The San Francisco call., 1906-07-29

Wages are forced to the lowest
unit, says the report on the investi-
CATION, in a vain effort to lower the
cost OF production to that of the prison
contractor In some cases a deteriora-
tion of quality of material used and in
others an entire abandonment to the
prisons Of the manufacture Of certain
grades OF goods has become neces-
sary"
Prison-made furniture. IL is pointed
out, has compelled the abandonment TO
the prison Of some lines. One contrac-
tor controls the ouput of seven prisons
IN nve States, and he is able greatly
70 undersell his competitors making
the same line of goods.
Ihe local Iron Moiders' Union and
the Broommakers' Union have long
suffered from convfct-made products.
In the case Of the first union many
stoves are sent into this market from,
the Oregon prisons, and in the case of
the broommakers carloads of brooms
come into this city made at the Joliet,
Ill, penitentiary.
Painters Union No. I2T Of Oakland
VIII ask the master painters to raise
the daily wage TO SIS. The matter is
now in the hands of the Alameda
County Building Trades Council. The
Oakland union numbers 500 members.
Blacksmiths and Blacksrniths' Help
ers Union No. 100 OF Oakland went out
last week for a 25-cent raise in the
daily wage scale 1t was readily
granted and the men all went back TO
work.
The United Brotherhood of carpen-
ters ana Joiners of America issued
twenty-four charters last month.
Great interest has been aroused in
Ohio over the bill introduced in the last
Legislature. known as the Wayne labor
bill No Is. II is the same bill that was
introduced two years ago by Senator
Pollock. and IL passed will take con-
vict labor out Of competition with free
labor.
John F Valentine. president of the
International Iron Molders' Union. in
an open letter on the situation in his
branch Of trade throughout the country,
says:
I do not know of single instance
among the strikes now in progress in
which the closed shop has been made
an issue by the union. I will go fur
ther and say that in the great major
ity OF instances where conferences
have been granted by the foundry
men satisfactory settlements have been
lNaNANA anu agreements signed. The
members Of the Iron Molders' Union
have not signed agreements with an
open-shop clause. nor have the mem
oers OF the National Founders Asso-
citation signed agreements with
'closed-shop' provision. Why should
that question be raised when IL is
not an issue? And yet, even when the
question OF an increase Of wages has
arisen during the present year in
low-priced foundry community of
whose competition foundrymen in
higherpriced localities bitterly COM
plain, the 'open-shop catch cry has
been made to do service"
At the last regular weekly meeting
OF Marine Cooks and Stewards Asso-
citation Of the Pacific Eugene Burke
presided. Secretary Steidle reported
that the strike situation was frnproy-
ing generally. Shipping on sailing yes
sells was stated as fair The agent at
Seattle wrote that shipping was good
The San Pedro agent also reported that
shipping was good
The Milk Wagon Drivers Union .t
It's last meeting elected William Van
Valkingburg and Frank Fisher dele
gates to the Chicago convention of the
International Brotherhood OF Team
sters. which meets early next month.
Colorado Springs, Colo, where the
Union Printers Home is located. has Of
fered inducements to the Brotherhood
OF Railroad Trainnlen to erect its pro-
posed institution for incapacitated and
INDECENT members there. The brother
hood has now been in existence twenty
three years and has 72S lodges. with
tctal membership Of $4,000 and a treas
ury Of Sl,5e0,00 1t pays out about
$4,000 month in claims, has over
ssT.0oo,000 insurance in force and has
paid out since its foundation s11.500, 900
In benefits.
BY a referendum vote of the Granite
Cutters Association, the international
Quincy. Mass, for the next five years.
The Federation of Musicians of Chi
cago is considering a scheme which is
described by its sponsors as plan for
carrying high-class music to the doors
OF the poor" It contemplates among
other features the charity band.
during the summer in crowded resi-
dence districts Of that city.
Marcel Willie has been elected secre-
terry and business agent of Mixers
Union No. 1851. Mr.. Willie is well
known in local labor movements, and
the Mixers Union should prosper un-
der mis- management. The union meets
the first and third Tuesdays in the
month in Gruetli Hall, near the Five
mile House Much routine business
was transacted at the last meeting
Trade was reported brisk. There is 4
movement on foot TO organize all the
mixers in the State. The matter viii
shortly be taken up.
]. Kean was in the chair at the last
meeting of Sailors Union of the Pa
cihc. The secretary reported that ship
ping was fair The executive com
mittee stated that the strike situation
was in first-class condition and that ali
indications pointed 10 an early victory
The Tacoma agent wrote that men were
scarcer than ever. The Seattle agent
reported that shipping was fair. The
Pert Townsend agent stated that the
situation was unchanged. The Aber-
deen agent wrote that shipping was
fair and that but few members were
ashore The Portland agent reported
that few members were ashore The
Eureka agent stated that shipping was
fair and prospects uncertain. The Sar
Pedro agent wrote that shipping was
fair. The Honolulu agent reported tha.