The San Francisco call., 1906-07-28
EDITED BY .. M. BOYLE.

sent 10 the increase, but IL wishes the
sixty days notice according to agree
meDt A large percentage Of the mem
btrship was injured by the fire and the
Increased cost Of living makes the de-
mand imperative Wages are $3.50 per
day. and ii is hard to make both ends
meet on this sum. The preprietors are
much incensed at the rapid rise in the
price of lumber, and sag if Il were not
for that fact the wage increase might
be granted.
Much is heard these days in labor
circles about high dues and low initia-
tion fees. Il IS conceded b. many of
the best thinkers in the movement that
q low initiation is eminentiy proper,
and that il man is true trades
unicnisJ ne viii not object 10 paying
just sum as monthly dues. Just what
that sum should be each union must
determine. Here is what President
Samuel Gompers says on the subject of
high dues:
The experience Of the unions which
have adopted the system OF high dues
has been OF q splendid character. Dur
ing. the time of industrial and CONNER
Of their members, lille. q 5 you know
and we all know. unions without these
beneficial features lose = material num-
Der OF members during such periods,
=
returning prosperity to Ill up the
ranks Sgain, while the unions with the
beneficial features hold taeir member
ship intact and can push On without
1855 OF time or members. Unions
which have high dues and a substan-
tiaI chain Of benefits always occupy
a commanding position. Employers
hesitate TO attack unions so fortunate
y situated, ard the unions hesitate to
engage in frivolous disputes. In short,
II means that there is something TO
~, n.a+h hf n hsr hnF
sides, where unions have formidable
resources and 4 substantial chain of
benefits. There is not an organization
of workers whose members pay fairly
aigh dues into their union. but who
have tenfold benefits accruing there
from in the shape Of higher wages,
better conditions under which they are
employed. There is no better invest
ment which a working man or woman
can make than the payment OF fair
dues into union.
The laws of the State of Washington
provide for the punishment of any pro-
prietor or foreman Of any factory, store
or laundry who works women more
than ten hours a day, and the Central
Labor Council of Seattle is investigat-
ing statements made by women laundry
workers that they are compelled to
work more than ten hours out of TWEEN
ty-four. If this proves true prosecu-
tions will follow.
The various unions of photographers
throughout the United States have
failed to ratify the agreement which
they made with the National Litho-
graph Employers League. which
has it's headquarters ia New York City,
but only one branch his made new de-
mands- This is the Li.hographeFs' In
ternational Protective and Benevolent
Association, consisting of the pressmen
and transferers. which has made de-
mand for the eight hour day, TO go into
effect September /. The members of
this and other branches are working on
the nine-hour system. and the demand
has been made 70 the individual en-
ployers. with a request that their reply
be sent in this week. Failure of any
employer TO reply before this date will
be taken as d refusal OF the demands,
which involve about 1000 men through
out the country.
Among the recommendation included
in the report of Secretary Treasurer
Brockhau usen of the Wisconsin State
Federation of Labor just adjourned
were: DIsapproyal of drink and en-
coura cement of sobriety and honesty.
an elgnt-nour law, no political faVor-
itism under civil service; scientific and
practical warfare against tuberculosis; ;
that the State erect free trade school
in Milwaukee; the creation and main
tenance by the State of a free reference
library on labor questions: free discus
sion Of political principles, but no ia
voritism TO candidates; that the once
Of Chief Of Police of Milwaukee be
made elective instead of appointive
Insurance list copyists Of Albany, n.
Y. have gone on strike for a uniform
rate. Some we're getting 81 per thou
sand names, while others were getting
only IS cents per thousand. Neither
figures were acceptable to many Of the
copyists. although the dollar rate was
promised II is said that the men could
not make over 81 day.
Practically all the large cotton mills
In New England will be paying in
creased wages by the 1st of August.
The movement in the Northern Massa-
chusets mill centers follows that re-
Gently made in Connecticut, Rhode ISL
and. Vermont and Southern Massachu-
setts mills. In many instances the ad-
vances were voluntary. Many thou
sands OF operatives will thus be bene-
fitted by the raise.