The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-04-02

St. Paul, April 1.-Minnesota union
labor men are too proud to ask for aid
from charita BILE organizations. This III
substance is the opinion of Labor Com
missioner John O'Donnell who :a% Just
completed report along this 'i''''
was called to the attention OF Iir. ~
Donnell last winter that many working
men were asking for aid from charitable
organizations throughout the state. Mr..
O'Donnell became curious, and desired
to know just how many members of
trade unions were dependent upon pub
lie charity to care for their families.
He set his corps of assistants to work,
and after due investigation the follow
ing report was made:
Investigation of Labor Bureau.
Several months ago in an issue Of
one Of the daily newspapers published
in the city of Minneapolis, all article
appeared stating that among the ap-
plications for aid to the different char
liable organzati ions of that city were
many men or the families of men who
were members of the different labor or
ganiZations.
Prompted by a desire for information
relative to this matter, the Commls-
soner of La Dor instructed Deputy COM
missioner Ellis, Of Minneapolis to take
up the work of this investigation in that
city, and report his findings to the
Bureau of Labor. 917 applications for
aid have been made to the Associated
Charities from June !, 1903, up to and
including the month of Jan. 1904. These
applications included nearly everything
that is as a general rule asked for by
people who are placed in a position
where they are compelled to ask for
aid from Charitable Organizations:
clothing, shoes, groceries. wood, coal,
money to pay rent, medical attendance,
etc.
OF the 817 applications 50 reported, .19.
of the persons; making such application
o!s sns:aaS4 *
1.-The - wives sc men ere Ienabsre6
some Of the follow ing named labor or
ganizations of minneapolis: Painters
and Decorators (2), Typographical ~,
stone ,Masons %, Musicians ~, Sheet
Metal Workers %, Iron Molders Q),
Team Drivers O, Flour and Cereal
Mill Employees 11). After a thorough
investigation Of this matter it was
found that in a number of instances
that the persons making application for
aid misrepresented facts in SO far as
the heads of the families making the
application were members OF the la
Dor organizations above referred to.
Union Men Had Worked the Game
With Unions.
In the case of the two men where it
was represented that they were men,
bers of the Painters and Decorators
union, it was found that one of the
men had never been a member of that
organization, and III the case of the
other man who had made application
for aid to the Associated Charities and
who claimed that ne was a member of
the Painters union, it was found from
information furnished, and taken from
their books by the officers Of that body,
that he had ceased to be a, member
many months before he made this ap-
plication for aid. The man who repres-
ented that he was a member of the
Typographical union, had never been
a member Of the Printers union in this
city, and no record of his name could
be found on the books. of any of the
labor organizations having any con-
nection with the printing trades in Min
neapolis Of the man. who asked for
aid, and stated that he was a member
Of the Stone Masons' union, on invest
igation it was learned that he was a
member of the union in good standing,
hut had never intimated that he was
in want, and had made no application
fer old at any time to his union. If he
lad made it known to the officers OF
the organization they would have in
yestigated. and if it was found that the
case was as he represented it to be-
sistance and without any hesitation.
The musicians it was found had re-
fused further aid to the man who was
a member Of their union, and who had
asked for aid from other sources, for
it was found on investigation by tts:
officers Of the Union that to give any
further aid or assistance to this man
tn the way Of money ETC., would be
detrimental to his best interests. The
reason for the union refusing to assist
any longer it was learned was because
of the mans inability to- control his ap-
pette for liquor.
inebriacy Responsible for Trouble.
In the case of the Iron Molder it was
found that the Union had assisted him
to the extnt Of $500 in money, and the
officers of the union after an investi-
cation concluded that this amount was
sufficient, and in fact more than the
union was justified in granting under
the conditions. and that the circum-
stances in which they found the mem.
ber did not warrant the organization
in advancing any further aid.
Of the man claiming membership Of
the Sheet Metal Workers Organization
it appeared on investigation that this
man had no claim on this union becaus.
Of the fact that he had never been Z
member of the Local, nor was he ever
affiliated with it trough the Nationa
Organization. * + <%Sz
Investigation ~ ty ~ the Inspector
brought out the fact that the mar y