Valentine Democrat., 1906-12-27
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in Singapore continues and is delaying
shipping.
The trade unions in the Trans7aai re-
ers there are idle.
South Bend (Ind.) Central Labor
Union has voted to maintain a Sunday
reading room for members.
The Garment Workers Union is the
largest in the United States which is
composed chiefly of women.
The western railroads are willing to
raise the wages of their employees, but de-
cline to concede the eight-hour day.
The annual report of the new Zea-
land labor department shows that that
country absorbed thousands of new ar
rivals last year.
japanese papers are urging their coun-
trymen to give up going to San Francisco
and the Pacific coast and turn to South
America. Brazil gives greater facilities
to japanese than to other races, while
Chile holds out special inducements.
In comparing the pay of Maine women
teachers with the wage of cotton mill
operatives in the State it was found in
favor Of the former; the $3.50 women
working in the cotton mills of Maine get
an average weekly wage OF $500, while
the women school teachers get an aver
age weekly wage of $500.
An official of the American Federation
at Chicago Announces that the policemen
of that city are to be formed into a union,
the union taking the place of the benevo-
lent order which has been maintaiRed in
the department for many years. The fire
men and school teachers of Chicago are
affiliated with the Federation.
Recent official returns to the American
Federation of Labor from SIT unions,
with an aggregate membership of 50, III,
showed but s of per cent out of employ
ment. In the preceding month 1sS
| unions, with a membership of 7O,7OO, re-
ported 80 per cent unemployed. Indi-
vidual reports of unions show universally
excellent conditions. The bill posters
report trade good, and prospects bright
for the coming year, with no strikes or
| lockoutS."
That women are taking a more promi-
merly is shown by the election of Miss
Rose Pfanstill few days ago on the
executive board of Cigarmakers' Union
| No. II, the largest local in Chicago. Miss
! Pfanstill has been a member of the union
| for five years and she is the first woman
to be elected to a responsible position in
| the organization. She is credited with
| being one of the fastest cigarmakers in
| the city and is an enthusiastic union
| worker. For eight hours each day she
makes cigars in the factory of Peter
| O'Brien, at Lincoln and Fulton streets.
and attends meetings in connection with
the union almost every night She is
an accomplished musician and is popu-
| lar with the other members of the union.
| who say she has more executive ability
| than most of the men in the organization.
The International Cigarmakers' Union
has 100000 in the treasury. The mem
bsrs pay the highest dues of any union in
! the country.
Stratford (Kan.) entire City Council
| and Mayor were recently threatened with
Imprisonment by the State labor commits
sioner because they refused to comply
with the eight-hour law.
The Union Laborers' Protective So
| ciety Of New South Wales is being block
ed on legal technical points by the Com
| monwealth Portland Company from hav-
ing its claims for better conditions
! brought before the arbitration court.