The wageworker., 1906-11-02

who struck recently because they were
forbidden to enter by the front door
of the Title and Trust building, had a
genuine grievance compared with some
other strikers.
A force OF carpenters and builders
once quit work in Pittsburg because
the boss refused to serve them lemon
ade. He thought to give the men a
treat one day and ordered a barrel OF
pink lemonade, and the men appreci-
ated it SO much that they quit work in
4 body the next morning because the
second barrel was not forthcoming
The officers of the union proposed to
arbitrate the question, but the con-
tractor refused. THE men will be
wanting champagne next" he said,
"and I can't afford to arbitrate" After
due consideration the business agents
told the men they would have to go
back to work on plain ice water.
One of the oldest one-man strikes
occurred when the machinists inaugu-
rated their national movement for
shorter hours. In shop of some size
at Atlanta the proprietor was congrat-
ulating himself because none of the
men in his plant belonged to the union
But there happened to be one man out
of several hundred who belonged to
the organization. When this solitary
worker received circular from union
headquarters notifying him of the.
strike he called a meeting, appointing
himself committee, called upon the
boss, and duly and formally made his
demands. He got his raise.
When the Methodist conference met
at Brooklyn several hundred ministers
stopped at one hotel. The walters i'm
mediately went on strike. The won
dering hotel man let tirem go and hired
a new force. After the first meal the
new men also took off their white jack
cts and aprons and left the hotel. Here
was a mystery. Whats the matter
with you fellows?" asked the steward.
The preachers never give us any
tips" said one of the strikers. eve
won't wait on them unless you double
our pay"
In China the executioners once
struck because they declared business
had become so dull they couldn't make
living at chopping off heads at 25
cents apiece. They laid their COM
Iplaints before a-mandarin in their dis
trict and he carried the matter before
the empress. That grim dowager lis
tened i'll silence while he told his
troubles. You may tell the men that
unless they return instantly to their
blocks there will be a great revival
of business for their successors" The
| hint was sufficient. The executioners
| went back to work without even sug-
gesting arbitration.
A deadlock recently occurred in New
York between the hod carriers and
wheelbarrow men engaged on large
building. The dispute was without
precedent, even the union officers
could not cettle 1t for a time, and the
entire job threatened to be tied up.
| At last somebody suggested Tipping
coin, heads or tails. The losers were
so much disappointed that they threat
! ened to- strike and with difficulty were
persuaded to accept this form of arbi-
tration.
| During the St. Louis street car strike
there was one union motorman who in
sisted on working. He was threatened
and expostulated with by his comrades
but he turned a deaf ear alike to ell
treaties and threats. I've got right
to work If / want to- and the whole
town cans bluff me- was the way he
put it. His wife thought differently.
She got barrel stave and went to the
run. Don't you work any more, Jim,"
she commanded. Come right down
from that car this minute" Jim hesi-
tated, and his wife-she was an ath-
letic woman-dragged him from the
platform and chastised him with the
barrel stave. He followed her home
meekly, and kept away from the car
barns until after the strike was set
tied. The woman was elected an hon
orary member of the union.
A lot of blind broommakers struck in
Philadelphia for an increase in pay.
They paraded the street, led by men,
ber who had one eye. Public sympa-
thy was with the strikers, who pick