The age-herald., 1902-03-23
CONDUCTED DT B. W. BRUMLEl
LABOR BODIES TO
 HOLD RALLY MEETINGS.


 the Birmingham district
 One will be under the auspices or the Bessemer Trades and Labor Assembly the central body of Bessemer It Is set for the second Thursday night in the month, April 10 and the purpose Is to inject more enthusiasm in the movement in that well organized town, and to bring about better feeling between the unions and the public. There will be large number of invited guests from among the trades unionists. A number Of gentlemen prominent in the movem ent In Birmingham have received special in7 vitations and have been put on the pro- gramme for talks. Among those invited are MT. J. H. Leath, MT. T. |. Williams, Mir. w. H. Stanley. MT. J. H. T. Mos ley. MT. B. W. Brumley. MT. Harry Mos ley, Mir P. H. Moore, MT. Harry White, Miss Alice Nall, Miss Mamie Curtis and a number of others. The business and professional men of Bessemer will figure prominently on the programme and by attendance and the result is expected to be most pleasant.
 The carpenters will hold an open meet ing at Magnolia Hall the second Tuesday night April 8, to which all union and non-union m en are invited. It will be un- der the auspices of Carpenters Union No 75 and Is Intended to bring together the carpenters of the district in a social way, the contractors and business men.
 The committee on arrangements is pre- pairing a varied programme and trying to have 1t we'll balanced with short talks musical numbers. songs and recitations In this way an evening can be spent most pleasantly the women adding zest to the occasion. Federal Labor Union No. 969O will make its next regular meeting an open session to which all are invited who are interested in the work this union has undertaken to accomplish, which is an amalgamation of all the unorganfzed crafts and callings under the banner of the general movement of which the Amer lean Federation of Labor is the head At such time as each craft or calling be- com es sufficient in numbers and strength to set out independently they will be organized into a separate union. It Is plan of education devised by the A. F. of L. and has proven very beneficial in other cities.
 The "open meeting has become an in- stitution with the trades unions that has yielded good results. The business of
 
 acted behind closed doors, and only the conclusions reached be made public and that at the proper time, for It's being business organization whose underlying principles are the increasing of wages, shortening of hours and improvement Of working conditions arrays on the other side large class whose sympath!es are easiest touched through their purses Therefore the trades unions gets little nd met with such a storm of inventive and opposition as Is rarely heaped upon any other class, political factions not except ed. This storm Is like the wintery blast to a thinly clad person, until they are sufficiently entrenched as to be almost invulnerable. This comes largely from misunderstanding and prejudice, and 1t Is these causes that open meetings go far toward removing, .cultivating a better feeling between the employing and em- ployed classes and educating each to an understanding of the other. If the em- ploying classes would arrange like meet ings and invite the employed at some time when their votes were not wanted to carry an election or their strength to force legislation, another great step would be gained.
 This is the view taken by many able men who occupy positions of prominence in the movement.
 James M. Lynch, President Information al Typographical Union, says on this i'm portant subject, in discussing the Execu- tive Committee of the Industrial Depart ment of the National Civic Federation
 "The ultimate triumph of principle is inevitable. The labor organizations of the United States have been misrepresented. vilfied and traduced; but they have gone steadily on, and at last the principle which has guided and actuated them Is recognized and their motives understood.
 ''The realization of class interests. which has gradually come to the toilers result in in cohesive, verile federation, has compelled the attention of the people. and especially of those who temporarily control the industrial fabric; and meet ing unparalleled in the records of re- lations between master and man., has evolved a combination of representatives of labor, capitol and people, with the ob- ject of constructing plan under the operation of which monster clashes be- tween employer and employe may be averted.
 If it is understood that the Executive Committee of the Industrial Department of the National Civic Federation Is to jump into the breach at every threatened labor trouble, and that because of the ex- ercise of it's good offices, a settlement Is bound to follow then the future of the committee Is not strewn with roses.
 The danger lies in great expectations. As a moral force, the effect of the com mittee's recommendations in any partlcu- lar instance will be great. In its moral force the great value of the committee exists. Fair, impartial investigation, fol- lowed by fair and impartial recommends ton-therein lies the committees duty. If that duty is faithfully performed the results are bound to be commensurate and the benefit to all the people i'm mense.
 "The gathering of prominent represent atives of capital labor and the public in amicable conference, in an effort to find a way out in itself has a salutary effect.
 "The smaller empolyer-the man who has $500, 900 or less invested in his busi ness-will henceforth more readily toll crate Interference with his business. He will receive deputations from the unions and listen to suggestions.
 The smaller fry are governed, to a large extent in such matters, by the attitude of the financial kings. If the captains of industry recognize that trade unionism as an industrial force cannot be ignored, and that the safe way lies in conciliation and agreement the ex- ample thus set will be quite generally followed. Many strikes result because of the ar rogant and intolerant attitude of the em- ployer. The wage earner has no rights which the employer is bound to consider, much less respect. Any request for the amelioration of conditions is interference, and the puniahment rneted ont to the