The San Francisco call., 1908-09-19
GRANT SWEENEY
TWO MONTHS OFF
President of the Labor Council
Will Take the Stump Dur
ing Campaign
Proffers His Resignation and 1t
Is Refused by Unanimous
Agreement

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{TH1pFs 1psy2Slco pssy22SS lcoVE6I1 Sweeney of the San
NI65Iclse Francisco "a b o r
counc ell rendered
his resignation last night, saying that
while he did this with keen regret he
was prompted In his action by the good
of unionism.
Walter Macarthur moved that the
letter of resignation be filed and that
the president be granted two months
leave Of absence. Delegate w. r. Hag-
gerty said that as the president pro-
posed to go into politics he was going
to do that which will do good for the
cause of labor by exercising his right
as an American citizen. Vice President
Scott was of the opinion that President
Sweeney had done the manly thing in
rendering his resignation when he was
going to stump the state for one parry
in view OF the fact that all political
parties are represented in the council.
This was followed by lengthy dis
cussion. Some of the delegates were of
the opinion that the president of the
labor council going out to stump the
state for any party was virtual in
dorsement by the council of all the
nominees of that party.
This was combated by others, who
held that so long as an officer of the
council is not a candidate for Office he
is not, simply by making political
speeches, binding the council. but that
he is simply doing that which as a
citizen of the land he has a right to do
The motion to grant the leave sug-
gested was carried by an almost unani-
nous vote.
Delegate Misner of the machinists
called attention to the fact that the
subcommittee OF the supervisors on
electricity will meet to award the con-
tract for fire alarm boxes and that it
desired that there shall be a strong
delegation to show why the boxes
should be made here and not awarded
at an increased cost to the Gamewell
company In the east. President Sweeney
gave assurance that labor will be there
In full force.
Delegate Mclaughlin of the brother
hood reported as to the conference
with the draymen's association, and de-
clared that the brotherhood will not ac-
cept any reduction, but that it will go
down with colors flying If needs be.
Delegate White of the pressmens
union reported that the label has been
lifted" in four printing offices in this
city this week because some of the
pressmen have refused to pay the in
ternational tax.
The federated trades council of Sac
ramento has appointed D. W. Milne
William Payne, j. NJ. Judd. Joseph
Oberlee and A. Dalton Jr a commit
tee to act with a like committee Of
the building trades council in the mat
ter of ascertaining why the city trus-
tees and the county board of supervis-
ors permit the employment of aliens
by contractors doing work for the city
and for the country, at less than union
rates and working them longer hours
to the detriment of organized labor 1t
col n OF
that the charter fixes the hours for
work under public contracts, and that
the same Is being violated
The labor and federated trades coun-
Gil of Vallejo is in earnest in it's en-
deavors to have the police of that city
stand but eight hour watches instead
of nine, as required at present to do.
The committee which is looking after
the matter in its investigation has dis
covered that the city charter directs
that the trustees shall fix the hours
of labor or service required of all la
borers in the service of the city, pro-
vided that eight hours a day shall be
the maximum hours Of labor in any
calendar day" The committee pro-
poses to pass the matter up to the
trustees and have them change the
nine hour day to an eight hour day
The. book binders union at it's last
meeting selected Thomas p. Garrity as
its representative to the convention of
the state federation of labor. At the
close of the regular meeting all the
members formed George A. Tracy
club. for the purpose of indorsing and
working for Tracy of the allied print
ing trades, in his candidacy for con-
gressman from the fifth district
At the meeting of the anti Japanese
laundry league at 4S3 Guerrero street.
last Thursday night, the committee
which arranged for night and day
at the Chutes today and evening re-
ported that practically every labor or
ganization in the city has promised
financial support for the affair, and
that there is every reason to believe
that there will be very large attend
ance. The money to be realized from
this affair is to be expended in prose-
cutting the fight against the Japanese
laundries.
The Alameda county branch OF the
musicians union. local No. 6, has Sc
cured headquarters at 1865 Broadway,
Oakland At the last meeting of the
local in this city ]. III. Mccall and H
Miller were admitted by initiation and
G. B. Manson of Aberdeen, Wash, by
card
G. w. Holmes and T. ]. Robinson will
represent division No. 256 of Sacramen-
to carmen at the session of the state
federation of labor. in San Jose next
month. b. T. Robinson and P. Erauw
were chosen alternates.
Max Morris, international secretary
of the retail clerks organizations of
the United States, will visit this city
during the early part of October
Mae Fenton and M. Cummins have
been chosen to represent the garment
workers union of this city In the
state federation of labor. in San Jose
naxf month