The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-24
He Points Out that the Complaints
Against indianapolis Factories
Are Unfounded.
AN INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZER
RUDOLF SCHIRRA, OF THE BAKERS
UNION, MAKES A SPEECH.
Present Status of Trouble at the In
dianapoIis Foundry Company's
PIant-LocaI Labor News.

A report was read last night at the meet
ing of the Central Labor Union in Persons
Hall from Factory Inspector McAbee, stat
ing that a thorough investigation had been
made of the factories in the city in which,
it was charged, the child labor laws had
been violated by the employers hiring chill
dren under the age limit. In his report
Mr.. McAbee said that it had been found
that children under the age of fourteen
were not employed in the factories men
toned in the complaints and where 1t was
found that young children were employed
they were always working with their moth
ers in the factories. The two factories
where it was charged young children were
employed were the Van Camp Packing
Company and the Malleable iron works.
The matter of child labor was discussed at
length by the members of the Central La
Dor Union, the general opinion prevailing
that under no condition should children be-
low the ages Of fourteen be employed in
the factories
LENGTHY SESSION.
The meeting Of the Central Labor Union
was unusually long, although nothing of
great Importance came before the body.
to the trouble at the Indianapolis polo
Kinks, advising that the Kinks should not
be placed on the unfair list at the present
time. Although c. c. Buck, contractor OF
the rink work, has agreed that all his men
shall join the carpenters union, and they
have made the first payment on their
hfteen-dollar initiation fees, there is a sus-
picion among the carpenters that now that
the work is completed, their first payments
will be forfeited and the men will back out
or the union. For this reason action on the
Kinks will not be taken until the remaining
payments fall due. The men employed by
Mr.. Buck formerly belonged TO Conrad
Benders union, an organization formed to
compete with the organized carpenters OF
The arbitration committee handed in a
report IN the fight that has been going on
between the National Association of Steam
filters and the United Association of
Plumbers. The report favored the former
and recommended that their delegates be
refused seats in the Central Labor Union
The trouble dates from the strike of the
steamhtters last June. during which it was
charged and found to be true that the
members of the Plumbers Union took the
places Of the steamfitters, working at less
than the union scale and more than union
hours.
INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZER.
Rudolf Schirra, general organizer of the
Bakery and Confectionery Workers Inter
national Union of America, was present
and spoke at length on the union label
The organizer Is from Cleveland, o., and
is in the city to organize more solidly the
local union Of the organization which he
represents. He will be in Indianapolis until
Christmas. His visit is due to the lack OF
interest that is being manifested by the
members of the local union.
Fred Randall. of Denver, COL, an organ
izer of the Western Federation of Miners
who strike in Colorado, was
also present and spoke on unionism. He
said In the course of his remarks that IL
had been claimed that the recent accident
In the indicator shaft at Cripple Creek
was due TO the miners, as a piece of re-
volver used to discharge the dynamite had
been found in the bottom of the mine. Mr..
Randall claimed that he was well ac-
quainted with the mine; that there is three
hundred feet of water in the bottom of the
mine and that ii would have been impoSsi-
BILE for the operators to find revolver, as
was stated. He said he believed the explo-
sion was entirely accidental, caused by the
friction Of the elevator in the shaft, which
drops 600 feet in less than a minute.
A resolution was adopted by the central
body to the effect that all merchants en-
ploying fake labels be declared as not run
ming union houses. There mas been more OF
less complaint among union people of the
city of the labels some merchants use. Al
certain stores, when the purchasers ask fol-
the union label, the merchants say that
they can get them the label In few min
utes and then go out and secure counter
felt labels.