The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-06
SOMETHING WRONG SOMEWHERE.
Railroad View of Building Trouble
and Remedy Suggested.
The. Railroad Employe.

The Railroad Employe.
Let US reason together, discarding preju-
dice, laying aside mere personal interest
and as far as possible, without bias. con-
slider the cold, hard facts. On May 10 the
Federated Unions in New York city de-
eided to tie up all building operations. and
having done so, this condition prevails for
about eight weeks. During this time 1t is
not clear to the public in general what all
the fuss is about, whereas ii would seem
that the public had right to know exactly
what the trouble was, and take a hand IN
Ii TO the relief of the injured party, which
ever that party might be. We have heard
Unions have failed to unite upon definite
platform or secure the sympathy of the
public, and hence it to US that
there's something wrong somewhere.
A walking delegate, business agent or
whatever representative OF a single union
may claim as his title. is arrested charged
with accepting brides, but is bailed out and
again elected TO office. but to the public
this union vouchsafes no explanation, anu
the charges are denied only in a perfume
tory manner, no investigation is held by
his union, no facts are given out in ex-
PLANTATION or refutation of his conduct, and
the books of the union are even claimed
to have been lost or destroyed Does it not
look as if there's something wrong some
where?
The employers present an ultimatum, and
after meetings by the walking delegates II
is promised in the latter part of one week
that meetinss of the various unions Will De
atoms will be generally resumed. Let this
be clear Some 125G0O men out OF work,
who are earning when employed an aver
age of about 81 a day, or 100000 day all
told, can sit around for another ten days.
at a further loss of some $5.oO0ooo Now
does ii not really seem as IL there's some
thing wrong somewhere? -,
These 125. 600 men struck work at the bid
ding of few only; no attempt was nrst
made toward arbitration grievances were
not drawn up. discussed modified ana pre-
tod form a
men only threw all these 125,0O out or
work. and the men who did Ii lost them
selves not one cent, for the pay or walk
ing delegate is the same during strike as
at any other time. It's easy To hold your
job and let another man go idle and
hungry, but under system that permits IL
1t seems to us there's something wrong
somewhere. Any workingman will willingly
hire out his services at less pay where he
will receive steady work, and lost time is
thing of horror to every one who works for
wages and yet they tell us that bricklayers
in New York city, who receive 80 a day
when employed, do not average I'D week
the year around. Figures such as this are
necessarily approximate, but the general
proposition will bear investigation, and IN
such a state of affairs surely there's some
thing wrong somewhere.
The men employed at the building trades
in New York city have acted in such man
as to dssuade capital from Investments
of this nature; they have wasted at least
eight weeks of a season that is TO some or
They have gained not single advantage,
and it does not seem that their experience
has even shown them that there's some
thing wrong somewhere.
We are speaking entirely from the stand
point of labor The organization as at
present existing does not seem to be sue
cess, being too wiedy and incapable of
rapid action neither does ii seem TO be har-
monious in itself 1t is also hydra headed
that is, with many. bosses and no one real
head. Every workingman knows the neces-
sity of one boss above all others, and yet
among themselves they seem to think it no
trouble to get along without executive con-
troll.
We strongly advise that during the win
ter months the federated unions in New
York city give up the idea of complete
federation and unite themselves into small
er bodies; dismissing the walking delegate
as he now exists and substituting proper
grievance committees, and, above all, elect
ing from among their own number, or out
side of it, a single individual Of conserva-
tive tendencies, who will maintain the
dignity of his position through honesty of
purpose and dare to do right.