The Mankato free press., 1905-01-27
And They Will Now Prepare to
Fight Its Inauguration.
Propose to Check EnCroach-
ment of Labor Unions.
Banquet Enjoyed BY The At
tendants at Meeting.
From Mondays Daily.

ploying printers that has assembled any
where in the United States met Satur-
day afternoon at the Merchants hotel
to consider steps for future action rela-
tive to the eight hour day.
The two hundred men that dined and
discussed as the guests of the Twin
City Typothetae represented the North
west Master Printers'association whose
members are also members of the United
|Typothetae of America.
The business meeting that followed the
dinner Saturday was called to consider
the relations of the employing print
ers to such of their employees as belong
to the international Typographical un-
on
At its convention last summer the
union, which adopted a nine-hour day
several years ago, voted for an eight
hour day, the rule to become effective
Jan. /, 1906.
Subsequently the United Typothetae,
meeting at ST. Louis, resolved to oppose
the eight hour rule for printers. In ac-
cordance with such resolutions the
Northwestern Typothetae met Saturday
to strengthen its organization.
Declaration Of Policy.
Printed with the menu was the decla-
ration of policy adopted by the national
organization of Typothetae The United
ITypothetae of America, as the declara-
tion recited. maintains the right of its
members to conduct an "open" office;
to employ whomsoever they see fit in
the management of their offices; to buy
or sell as they see fit.
The Typothetae invites united action
to resist any unwarranted encroach-
ments of labor organizations upon the
rights of employers; and therefore re-
quests that, when demand is made
by labor union upon local Typothetae,
the local body should communicate with
the national secretary ''before conference
is had in regard thereto
| Being opposed to any further reduc-
tion of the working time to less than
| ififty-four hours per week for day work,
! the Typothetae urged local branches not
/ to enter into any contract except upon
the lines laid down by sample contrac:
prepared by the U. I. A.
| Furthermore, the Typothetae is OPP
posed to any agreement between local
! ITypothetae and employers unions for
control of trade or membership. The
u. T. A. also deprecates the use of the
union label.
Should Strengthen Organization.
Charles w. Ames, the toastmaster,
said there was no question but what the
master printers of the northwest should
strengthen their organization. They
were competent, he felt, to deal justly
with their own employees, but that was
not allowed by their organization. The
nine hour question had been settled, yet
the question of hours was still unsettled
1t was eight hours now, instead of nine
hours. A national organization was the
employers only protection.
In welcoming the guests Thomas E
Cootey, of Minneapolis, told that there
were master printers present from all
parts OF Minnesota, from Nebraska
Wisconsin, and the two Dakotas; that
seven men had come from Winnipeg. He
urged the necessity of combating ''the
American and socialistic doctrine of
unionismo
The president of the IT, T. A., George
H. Ellis, of Boston, said that his audi
tors should realize that their friends
the enemy, were a very strong organiza-
zation.
Yet the eight hour day would not be
accepted. The closed shop was objec-
tionable, as were other demands made
by the typographical union. But the eight
hour day was least to be endured.
1t would mean an increase of Is to
% per cent in the expense of printing
an increase that the business was in nc
condition to stand
Small Employers Should Be Enlisted.
Mr. Ellis thought it highly desirable
to enlist in the Typothctae all the small
employers. 1t might be necessary, will
this object, to reduce the Z. t. A
dues.
In answer to question, Mr.. Ellis
advised employing printers to refuse any
offer OF arbitration, and to refer the pro
posal to the national secretary of the
Typothetac.
Mr.. Ellis views were reflected, in
the main, by William Green, of New
York, chairman of the executive commit
tee of the Z. L. A.