Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-09-02
FOR A STRIKE FUND
President of Labor Congress Says
fully Fight Standard Oil Co.
ASSESS ONE DOLLAR YEAR
Wholesale Liquor Dealers of Tri-Cities
Avoid Contention With a Peoria
DistiIIery.

AZ lHe regular meeting OF the L II
City Labor congress last evening Pres
ident Hergis discussed the establish
ment of a defense or strike fund. He
thought it would be a boon to union
ism to install fund for the cause of
unions when out on strike. The
packers strike in Chicago furnished
an example.
He was afraid that the strikers
would be compelled to acQuiesce TO the
packers and return to work under the
same conditions under which they
were working before they struck If
defense fund was on hand and ready
for the assistance of the strikers they
wCdld win.
y fund could be created by
assessing 81 a year for each member
of the American Federation of Labor
and inside Of three Years the fund
would be large enough to successfully
fight the Standard Oil company. The
plan was indorsed by the congress.
Only One VIII Sign.
The committee appointed at the last
meeting to try to induce wholesale
dealers of the tri-cities to cease hand
ling Clark Bros. & Co whisky, made
in Peoria, reported that all those called
on, with the exception of one. refused
TO sign a card submitted TO them ask
ing that they quit selling that brand
of goods. Those who declined stated
that they We're afraid to do so because
the distillery might some day get the
edge over them and make them regret
the stand in this instance. The one
who did sign the card asked that his
name be withheld from the public.
Aid For Union Bakers Families.
An appeal from the Trades and La
Dor council, of FreepOrt. ILL.,, asking
for financial aid in supporting the fam
lily of John Weurth. a union baker of
that city. who was killed last May in
a street alteration between nOn-union
and union bakers. was read. The con-
STeSs having voted at the last meeting
to quit extending financial aid in re-
Spouse to appeals outside of the tri-
cities. as a congress, reported the APP
peal to delegates from the various un-
ions, who will report to their reSpec-
tive unions. The union bakers of Free
port went out on Il strike the first of
last May and much trouble grew out
of it. many combats having taken
place. among them being the one in
which Weurth was killed. He left a
wife and four children.
l.. Stinton. of Minneapolis. repre-
senting the union bakers of this dis
trict. appeared before the congress and
asked the moral support of the mem
| bers in the cause of uniOnism among
| the bakers He stated that but a very
few realize the deplorable conditions
under which bakers in cities are COM
PEELED to work.
Label League Idea Revived.
a discussion of the feasibility of or
ganizing a union label league was
preached 1t was contended that it
would be necessary for the housewife
to be made cOgniZant of the signifi-
canoe of buying union goods for the
ICulinary department as well as house
hold goods in order to establish firmly
a union league. Some contended that
women did not take enough interest
in such matters, and that they did not
realize the importance of buying moth
ing but union goods. 1t was also cited
that the best plan to bring about the
ultimate success of such an undertake
ing would be 10 use the postal card
system. formerly employed by union
lists in fighting handlers of non-unioT
goods. The idea suggested is to have
cards printed i'll the form of pledges
10 be signed by members of the league
promising not to purchase anything
but union goods. The cards would b,
printed and distributed monthly, bear
ing list of non-union shops Eacl
member would pay the sum of cents
per month as fee for supporting tbs
cause 1t was suggested that it would
be contrary to law TO adopt such ;
method. No action was taken.