Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-08-27
PREDICTS VICTOR Y
Mrs. Eva Med. valesh Says Steel
Strikers Will Win.
ADDRESSES An OTTuMWA AUDIENCE
Representative of American Fedora
ton of Labor Talks in Turner Hall
Says a Big Revival Of Unionism
Is On Inithe United States.

,afSrtt = ,Ii-e' IN n
(From Saturdays Daily.l Y
Some people seem to think that it
the strikers are beaten in their fight
against the steel trust, there Will be
no more of the unions, that they will
be a thing of the; past, but let ME say
that for one union crushed by the
trust, twenty more will spring up
which will be all the more determined
and all the better organized" These
are the words of Mrs. Eva Mcdonald
Valesh of Washington, D. c., general
representative of the American Fed
GRAFTON of Labor, who lectured in this
city last evening on the objects of or
ganized labor
Prophesies Victory.
Continuing Mrs. Valesh said: But
do not think that the men will be
defeated in the fight with the trust
There is a young man named Schwab,
whom they call the million dollar man.
ager of the trust. He wants to pay
dividends and he thinks the best way
to do this is to stop paying wages. If
ne fails to pay dividends he loses his
position. ...-..
Schwab is Short Sighted.
Accordingly, in order to pay these
dividends, which is hard task be-
cause the trust, in taking in the small
factories, did not increase the number
of employees nor the output and thus
was forced TO issue watered stock.
when any at all was issued, Schwab
had to cut down expenses. He started
with trying to crush the union, think
ing that with this done he could force
the men to take any wages he might
wish to pay them.
"But5he has met with difficulty in
this matter of crushing the union. The
men have struck on account Of his
treatment and his many mills, instead
of earning something, are idle and not
earning cent Non-union men as
well as union men have gone out. the
former because they realize that if
they keep on working they will lose
forever their individual rights.
Small Mills Working.
Meanwhile, we learn something
which makes the prospect for the
strikers bright. The trust, in combin-
ing the mills of the country, neglected
about half of the small ones, and now
we find these mills working steadily,
paying the union scale, the men salts
fed and the employers making money.
This condition will work against the
trust in its struggle with the union,
and in Washington, as the national
headquarters of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor, we consider the strik-
arg chances Uar1y bright -
Is Printer.
Mrs. Valesh is thoroughly a trades
unionist, having been reared in an at
mosphere of unionism, as it we're. She
is western woman, having spent her
childhood in Minneapolis, Mimi, where
she graduated from the high school
She learned the trade of a printer, and
is now a member of the big Six
more correctly known as Typograph
ical Union No. 6 of New York City
Mrs. Valesh became Journalist sew
eral years ago, however. She worked
for some time for the Minneapolis Tri
bune, and at one time she worked in
several factories in that city for the
purpose of writing articles on the life
of the working girl. What she learn.
ed then is of use to her now, as she
can sympathize with all classes OF
working people.
Organized the Clerks.
Mrs Valesh became interested in
unionism when young, and when she
became journalist she naturally
wrote articles regarding unionism She
took a special interest In the working
women and girls, and she organized
In Minneapolis, the first retail clerks
union ever known. In recognition OF
this fact she was later made an honor
airy life member of the National Retail
Clerks union.
Has Had Wide Experience.
A few years ago Mrs. Valesh went
east and secured position on the
New York Journal, doing journalistic
work She reported several strikes
for this paper, but was compelled tt
give up her work on account of failing
health. She went from New York tt
Washington, ID. c., and there became
connected with the American Fedora
ton of Labor. She ranks as one Of
the best speakers in the ranks of the
organization. She is well educated
and knows all the phases of the labor
problem. She was sent to Europe ;
few years ago to study the industrial
conditions on that continent, and thi
also broadened her ideas. In Wash
ington she is an able assistant t,
Samuel Gompers, national president o
the Federation of Labor, and most 0
her time when at the Office is spent II
Z editorial work n;"The Federationist.
publication issued monthly by tn
Federation. She has commission a
general organizer Of the American
Federation of Labor. and freQuentl
makes trips over the country for tn
purpose Of speaking and organizing
Speaks to Non-U nionists.
Mrs. Valesh's address last evenin
was listened to by good audience
She spoke in Turner Hall and he
hearers came from almost every clas