Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-09-25
NEWS OF THE LABOR FIELD.
TENS of Interest Gathered From Many
Sources.

Joseph Schmidt of New York has
oeen elected editor of the officia
journal of the Bakers international
Union.
A strike of 700 trunkmakers follow
ed by a lockout has tied up seven
manufactures of trunks, satchels and
dress-suit cases, practically Gripping
the industry in Chicago. Nearly 1000
men are idle.
The members of the New Orleans
Freight Handlers Union, about $50 in
number, have struck for 40 cents an
hour. They had been getting 80
cents. The strike more especially at
lects the Southern Pacific Steanxhip
company.
Oregon has adopted law prohibit
ing the employment of child under
fourteen years of age in stores. fac
tories or mines, and forbiddinG the
employment of any CHI under six
teen years of age who cannot read
and write.
The Western Federation of miners
has issued an appeal to miners
throughout the country to contribute
to an "eight-hour fund.-" and let the
battle ground be in the western coun-
try. The miners have already start
ed the fund.
The trades union congress opened
its session at Leicester, Eng, Sept. 7.
There were present 469 delegates. rep
resenting ESQ trades, with member
snip of 100000. The United States
was represented by Messrs. Lawlor of
Bethel, Conn.,, and Max Hayes OF
Cleveland, Ohio.
The new child labor law of New Jer-
sey became effective Sept. /. 1t pro-
hibits the employment of children in
factories under fourteen years of age
and makes it's violation a misdemean-
or, punishable by years imprison-
ment, or a fine of 5000, at the discre-
ton of the court.
The annual convention of the inter-
national brotherhood of electrical
workers will be held at Salt Lake City
this week. The union has increased
from 5000 to more than $4,000 men,
bers in two years. Despite the heavy
drains on the treasury the national
funds amount to more than $3O, 900.
With the exception of the blast fur
naces the Clarion steel plant has
closed down for four weeks for annual
repairs, the taking of stock and scare
ity of orders. Approximately 1000
men are idle for the first time since
the big works began operating. The
blast furnaces will continue running
as they have all the year round.
The Weekly Bulletin of the Cloth
ing Trades, published in New York in
the interests of that craft by private
parties, has been acquired by the
United Garment Workers of America,
and will be continued as it's weekly
official organ, taking the place of the
quarterly magazine which the organ
ization has issued for several years.
The result of the convention of the
sheet mill lodges of the Amalgamated
Association Of Iron, Steel and Tin
Workers will probably bring about a
decision that the men work turns of
six hours each instead of eight as at
present, the limit of output to be the
same for each turn. This action may
settle the difficulty in the sheet metal
trade.
The recent convention of the Ameri-
can Federation of Musicians decided
In favor of establishing fund to be
known as the "Old Home Fund" the
proceeds to be devoted to maintain.
ing a home for old and infirm mem
bers of the organization. Nation,
ILL.,, has made an effort to donate suf-
ficient ground to locate such home in
that city.
James F. Mc!Iugh, for many years
secretary-treaslie of the Stonecut-
ters' Association of North America,
has been reelected by a large ma
|ority. In the last issue of the journal
Of the craft Editor McHugh states that
here are only two unions of stone.cut.
.ers in the country not affiliated with
The national union. These are In New
York and Boston.
Only seven states in the Union are
still without an act designating Labor
lay as legal holiday, namely: Idaho,
Wyoming, North Dakota,
and Nevada. Pennsylvania
makes the first Saturday of Septem.
Der and Louisiana November rs as
Labor day. In all other states and in
he District of Columbia the first Mon
lay of September is designated as
egal holiday.
The United Mine Workers at Potts
rille, Pa, have secured lease of the
Valley News, which sus-
tended publication some time ago.
district President John Fahy of the