Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1904-07-22

from the time work begins until 1t Is
completed.
A knockout blow to all contracts
between unions and employers was
given in decision by Judge Hardy
OF the Superior Court of Massachu-
sets, who held that any agreement
relating to the employment exclusive
ly of union help, regulation of hours.
of labor, apprentices, etc., is against.
public policy and illegal. The case
probably will go to the Supreme
Court.
Four hundred employees in the car
shops of the Pullman Company at
Pullman have been laid of. and sew
eral hundred more, it is expected.
will be thrown out of work within a
short time, as result Of decrease
in the volume of business. officials
Of the company say they are unable
to tell when the present slack condi-
lions will end, and it may be several
months before the men can go back
to work.
Leaders of the strike of garment
workers declare the tieup to be COM
plete and estimate the number of per-
sons cut at $4,000 to 10000. In day
or two 10000 finishers, mostly Italian
women, who take the work home, will
be added to the number of those idle.
1t is the biggest clothing strike that
New York has seen for at least six
years. No wage demand has been
made. the strike being merely against,
the open shop"
Fifty thousand clothing workers
have Joined the strike against the
open shop" inaugurated by the Ma
tional Clothiers' Association, accord
ing to the executive committee of the.
Garment Makers Trades Council. It.
was said that the strike would spread
and that thousands more would join
the strikers in the next three days..
Assistant Secretary Crouchley of the
United Garment Workers of America
said the union would win.
Less than 10 per cent of the mem.
bership of the brotherhood of boiler
makers and iron shipbuilders were in.
terested enough to vote on the refer.
endum election of international Off.
GERS. IF cities have bad government
because many of their reputable citi-
zens do not go to the polls on election
days." said one member of the boiler
makers. what kind of officers are Ia
Dor unions to have if 80 per cent Of
the membership does not vote?"
After conference with the United
Garment Workers, Samuel Gompers,
president of the American Federation
of Labor announced that he was sat-
isfied with the action of the New
York garment workers in striking,
against the "open shop" and that the
American Federation of Labor will
aid the strikers in their fight. The
garment workers struck against the
open shop" several days ago, and
according to the strike leaders, several
thousand men are out.
Everywhere throughout the country
the cause of organization among the.
wage earners, for the purpose of bet
tering their condition, Is becoming,
stronger and stronger. Not a day
passes without new bodies being.
formed and, as the workers are being
educated along the lines of what are
the real aims and objects of union
labor, the employers are also learning
that 1t is with the organized workers
they will receive and do receive the,
best returns.-Freight and Baggage
man.
Labor unions are slowly making
their way into Mexico. In The City Of
Durango, for example, there are three
associations, one with more than 700
members. These are not composed
strictly of artisans, though in theory
they are intended so to be; and not
one of them as yet has attempted to
influence the wage scale, though
there seems no reason why they
should not do so if the need therefor
should occur Their main object Is
mutual aid, and they fulfill their mis-
sion to some extent.
Railroad brotherhood magazines are
commenting at length on the recent
decision of the United States Supreme
court which laid down the principle
that a telegraph operator for rail-
road company and fireman on a rail-
road engine are fellow servants" and
that the negligence Of the former
causing the death of the latter in the
operation of trains was a risk the
fireman assumed and was not ground
for damages against the railroad COM
pany. The Advance Advocate, the off,
cial organ Of the Maintenance Of Way
Employees, makes this editorial COM
ment on the decision: I'VE may next
expect the Supreme Court to lay down
the principle that a passenger may
not recover damages on account Of
injury received in a railway accident,
or that his legal heirs may not re-
cover damages on account Of his
death from such cause, because in
purchasing his ticket he assumed the
risk of being killed or manned. AS
this decision comes from the United
States Supreme Court there is only
one thing for railway employees Of
ovarv grade To do and that is To de,