The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-11-02

opinion nOIdinS employers liaDle 10
damages for injuries suffered by
children in violation of the child labor
law.
Piano and organ makers have taken
up the proposed plan of establishing
a union piano factory. 1t was re.
ferred TO the general executive board,
which will draw up plans and sub.
NIT the matter to the referendum vote
vote of the 10000 members.
Not a child is working in any cigar
factory in New England. The New
England conference alone spent $780,
900 on label agitation and advertising.
The aggregate spent by the local
unions in addition is estimated at
probably $780, 600.
Twenty workmen's unions of the
town of Bejar, Spain, have addressed
a circular to the presidents of Anleri.
can republics, begging them to pro
vide ways and means to enable their
members to emigrate and establish
colonies wherever they may be want.
ed.
1t is announced that the pension
system plan had not as yet been ac-
cepted by some of the brotherhoods
of the Boston & Maine system, but 1t
was also stated that there was no
great opposition to it from any source
and it was believed that it would be
approved by all. The plan may go
into effect January l, but probably
not until July l of next year. The
road has issued a circular to all en-
ployes so as to ascertain just who will
come under the provisions of the plan
and for other general statistical infor-
nation.
The United Hatters of America is
one of the most remarkable labor or.
CARNATIONS in the country. Its Off
GERS state that its success dates from
the time it adopted high dues. Every
member pays three per cent, Of his
earnings into the union treasury. Two
per cent. goes to the international
union, while II per cent. Is used for
local expenses. There are 5000 men,
bers in the union out of $4,000 en-.
gagged in the business in North Ameri-
ca. The straw hat makers are not or.
ganized to any extent, although there
are 81 $1,000 in the United States. At a
conference recently held in Baltimore
it was agreed that the straw hat.
ters," as they are called, will be or.
ganized and united with the cloth hat
makers.
The bureau of labor statistics has
compiled some curious figures regard.
ing the organized labor movement.
From them 1t appears that there are
now upwards of 5000, 900 wage, work.
ers who are active members Of
unions. More than 1000, 900 reside in
| the United States. Great Britain and
Germany each have about the same
number. Austria, Hungary and Italy,
the last countries to feel the effect of
the general movement, are now max
ing more rapid progress than the
countries wherein unionism was de-
veloped much earlier. None Of these
nations has as yet as large a body OF
| organized workers as the state of
| New York. France has been strangely
backward in the formation OF this
class of societies, and, with a popula.
ton five times as large as that of New
York, has less than one-half as many
trade unionists. In New York n in
10 of the inhabitants is a member of
a trade or labor union; in England,
| one in %; in Denmark, n in u; in
Germany, one in 81; in France, one In
50; in Austria, one in so; in Italy, one
in 1875; in Hungary, one in 230, and in
Spain, one in 325.
The Reading railway has decided to
increase the wages of its engineers,
firemen, conductors, brakemen, yard
men and other employees of that class
on all divisions from five to ten per
cent. to take effect from October !.
The forty-siXth annual report Of the
Amalgamated Society of Carpenters
and Joiners, which has headquarters
in Manchester, England, and branches
throughout all Engllsh-speaking coun'
tries, shows what a drain has been
made in the funds by the depression
in trade in Great Britain during the
past year. In the IL months covered
by the report the society expended in
benefits the sum of $1,032, 131, OF
which amount $464,034 was spent for
out-of-work benefit and in sending
members to localities where they
could secure employment. Sick ben
eft was responsible for an expendi,
ture of 1922, G92, while old age pen.
sions cost the society s1S0,s1i. The
amount expended for strike pay
reached bus 70,964, about an average
Of one dollar a member. That the or
eanization believes in Cancellation and
Joint trade agreements rather than in
| strikes is shown by the general sec.
rotary. Francis Chandler, in his sum
mary of the report.
Mathew VOL, the new president OF
the International Photo.Engravers'
union. is secretary of the Chicago To-
cal union. He came to America from
Germany when he was IL years old,
and since that time has been connect
ed with the engraving and printing
trades in various capacities. Mr.. Vol
is a graduate of a Chicago law school
and has been admitted to the bar. but
does not practice. He is q years
old. AS head Of the International
Photo ngravers' union he succeeds
Louis Flader, also a Chicagoan, who
had been president of the organiza'
ton six years.
The New Jersey State Federation OF
Labor charges that wholesale viola.
lions Of the child labor law prevail
thronghout the state. The employ