The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1906-05-04

Two or three weeks ago printer cir
cles were stirred up by a protest sent
out by the Woman's Label League of
Colorado Springs, charging that the
management of the Union Printers
Home at the place was spending the
money of union men with members of
the Citizens Alliance, known to be
violently opposed to organized labor.
The protest was signed by the Leagues
officials and pointed out with seeming
accuracy several instances wherein the
money of union printers went to fill the
Golfers OF union haters. Before pub
fishing the protest The Wageworker
waited to hear from the trustees and
superintendent of the Home. The re-
ply has come to hand, and both pro-
test and answer are here given. The
protest of the Colorado Springs Wom-
ans Union Label League is as fol-
lows:
Colorado Springs, Colo, April 16.-
To the Editor of The Wageworker:
Woman's Label League, No. 81, Colo
RADIO Springs, was organized March,
1908, to extend the use of all union
labels, to create a demand for union
made goods, and to assist organized
labor generally in securing better
hours, wages and conditions.
A year later the Citizens Alliance
was formed here. It's object, as stated
in the public press, over the signature
of it's secretary, was ito compel every
union man to tear up his union card,
and beg for an Alliance card before
getting days work."
During the days Of prescription and
persecution which followed, the union
women, under the lead of the Label
League, concentrated their trade to
those firms which withstood the fierce
pressure against organized labor.
We believe that union mems money,
wherever possible, should be spent
among employers and merchants fav-
orable to our cause. This course, we
regret to say, has not been followed by
the management of the Union Printers
Home, an institution in which we feel
the greatest pride. The failure, after
repeated supplications by the League
members and others, to effect a dis
continuance Of this practice, has Gre
ated such universal dissatisfaction as
to lead to the voicing of this protest.
1t is our earnest desire to conf1ne a
discussion of this matter largely to
those who will have a voice in it's solu-
ton, and avoid such publicity as will
reflect discredit upon the Home.
We submit the following facts, de-
tails of which will be furnished by the
League on application.
In the Typographical Journal each
month is list of firms supplying the
Home with necessities. Among the
list appears the following who are
members of the Citizens Alliance, a
copy of whose roster is in our posses
sion:
Shields Morley Grocery Co.; Seldom
ridge Bros, hay and grain; Ira j..
Morse, commission merchant; o. e.
Hemenway, grocer; Giddings Bros,
dry goods; Perkins Crockery Co.; Nc
Cracken (now McCracken & Hub
bard), furniture; -Lowell-Meservey
hardware; Hallet & Baker, undertak-
ers; and others.
Holbrook & Perkins, although in the
Citizens Alliance, employ union clerks
and carry union label goods.
Giddings Brothers are especially bit
ter against union men. They will al
low no union clerk in their employ. A
member of the firm of the Lowell-Me-
servey Co. declared with oaths that he
wanted every union man driven from
the state and the leaders hung. Shields
& Moreley refused goods to grocers
who catered to the union trade.
From this it will appear that the old
union printers are being fed, clothed
and buried by Citizens Alliance peo-
pie. Reputable union firms have re-
peatedly offered to furnish all these
supplies at prices ana Terms at least
equal TO those now paid, but are denied
the opportunity of bidding on same.
We will furnish list of such firms to
those who desire more definite in
formation.
We know that this matter is within
the province of the Board of Trustees
and ask that in voting for said officers
on May 16, that you elect only those
who are favorable to such action. =
Respectfully,
MRS. LILLE E. GOMER, Pres.
MRS. Ella WEST, V-Pres.
MRS. ELEANOR D. SMITH, Sec.
Committee Woman's Label League.