The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-08-31

Leather workers in New York and
Brooklyn have won the nine-hour day
and Saturday half.holiday,
The annual report of the Piano and
Organ Workers union shows that
during 1905 benefits a~ggregating $685.
2S2.96 were paid.
The Brotherhood of Railway Train.
men has been in existence % years,
has 72S local branches, with 17S,00O
members, 1860, 900 in its treasury
and pays out $4,000 every 90 days in
claims.
A bill granting the right of picket
ing and amending the law as to con
spiracy in relation to strikes was in
PRODUCED by the British government
at the demand of the labor members
Of parliament.
A bill for the feeding Of necessitous
school children, introduced by a labor
member, had but a single opponent
In the British house of commons, and
passed to second reading without a
division of the house,
One of the chief troubles of banks
is to prevent their officers from plum
dering them. 1t is therefore not sur
prising to be told that the unions
have had to contend with ~absconding
officials observation-disclosures.
There are 300 shoe factories in this
country using the union stamp, ac-
cording to a report recently issued.
These factories give employment to
40 900 union shoemakers. Most of the
best and largest shops are organized.
The death rate from accidents at
coal mines in the principal coal-pro-
ducing countries in 1904 were: Aus
tria, go; Belgium, 90; France, LOT;
Great Britain, 1.24; Germany, 100,
and United States, 1856 per 1000 en-
ployes.
The Nottingham (Eng.) Miners as
soctation has decided to grant old age
pensions to it's members at the rate
of five shillings a week to those Of
ten years standing and even shil-
lings to those whose membership
reaches Is years.
The home for aged and disabled
railway employees, at Highland Park,
ILL.,, has issued a report of its expenses
for the last five years. The figures
show that the home sheltered an av-
erage of 90 inmates during that period
at an average cost a month of $20.42
for each inmate.
A new political party, to be called
the independ ent labor party, was
formed in New York by about rs
of Greater New York. James Hatch
of the executive committee of the Cen
trail Federated union mapped out a
plan to have a labor party OrganiZa-
ton in every assembly district of
New York. Mr.. Hatch said the indi-
vidual members of the different labor
unions would be invited to form clubs
in their various assembly districts.
The split in the ranks of the Inter
national Brotherhood of Transfers is
likely to develop into the most serious
internecine strife that has arisen in
the labor movement of the country in
years. President c. P. Shea and his
immediate followers are inclined to
belittle the revolt, and the represen-
tatives of the American Federation of
Labor. refuse to regard it as serious.
Time alone will tell whether they are
correct, but in the meantime it looks
rather gloomy for the man who drives
the team, the height of whose ambi-
ton it is to procure decent wages and
fair conditions for himself and his
family.
The child labor law of Illinois will
be enforced in all Of the coal mines in
the state. Under the Interpretation
of the law made by Factory Inspector
Edgar r. Davies and sustained by the
courts no boys under 16 years of age
will be permitted to work in the
mines. 1t is estimated the enforce
ment of the statute will take $500
boys away from employment under
ground.
The seventh convention of the shoe
workers, without discussion and with
only three dissenting votes, amended
the constitution to provide for an su-
tomato fine of $40 to be levied against
any person or persons leaving their
employment in any factory using the
union stamp, for any cas- whatso-
ever in the nature Of a grievance
which would constitute a %stoppage of
work in any department. This legis-
lation is not intended to deprive per.
sons of their right to seek employ
ment elsewhere for the purpose of
lettering themselves, but is intended
to correct such excuses and subter-
fuges as have been attempted by per.
SOM leaving their work in an effort to
adjust any grievance. either with or
without the consent of their local
union.
There are now Ga union labels and
cards in existence to designate union
products. For a number of years the
belief has been gaining ground that a
universal label should be adopted to
take the place of many that are not
generally known.
The Norfolk & Western Railway
company has issued an order prohib-
iting the smoking of cigarettes by
employees. Members Of the Brother
hood of Engineers and of the Loco.
motive Firemen have announced that
the order will be resisted as an in.
fringement upon their personal liber
ty.
The Labor News, of st. Louis, has
started a crusade against the leasing
of convict labor by the state of Mis-
souri,, to be used in competition with
manufacturers who employ free labor,
British workmen usually make big