The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-22
HAS LITTLE HOPE.
George J.MulberryThinks Labor
Question Won't Be Solved.
Asks Laboring Men to Combine
For Their Own Protection.

George J. Mulberry, third vice presi-
dent of the International Association of
Machinists. addressed a gathering Of
tradesmen of different classes at Lincoln
Post hall on East Sixth avenue, Friday
evening. His talk was an interesting
discussion of labor conditions as they
have been affected by unions.
Il do not think" he declared in open
ing, that the labor problem ever will be
solved. 1t is the greatest problem that
ever has confronted the world, and the
only true results that are to be gained
are by labor combining and fighting for
itself" He described the first move
ment for the unions in England when it
was Illegal to hold meetings for this
purpose, and when the friends of the
movement were imprisoned and some
times executed. I'm spite of the efforts
of the royalty" he declared, the trades
unions went on lettering the human
family generally. In this country it was
found necessary to organize. To be
sure men We're never executed, but they
gone on until here they have possibly
the best organization of anywhere in
the world"
So far as their relations to the trades
unions are concerned he believes hui
mainly is divided into three great class
es: The man who thinks it is proper and
possible to better conditions by combin-
ing; he who is on the side of popularity
and who will support the union If that
appears to him to be holding the bal
ance of power; and the one who be-
lleveS that the tradeS-union never can
be successful. 1t was mainly with the
third class of wOrkmen with which he
dealt during the remarks, arguing the
matter in the light of the history of the
organizations of this class with which
he has been so prominently identified
nr1n r.nae hO ca III
that had been urged against labor or
CARNATIONS was that they had opposed
female labor. In certain sense he
answered, this is true. We believe that
in the main the man now as he always
has been is the producer and the pro-
WIDER; but when it becomes necessary
for a woman to debaSe herself by labor
ing alongside men in factories, then we
say she should receive the same wages.
And wherever we have a factory in
which the employees are controlled by
the union that factory is run under bet
ter conditions-shorter hours and higher
wages"
Mr. Mulberry described graphically
the strikes inaugurated by the machin-
lists in Chicago few days ago for better
conditions, when the order was young
and unrecognized by the capitalists, but
which resulted in nearly all the machin-
lists in that city going out and COMPEL
ing the employers to come to terms. He
has had, since then, much experience in
strikes, discussions and lockouts and
says that the two great enemies of the
laboring men in such times have been
the newspapers and the courts. 1.-The
press" said he, has done more to harm
the laboring classes in strikes than al
most any other agency. In many cases
the men become disheartened wholly
and solely by miSStatementS in the
press" The courts of law he said had
often taken such a strong hand against
the labor orders that the members had
al times been enjoined from paying
their dues.
Il believe the working classes are
compare them with a giant. 1 don't be-
heve that these things are going to be
solved by generosity, but we must look
at it in cold blooded light. I ask you
to combine for the benefit of yourselves
your antilles and mankind"
Vice President Mulberry is now on
his way home to Chicago from Denver
where he has been advising the union
men in the struggle between them and
the contract shops at Denver, Col. He
reports conditions as being satisfactory
there, only three or four of the, shops
still holding out against them. I'VE
have in the neighborhood of 40 men
out" he said to a reporter.
Asked for an expression regarding the
national board of arbitration he said:
THE intentions are very good, but am
afraid it will accomplish but little
Hugh Martin, foreman of a gang of
machinists at the Santa Fe shops pre-
sided over the meeting and preceding
the address by Mr.. Mulberry, w. L. A.
Johnson, state laborer commissioner,
gave short talk.