The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-09-10
ERRONEOUS REPORT Or ::
MACH|N|STS. FINANCES
Opponenets of Labor Attempt
To pread Report That
Union Is Bankrupt.
General Strike Found Contains
Sevey Thousand Dollars
At Present Time.

Washington, D. c., Sept. 8.-Stirred
by an erroneous statement that the
Machinist International Union was
bankrupt the officers have issued the
following statement:
There has been considerable COM
ment on the fact that the International
Association Of Machlnists has placed
general assessment Of 81 on each mem
Der OF the organization.
Large employers Of machinists would
like to have 1t understood that the in
ternationals finacial resources are very
limited. This, however, is not the case.
There Is today In the general strike
fund $4,000. For the past eight weeks
there has been paid out on an average
Of $4,000 per week; the organization is
well able to stand this expense with
it's present membership Of more than
$4,000, provided, Of course, that too
many strikes are not called, which in
the past has always been looked out
for by the general executive board.
The cause for the assessment at this
time is owing to the trouble In Chicago,
which alone involves sixteen local
unions with a membership of about
1000. Both of these strikes are we'll
in hand, and the members are fully
taken care Of. We seldom If ever ap-
peal to outside unions, except those
cases where local unions get involved
in trouble which makes it necessary to
support men not entitled to benefits
from the international unions, then We
at times are forced OTTO request aid
locally. but these appeals only apply to
the city or town in which the trouble
Is located. The machinists have organ
tzat1ons today In every state In the
United States, and a good organization
In Canada and Mexico.
The advantages gained by the organi-
zation for it's members are too nuner-
Gus to mention In the letter: enough
to say that hours Of labor have gener-
ally been shortened; conditions in shops
are on the whole better; the apprentice
system is well looked after In all shops
where the organization is complete;
rate of wages in great many instances
have been raised, while in no case COM
ing under my observation have they
fallen. The benefits to the workers be-
longing to our organization In this city
alone are enough to convince any in
tellgent machinist that he should be-
long TO- the. .Machinists' union Only
a few years ago II this cdty The mem
bers Of our craft, without organization,
were working ten hours per day, six
days per week; overtime was in great
many cases paid for as straight time:
pay days were very often monthly, and
the workers were divided against them
selves; conditions became SO unbear-
able that organization became a neces-
cjf fnr tha nh }vf,
tion came and with it unfortunately
came strike which ended in defeat,
but 10, and behold! the defeat proved
to be victory. The employers in their
battle with the workers were forced to
show their true colors-their ardent
dislike for the workingman who would
dare show the true spirit of liberty
by banding together and demanding
Justice. When the machinists realized
that just demands would be as quickly
ignored as unjust ones. when 1t suited
their employer. as long as they were
unorganized the work of organizing
went on rapidly, and just to the extent
that the workers organized: to that
extent were concessions granted with
out another fight. A half holiday was
granted on Saturday, wages generally
became better until at the present
time the highest general wage paid four
years ago Is the minimum rate of the
union. Today the good things won by
union effort from the employers are
shared in by the non-union men. and
they should beashamed of their posi-
tion In society. 1t is that of the harger
on or camp followers who takes no part
in the hardships of battle but desires
to share the spoils Of victory. No ma
ohinist today should be outside the
ranks of this organization. It gives a.
brotherly hand to him all through life
and If working at the trade no mat
ter where he may roam he will be ever
among friends. If he should meet with
sickness or death In a strange city the
sick and death benefits Of the orRant-
cations are his. Every member carry
ing a paid up card of our organization
carries on that card a life insurance
according to Article II, Section I, of
the constitution, whihc says any mem
Der IS years of age who is ten years
In good standing shall receive $500. Any
member Of 68 years OF age, who Is 20
years In good standing, shall receive
$1,000, and you don't have to die to get
this money: the members of this city
today work five hours per week less
than previous to organization, which
would net each man at the lowest rate
OF pay in a machine shop $1.25 per
week, or $65 per year, as a benefit of
organization. Against this the highest
dues paid are 81 per month, or $12 Der
year. Why should we not agree to
contribute an extra dollar occasionally
/, to our striking brothers so that there
will need be no machinist suffer who is
upholding the grand principles our Of
'ganization stands for?
This call for 81 each does not mean
that we are in trouble financially; it
only means that that Santa Fe strike
and the Chicago trouble will be fought,
If necessary twice the thirteen months
that it took us to whip the Union Pa
cific into line, and the I. A. of ,M.<zwill
emerge from thos difficulties with col
ors flying andsa a membership that has
In orua MI -,