: then came No. 1
of New York. then No of Washington
tnen the Job blank men. No. 6: then the
HehreWs. No. 81: then the rulers, No o;
then Akron. OIfo No :: then the mann
fectrrers No. 7: then Chicago No 8: then
philadelphia. No .: then Albany No 10:
then the gtlders. No. II: then the Germans,
No. II: then the Boston rulers No. 13;
thew Holycke Moss No IA: then Hart
ford. Conn. No. -: then Boston again. No.
16. Then we were forced to call a halt az
every local union thot was represented in
n1 T3,rt hot
vas made Of other material They COM
mencei looking around for other game
We hunted up the history of al, cities
whore hookhinIir= was done md IL that
city had uni IN began on onslaught
through the mails. for we he'd no money to
send organizers: so we trusted to our per-
suasive powers put unon paper and the re-
snt was got them in rotation and with
no cost eycept for postnge
The work went on ir this line until the
Chicago convention. when the first money
was spent In organizing. and that was sI7
to organize the printed men of Cincinnati
Then the organizer Brother Schoo,ey was
sent 70 Cleveland. ard he succ eeded in plao-
ing another charter in that citv and we
have worked on IN that line until there are
but three hoohbinders' unions IN the land
Lot attached to our brotherhood
The Employers interests Projected.
$50 far rs the employer and the effort are
concerned" he continued "the brotherhood
There Is no honest. far-minded man. be he
either employer or employee but will saw
that our interests are identical and If the
union Of worknen insure good to him If
must of necessity insure much greater good
to the employer as individual; for does
he not receive his per cent of profit or
benefit from each person benefited by the
organization? There is not a bookb;nder
who does rot know that no advance has
taken place IN tho trade since he or she be-
~ mo 1fNy~Fl ta1 y,.tt1 bob
crease or benefit has been brought about
by the organza ton. 1t was this that gave
the Job BLANK men a scale of SIS, S1S and
s21 per week; It was this that gave the
rulers s1S and s2i per week: it was this
that has advanced the price Of niece work
whenever advanced In the printed line 1t
Is this that has deferred INSCRIPTIONS en-
ployers from flooding their shops with boys
II Is the only means. the only weapon we
have that will In any sense do aught to
insure to us any of the rights to which we
are entitled. and so I say the effect of or
ganiZation tends In no way but to benefit
Its members both personally and collective
ly.
Objects of the Brotherhood.
"And now the objects of the Interna-
t!onal Brotherhood. They are to insure in
a greater sense Just what I have tried to
picture above. 1t WILL I believe with all
my heart insure to the members and those
dependent upon them, better homes. a
greater chance to properly clothe, educate
ard maintain their families. But to be
more specific. its objects are to regulate
our trade so that there shall be uniform
scale of wages and prices. and above all.
to formulate an apprenticeship law that
will be both just and equitable to employer
and emplove. and In this do l see the
panacea for much of existing evil for
nothing will stop the subdividing of our
trade but our insisting upon all boys serv-
ing regular apprenticeship and requiring
that the employer properly teach such
boys the trade: not one sub branch. but
that part of the trade which is recognized
as legitimate To be clear we must in
sure to the boss the services of the boy
for certain period and he must insure
to the boy q chance to learn his trade.
ana no fairnlinded man can or will COM
plain of such a contract. Again. 1t pro-
poses to see to It that the work day shall
not increase, hut that n shorter work day
will como hut that 1t will come in such
manner that It VIII do rothing to iniure or
embarrass the employer.
Women Must Have Their Rights.
I'm short, its objects to insure to
Its membership those inalienable rights
which belong to every man, and, such
suits can come in no way but by the hard