The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1908-12-12

Berlin.-AlthOugh the outlook for
the unemployed was bad in the au-
tumn it is more serious now that the
to be growing worse, especially in the
building trades. Attempts are being
made to settle with some degree of &C.
curacy the number of unemployed in
Berlin. School teachers in the com.
munal schools are to be engaged as
counters, and visitors and the munich
pality are also giving assistance, with
the object of obtaining accurate Stats
tics. 1t is estimated that 10000 per-
sons are seeking work. In the large
suburb of Kixdorf $500 are out of
employment, some for more than a
year.
Washington.-At a cabinet meeting
Secretary Straus announced the COM
pletion of a plan by him for relieving
the unemployed. In a way his pro-
posal is a national transportation bu-
reau for carrying laborers, mechanics
and farm hands from places where
they are not wanted to places where
their services are in demand. The
secretary said it is not at all unusual
for particular trade to be dull in one
part of the country while in another
it may be booming. He thinks the
federal government might well employ
some of it's agents to bring the unem-
ployed and the employers into prOx-
unity. He says the free transporta-
ton plan will assure such result.
Denver, Col.-Practically unanimous
reelection of Samuel Gompers as
president, the withdrawal of Daniel
J. Keefe as candidate for office and
a declaration for an old-age pension
law in this country were the chief
features of the closing session of the
American Federation of Labor conven-
ton here. The convention instructed
the executive council to secure good
legal advice for the purpose of draft
ing bill for an old-age pension, to be
introduced either in the legislatures
of the several states or in congress.
Toronto was selected as the meeting
place for the twenty ninth annual con-
vention of the federation.
Washington.-Lette are being sent
out by the navy department to about
1000 employees of navy yards through
out the United States, notifying them
of an increase in salaries ranging
from four to ten per cent. These en-
ployes include draughtsmen, clerks
and assistant inspectors and the in
crease in compensation is provided
for by the lump appropriation for the
various classes of work in the several
yards. The effect is to bring the rate
of pay up to that of similar kinds of
work in other branches of the govern
ment service.
Cleveland, O.-Fred Zepp, president
of the United Trades and Labor Coun-
Gil, told the council that the breweries
of Cleveland no longer intended to
recognize union labor except under
the open-shop system. At time OF
making this assertion Mr.. Zepp, who
is the representative of the Brewery
Workers unions, intimated that his
organizations would withdraw from
the central body unless the affiliated
unions ceased to work for prohibition
Fall River, Mass.-Fall River textile
operatives are happy. A further re
duction of more than eight per cent
was expected to take place on Deem
Der Z, under the sliding scale-selling
price agreement between the mill own
ers and operatives unions. The manu-.
cided that the present scale, which
has been in effect since last May,
would continue without change. The
announcement caused general rejOic-
ing.
New York.-The arrival of the Ham
burg American liner Amerika might
be said to mark the return of conf
dence in industrial conditions here
among the laboring class of Europe.
Ever since the week following the
election there has been gradual in.
crease in the number of arriving
steerage passengers. The America
brought more than any one liner for
the last year. She had 1922 passen-
gers in her steerage.
Marion, Ill-After having been out
on strike for weeks, the miners in
the employ of the Hart-Williams Coal
Company, near Benton, have resumed
work The men struck because the
operators would not employ shotfirers,
UuJ dIICI Jul III oOAlC t1AAAO
resumed work under the former con-
ditions. The employees of the Jeffrys
mine, north of this city, are now out
on strike and have been for several
days.
Vancouver, B. C.-Members of the
Canadian Pacific railway mechanical
unions have decided to extend f1nan-
cial assistance to the union men on
the eastern division who have not
been taken back to their former en-
ployment following the machinists
strike. Every union man in the local
shops gave dollar as the nucleus OF
fund to be contributed to needy
workers.
Springfield, Il1.-Word has been re-
ceived at the national headquarters OF
the electrical workers in this city that