The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-21
NO BOYCOTT ON METHODISTS.
PRINTERS UNION HERE HASN'T
HEARD OF SUCH A PLAN.
Has Received q Poster Declaring the BOOK
concern OF the Church 'UnfAir"
Church Publisher Quit The Typothctsc
TO Grant an Eight Hour wOrkday.

tsshCNth F"O
Church Pubiishor Quit the Typothetse
to Grant an Eight Hour worxday.
: Locked in q desk at the Office OF the
Methodist Book Concern and pasted on
the wall at the headquarters Of Typo
graphical Union No. o are posters announo-
| ing tbs the book concern OF the Methodist
| Church is unfair.
This is SIGNED by the Chicago Federation
! OF Labor and has reached New York just
in time TO meet q report telegrsphed from
Chicago that the printers of Illinois are
thinking OF . boycott against the whole
denomination.
The Church boycott threat 10 smiled at
by both Methodists and union printers.
At the Book Concern II was said yesterday:
I'VE are reminded OF the A. p. A. The
printers are far too intelligent to entertain
any such scheme"
At union headquarters Secretary Max
well said: what do you take us for-tne
Know Nothing party come backP'
To Mr.. Maxwell was shown a Chicago
despatch which credited Edwin H.. Wright,
president Of the Illinois State Federation
OF Labor, with saying that the boycott was
to be declared against the Church and
quoted Samuel Olsen OF Typographical
Union No. 10 as saying:
-Organized labor will prove to the Meth
odist Church that the finger OF scorn never
points h~eavenward. II the commercial
interests OF the denomination lock their
doors against us then we will close the
doors Of our homes against them we
cannot afford TO chance the future OF our
children to the spiritual guidance OF men
who have publicly shown their contempt
toward our organization
Wright IL all right" commented Mr..
Maxwell, "and I don't believe he over heard
of the boycott or that there is any. As
for Olsen. I never heard of Olsen. Any
way, pear in mind that New York Typo.
graphical Union No. 9 knows nothlng OF
eny boycott Of the Methodist Church ana
would have sense enough to fight such an
absurd proposal A..
Methodists as represented in the BOOK
Concern, though. II has found this text
In Kipling:
unti we are built like angels.
With hammer and chisel and pen,
We will night for ourselves ana a woman
For ever and ever' Amen.
The eight hour day went into effect IN
all the manufacturing departments OF the
Iaw Work h~eadouarters of the Book Con-
Germ ON November I. The composing room
where forty men work, Is an open shop,
The bindery and pressroom, involving SOO
employees. are closed shops now. Ihey
didn't use to be. The Book Concern agents,
the Rev, DR.. Homer Eaton and the Rev. Or;
George p. Mains, say that they feel coralaI
toward the labor union. Yesterday tney
gave out this statement:
Our stand on the question OF union OF nom
union labor. "a set forth in the statement
which we gave to the public through our
church periodicals. Ia the same as that taken
by the Government of the United states.
and TO this we must adhere. We feel mat
We have a right neither TO force an employee
into or out from any union association which
NAV be formed for the betterment OF his
condition. This question must be LETT 10
each employee to decide for himself.
We believe that labor unions have done
many things for their members in the matter
of wages and hours of labor and other ma
terial benefits, for which they are TO be COM
mendsd and we shall always stand ready to
| deal instly and honorably with all workmen
| in our employ. whether they be union or nom
union men. The employees in our press
room and bindery. 80 far as we know. are
members of labor or CARNATIONS. and we do
not intend to disturb them in their antliatlons.
| nor do we think we have a right to do so az
long as they conform to the rules OF this
house and do their work satisfactorily.
Tho action Of our former employees in the
composing room and electrotype foundry.
in leaving our employ in January last. will
in nowise initiate against them in our estima
ton when we need help. When the demand
for an eight hour day was made o us we
decided that we could not at that time accede
TO the demand without serious loss on th'
contracts for work based on a nine hour day
We have never opposed the principle Of the
eight hour day. II has simply been a ques
ton with us as to whether in a competitive
market we could afford to adopt such a day.
After careful consideration and encouraged
by the belief that our employees would cheer
fully and xeaIonsly cooperate with us to make
arch a day a success. and assured that Thu
action would meet the approval Of the Church
we as agents OF the Methodist Book Concern
decided to establish an eight hour day In al
Of our manu- IA departments.
Il Is due In this connection to say that nom
OF our employees had made a demand for thiI
shortened day. The eight hour day went int
operation with US at the beginning Of oul
fiscal year, November 1. 1905. That we might
honorabiy enter upon thisp policy II was neoes
sary for us TO resign from the United
Typothete Of Ametica, which We did.
The other branches Of the Methodist
Book Concern at Cincinnati and Chicago
are open shops, but have the eight houl