The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-20
BLIGHT OF PREDATORY LABOR
.,N FRiNCISCO HELPLESS ~
Unions STRiNGLING GRIP.
industry Held Up. s~andhagsed snd Looted
Us COnsc!Cncelcss t:rnfierS who ply
ThCir Trade n the TITLE or Organ
Hrrs'-SO ms Examples % Leaders

their Trade I nuer the Title OF "Organ-
iIcrS"-SO me Examples % Leaders"
S,N Francisco, Nov A.-Circumstances
with which the unions nave had nothing
IN do have confined with circumstance
with which they have had ever ything to do
10 strengthen the strangle hold which
union labor has on the throat of San Fran
cisco to-day.
Labor has not been plentiful in California
since 1890. The city is too far from the
centre Of population, and the Sierrss and
the Rockies present a barrier to ira vel far
more formidable in the general estimation
Than it L. in reality.
Though it's boom has been reared on a
solid foundation San Francisco has Eeen
q boom town for fifteen wears. The dis
onverv Of gold in Alaska brought millions
On millions Of dollars TO this city. Then
came the fighting in the Philippines. with
the troop arriving and departing from this
port and vast quantities OF stores for their
subsistence being shipped from here. The
depot quGrtermsster of the United States
army disbursed 100000 at San Francisco
within two years, most of the regiments
returning from the Philippines were paid
Of here and very few of the soldiers de-
TdFIeN lINill vi Guy WIN InOFe IMAM enough
10 ray then way home. And a great part
Of the oriental trade built up as a result
Of the war with Spain proved to be n perma-
nent acquisition. So great was the boom
that San Francisco thought il greater than
r. was. In consequence the city was really
pverbuilt before the fire.
But it isn't overouilt now. Its rehabili-
tation IS bound to come in one way or
another. But the greed and insolence Of
predatory labor will prolong that rehahili-
tation far beyond the time that it really
ought to occupy, TO the shame Of organized
~workingmen and the great loss of the city
as a whole.
The report Of the executive council of
the American Federation of Labor, sub
nitted at the recent convention in Min
neapolis, contained a paragraph which
throws a high light on the spirit that ami
mates the unions. IL said:
we have never opposed politics in our
organization. though we have always OPP
posed partisan politics. Independent vot-
ing with an eye single to the interests of
labor is urged upon all members of the
affiliated unions"
The federation should be delighted with
the San Francisco organizations. They
not only vote but they do everything else
with an eye single" to their own interests
and with not the slightest regard to the
interests Of the rest of the co 'munity.
At this same convention President Com
pers said there was plenty of labor now
In San Francisco to do the work that is TO
be done. This is an impression that the
San Francisco unions nave Sc iulously
striven to create by their replies to personal
inquiries and through the labor publica-
tons throughout this country, in Canada
and even abroad. Nothing is further
from the truth. Ang big contractor in the
city will tell you that he finds it impossible
10 get all the skilled mechanics he wants
for his work. Fifteen minute walk through
the burned district will show acres of ruins
lying practically untouched for lack of
workmen.
Even on Market street, where values
are highest and where owners naturally
are most anxious TO rebuild quickly, there
are many ruined blocks on which there
is no sign of rebuilding. Owners will tell
you that labor is so scarce and high that.
taken with the scarcity and price of ma
terials, they cannot afford TO rebuild at
present.
Only the other day a San Francisco con-
tractor who has a number of large con-
tracts on his hands became desperate. His
desperation was so great that he mustered
Up enough courage to advertise for help
not non-union help-union help. Immedi-
Ftely tho secretary of the Sheet Metal
Workers Union wrote 10 him an insolent
letter pra ctically commanding him to with
draw his advertisement from the news
papers. The penalty for disobedience, he
was informed, would be a boycott.
Il must complete my contracts on time or
Iose a good deal Of money" said this con-
tractor. Il have repeatedly applied to the
sheet Metal Workers. Union for men. but
they cent furnish them. And nov they
won't even Jet ne advertise, though only for
union men az union wages. What am Ito
dO2"
u has been related in this correspondence
that most of the LEGAL unions are dominated
heir worst elements. Ii is pleasant TO
w that this is true; otherwise, one would
q forced to conclude that the average
wOrkingms n in this city was selfish, greedy
and unprincipled to an amazing degree.
That these leaders answer this description
there is no doubt whatever. These leaders
ere almost without exception foreigners or
The sons of foreigners. Some OF them have
come from countries in which they suffered
intolerabie oppression. Here they get 30
much liberty that it has gone to their heads
and so much power that it has intoxicated
them. Let us see what these leaders are
like.
P. X. (familisrly known as Pin Head
Mccarthy is President of the Building
Trades Council Of San Francisco and of the
California state Building Trades Council,
with branches in every city and town. He
was a carpenter. though it is many a day
since he did any work.. and he Is credited
with having made labor organization profit
able even to ~opulence. He is hand and
glove with the corrupt and venol Schmitz
administration and a typical "jawsmith'
In every way.
y. A. Tveitmoe some time ago "a long.
long time ago. was a cement worker. He
Is a huge Norwegian with a most outrageous
accent. He Is the Don companion OF
Mccarthy and secretary Of the Building
Trades Council.
Andrew F~urussth. another Norwegian.
was once a sailor. He is secretary OF the
Sailors Union Of the Pacific and the greatest
bower on the waterfront. Furuseth ~ an
anarchist of the most rabid type, and his
talk is all Of "yobs- and -invunctions,
Nike Casey OF the TeamsterS' Union il