The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-05-12
HOW A MACH|N|sT WON
POPULARITY IN 4 SHOP
Ed Douglas Wins Laurels for
Himself by Simply Doing
Good to Others.
Visits the Sick, Performs Deeds
of Charity, and Is Cheer
full at Work.

Chicago, ILL.,, May 10.-Rev. Chas.
Stelzle's weekly news letter this week
that contains story of the influence
Of a good man in a machine shop. It
reads as follows:
HE had no particular talent. He
was just an ordinary machinist. But
Ed. Douglas was more highly respect
| ed by two thousand men in the shop
| than any other chap in the place. His
was one of the few names that was
| familiar to pretty nearly every other
| fellow working in that big plant. Ed.
was not popular with the men because
J he set out to make himself popular by
always agreeing with his shop-mates.
| Indeed, he frequently went full tilt
against their opinions, and, principally
against their actions. Often I have
seen him approach the fellow who had
just ripped out string of oaths, and
rebuke him, although never with a
suggestion Of pharsiaical supremacy
He was simply trying to show the
blasphemer that it would pay him to
cut out his foolish, senseless swear
ing.
He did not belong to any Of the fra
ternal organizations, but have known
him to spend many a night with a sick
shop-mate. Frequently he left in the
home part of the not over-abund Ant
cash in his pocket, but. better than
that. he left smile on the face of the
tired, discouraged nurse-wife,-the
children wished that he might come
again, and the sick man felt the cheer
of his presence.
He was an arbitrator in personal
disputes in the shop, and the boys new
er repudiated his decisions. Not in
frequently he dared approach the boss
fellow-workman. The boys admired
his disinterested nerve. Somehow, he
seemed to know when the rest of us
had met with adversely or even the
smaller ANNOUNCEMENTS which made
life seem hard. Always was there a
strong, cheerful word, which usually
braced up the fellow who thought that
the whole world had gone wrong. The
apprentices were particularly found Of
him, because he appeared to have a.
lively interest in their affairs. Never
did he seem to hand out wisdom in
large chunks with an air Of patronage
or paternalism. Never was there a
suspicion of can't Ed. was just a sane,
healthy minded Christian workingman.
who felt that there was a place for
Christian living outside of the church
building, and away from the Sunday
services.
May his kind increase. We need
them. The sympathetic touch of a.
shop mate counts for more than most
of US imagine. Every morning brings
its weight of woe, and every evening
It's burden. No matter whatever the
cause, the need is ever the same, and
relief is usually found in the simple.
manly message of love and sympathy,
manifested in the life of the fellow
| who works by our side. At least it
| will help for it is doing just what
the great carpenter did, and what He
would continue to do were He upon
earth. That's what made Douglas the
machinist, a bigger factor in the lives
of those two thousand workingmen.
than any other single Individual It
paid him, too. Anyway, you'd think
so, If you could see his face while he
worked-worked for men and for God
Just as q machinist. :%& j..