Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-29
LEADERS ARE CHALLENGED
Dissatisfaction in Labor Temple and Cen
trail Labor Union.
SUSPICION AGAINST OFFICERS OF BOTH
Investigating Committees the Order
of the Da~y-McetfnE of the
Striking Tnilors-WOrk for
Unemployed Women.
SUSPICION AGAINST OFFICERS OF BOT

Events Of the past week at Labor Temple
have been a revelation to a great many in
the rank and file of labor, as well as to
others, who. though not connected with labor
organizations, have a sympathetic interest
In them. When the Temple was opened 1t
was thought that organized labor in Omaha
had secured a great advantage, in that 50
many Of the subordinate bodies had been
brought under one roof and were allied in
promoting a number of schemes for the bet
teFment OF the condition of the laboring
people, which were launched at the same
time and were indeed a part of the Temple
scheme, such as the free employment bu-
reau. the reading room, etc.
The complaint now is that the Temple en-
terprise was for the benefit of only a small
set of individuals, who, it is charged, have
not had at heart the true interests of labor,
but only their they have fddled
and labor has danced. 1t was the under
standing at first and until a few days ago.
that the management of the Temple would be
in the hands of the board of directors, com.
posed Of the twenty-five or thirty subordi.
nate labor bodies that came from here and
there about the city to hold their regular
sessions in the building. But Just as soon
as this board OF directors shares the opinion
of others interested that Superintendent Wal
Ter has not been running things satisfactorily
and talks about ousting him, it Is revealed
that he has the Temple quite In his own
hands and will do as he pleases, for the lease
is to him and he can lock the doors at any
moment he chooses. 1t is generally conceded
therefore that if Waller Is not allowed to
have his way the Labor Temple movement.
scarce four months old, is to fall fiat, and
no one has yet said that Waller must have
his own way simply to save the Temple. A
large number are convinced that the new
era promised for OMAHA labor when the rooms
were opened has been an era of demoraliza-
ton and retrogression. that the long recog-
nized objects of labor unions have been for
gotten, if they were every really learned, by
those who have been put in the position of
leaders and that a radical change is desired.
even IL 1t involves the closing of the Temple.
TIE word Temple. they say, has been cna
to ~conjure with only on the part of WGller
and the socialists, and the spirits raised
have been only such as to veX the real
friends Of labor.
Though there is no organic connection be-
tween the Labor Temple and the Central
Labor union. the agitation in both with 20
spect to the rule of the socialists has been
equal. Last week a committee was investi-
eating the conduct of Waller. This week a
committee will be investigating the conduct
| of President Fisher of the Central Labor
union and a OF the Labor Temple
| directory will attempt to look over Superin-
tendent Walters books.
Inc circumstances are WnOliy pleasing 10
but one body of organized labor. This is
the knights of Labor. They are tempted
to say Il told you So" They long ago ceased
to have anything to do with the Central
Labor union, on account of a quarrel over
the organization of a musicians union, and
they have had no part in the Labor Temple
project. They announced at the time that it
would come to grief on account of the spirit
Of the men at the head of 1t and they are
now inclined to call attention to their
prophecy.
Why TniIOrs VIII Meet Today.
A meeting of the t%ailors, who several
weeks ago quit the services of Barrett &
Johnson, will be held this afternoon. The
meeting will indeed be a general one of the
unicn tailora of the city. though nothing
of rare Importance is to be considered. Re-
Gently, In the Bohemian papers of the city,
what are called the "scab" tailors have
caused articles to appear condemning the
methods of the union men, and making light
of their proficiency as workmen. The object
of the meeting is to reply to these and set
the purposes of the uniols before the people
In their proper form. 1t is alleged that one
OF the nonunion men, Joseph Rousek. is at
tempting to do most damage to the cause of
union labor by running a sweat shop, taking
jobs from shops that are avoided by union