Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-11-23
TEi-city Press Club Memorable IS
Federation Of Labor on
Rock Island Arsenal.
SWEAT SHOP APPELLATiON
The Further Course of Action-Con
gresham Mckinney Learns
of Conditions.

stan ding cooperative public good COM
day morning. preparing a memorial to
the American Federation of Labor. de-
precating the resolution of the fedora
ton in condemning the arsenal as a
sweat shop" as follows:
Rock Island, Ill, Nov. %, 1905.
Hon. Samuel Gompers. President
American Federation of Labor, and
Delegates to Convention of American
Federation of Labor, Pittsburg, Pa:
Tri-City Press club, including in
membership the newspapers and othe.
publications in cities of Davenport,
Iowa. and Rock Island and Moline. H.,
and embracing 65 working newspaper
men in community contiguous to
Rock Island arsenal. deprecates reso-
luton adopted by your distinguished
body, cOndemning Rock Island arsenal
as sweat shop" feeling that you could
not have been fully informed as TO the
actual conditions existing at the ar
senal. Believing that apart from
the fact that your body would not will
lingly do an injustice to any institution
or community, that in effec: the afore-
said resolution. is as we verify believe,
really damaging to labor conditions in
this locality, We therefore ask of your
honorable body that the resolution al
ready adopted. be rescinded until a
careful investigation be made.
In the meantime. we pledge the aid
and cooperation of this organization
and it's members. if il shall be desired.
in an honest and fair investigation of
the conditions as they really exist AT
Rock Island arsenal.
TRI-CITY PRESS CLUB.
Per b. F. Tillinghast, president.
+. Il. RundquiSt. secretary
J. b. Richardson, Davenport Demo
crat
E. =. Adler, Daily Times.
Edward fischer, Davenport Der Dem
okrat.
Adolph Peterson, Iowa Reform.
F. b. Sharon. Catholic Messenger
J. J. LaVelle Rock Island Argus.
]. X Brandenburg, Rock Island
Union.
Val Peter. Rock Island and Moline
Vo,ks-Zeitung
p. S. McGlynn, Moline Dispatch.
j. II. McKeever, Moline Mail.
George Z. Holt. Moline Journal.
Tri-City Press Club Cooperative Com
mittee.
Notwithstanding that the committee
realized that the Federation of Labor
had already reached the closing days
of its convention, and that it might be
too late to accomplish the desired re
he fol- HYttx-
ertheless to lay the matter before that
body, and hence it was transmitted by
wire late yesterday afternoon.
Labor Leaders Join.
Supplementing this action in the
name of the Press club. Business Agent
F. W Herges, of the Tri-City Labor
congress. and Editor z. c. Berry, of
the Tri-City Unionist. the latter the
official publication of the labor con-
gress. this morning sent the appended
dispatch to President Gompers:
Hon. Samuel Gompers, Presiden.
American Federation of Labor, Pitts
burg. Pa.-HOnest conviction is that
congressional investigation will do
more to right wrongs at Rock Island
arsenal than sweat shop" condemna-
ton.
F. w HEROES
Business Agt. Tri-City Labor Congress.
Z. c. BERRY,
Editor Unionist.
The Press club committee will meet
in few days to discharge the further
part of its duties in the form of a me
mortal to congress as TO the contract
and piece work systems.
More Work To he Done.
The press club is determined
through its tri-city committee, to bring
every phase of the Rock Island arsenal
situation before the proper authorities.
The attention of the president will be
sought and congress will be memorial
lied through the Illinois and Iowa sen
ators and representatives, 10 conduct
such investigation and prescribe such
remedies as will correct the conditions
an present existing al the arsenal
What Congressman Mckinney Learned.
Yesterday while here. Congressman
Mckinney learned from Col Blunt, the
causes of the steady reduction of the
forces in the employ of the arsenal,
because of the gradual increase in the
volume of arsenal manufactures going
into the hands of private contractors
That while a year ago there were $500
men employed at the arsenal, the total
force now numbers 1,6O0, and it is still
going down.
From Business Agent Herges OF the
Tri-City Labor congress. Congressman
Mckinney received the information
that there are conditions existing pecu-
liar to this arsenal that should be rem
edied either by the president, the sec
rotary of war. or by congress, that
these conditions apply both TO the pol
icy OF the ordnance department in per-
hitting outside contractors to bid for
and secure the products that legiti-
mately belong 70 the arsenal. and in