The Washington herald., 1907-08-14

OF the officers Of the International Typo
graphical Union read ar the ffty-third
session Of the organization at Hot Springs
'Ark, to-day told. among other interesting
things, what it cost 10 wage the recent
battle for an elght-hour work day.
Secretary Treasurer Bramwood puts the
figure at approximately $,S0O.OO0
incidentally, the reports show that Co
lumbia Union, Of Washington, is the third
largest local, with d membership OF l7GS,
and financial receipts aggregatng $751;
60I67. New York stands first, with e.75l
members, and $50, ,S37.s3 receipts; while
Chicago is second. with 1884 members. and
knl,1S2.S2 receipts. Boston follows Wash
ington, with l,S25 members. and with
SA,5S951 receipts.
President Lynch's report Is an ex-
haustive review OF the work Of the year,
dealing with the eight-hour fight. the label
campaign, and various topics bearing
On the internal affairs OF the union.
Calls Eight-hOur Fight Won.
On the subject Of the result Of the eight
hour fight, President Lynch says:
Even the contentious employer VIII
acknowledge the truth Of the assertion
that the eight-hour day is won 1t may
take few additional months or years
to regain all the Offices lost to the union
by reason Of the eight-hour strike, that
was necessary because OF the unfortunate
position taken by the employers oIgani-
zation, but these Offices Will gradually
come back to the fold. In this history
viii only repeat itself.
The union embraces the competent
printers, and in order 10 do business at a
profit competent printers must be en-
pioyed. As the nOnunionists at present
working gain ability and confidence they
VIII seek union membership. The ten
dency OF the wage-earner is to combine.
This tendency is becoming more Fro
nOunced as business rapacity and greed
develop. Given sufficient opportunity. un-
restrained by union regulations and COM
binatons OF workingmen. and the employ
er as a class is the best union evangelist.
1he nonunion printer. aside from the pro-
houhced blackleg, whose principle IS
revenue only, viii gravitate TO the union
because he must"
More Money for Printers Home.
Another matter Of general interest is
=
dent Lynch say the revenue OF the home.
Rccruing from the per capita Of 10 cents
per month, has not been sufficient 10
meet the expenses during the past year.
and the executive council, acting under
the authority conferred upon II by the
Colorado Springs convention, has ad-
vanced about $4,000 TO the home fund. In
the absence Of any action to the contrary
by the convention, the money advanced
will, eventually, OF course, be returned
by the home fund to the International
Typographical Union fund. Just as soon
as the eight-hOur assessment is entirely
eliminated, the per capita OF 15 cents for
me home viii become effective. and the
revenue accruing will be sufficient for
nome needs for many years to come.
Columbia, No. 1O1, Finances.
The report Of Secretary Treasurer
Bramwood shows that various local
unions had in their treasures. between
March 81 and October !. 1896, a total Of
S50o'4S.49 Of the 10 per cent assessment
for the eight-hour fight, the Washing
ton local having S3S, 1851.
During the fiscal year ended Nav 81.
1907, Columbia, No. l0l, raised SS6,GOI67. of
which assessments brought S7S.1lS.47a per
capita tax. S.S549O, and other sources
Sl,6S9.3o. OF this sum- $s4 1851 went TO
the international fund for buriaIs. defense
funds. Cummings memorial, and San
francisco relief The sum of S2,I71 30 went
10 the Printers Home fund. The local
union drew from the burial fund si.750
and from the strike fund Sl4 2SsSS
OF the D-Is4 members Of the Interna-
tlohai typographical Union in good stand
ing and OF the 3,120 in arrears. Columbia
No. lu, had on May 81, 1907. in good
standing l406. and in arrears 3O2.
Eight-hOur Fight Cost $500. 900.
Secretary Treasurer Bramwood's report
concludes with the following brief sum-
mary:
The eight-hour contest in which we
have been engaged for twenty months
has involved personal sacrifice on the
part Of large number Of our members
and heavy financial burden has been
borne by all Up TO May 81 of this year
the financial cost apprOximated 8. 500 o50,
but the finances Of the international
typographical Union were in much bet
ter condition than at the beginning Of the
fight, the balance in the treasury on the
date mentioned being S2S3 1928
There has been a decrease in the mem
bership during the fiscal year. There
need be no misrepresentation on this score
I am firmly convinced that the member
ship can be increased TO 5000 or 5000
when normal financial conditions are re-
stored, and the work OF organization Is
taken up in earnest We have good rea-
son TO be proud of the record for the past
two years
Organizer Parsons Reports.
7. C. Parsons, the organizer for the
Washington section. has the following 10
say about the development OF the union
in Washington during the past year:
"The typothetae of Washington. which
embraced in its membership the majority
Of the best printing establishments of
the city made a very stubborn fight. md
with the exception Of the most impot tant
Office in the number which was gained
early In the year, we were unable TO
make break in their ranks until last
September The nonunionists employed
were for the most part either incompe-
tent. Indifferent wOTkmen, OF undesirable
P.tizens, and clean sweeps were made in
ali the offices except one, where a com
bi- .ation Of circumstances caused lis To
whitewash one man.
"Of the Offices IN Washington that were
open to our members prior TO the strike.
only FIVE are now closed TO US. One Of
kbnc, 10 fr,ev-~f.~.