Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-04
in LABOR CIRCLES
O.

AS the time draws near Cor the ho.dlhS
of the presidential nominating conven-
tons of the two great political parties.
leading republicans and democrats are
beginning to consider the labor-ln-poii'i'
outlook. 1t is noticeable, too, that GER
tain representatives in Congress who nave
heretofore been rather lethargic concerning
labor legislation pending before Congress
are now manifesting rather lively inter-
est in the dear sons of toil ana meas
ures affecting their welfare.
There is a difference with distinction.
from a political standpoint. between or
sanized workingmen in the presidential
year and organized workingmen in the OH
years when there are no battles OF the
ballots said Sam DeNedre!,-
So the members of the labor unions
from Maine to California and southwark
to Florida where the alligator catchers
recently formed trades union, are sa u
to be getting ready for the fray next No
vember when another President OF the
United States and many members OF
Congress are TO be elected by the people.
In the meantime the labor organs and
labor leaders are busily sounding the
tocsin.
One of the most recent publications on
the foregoing subject appears i'm the Elec-
of electricians. Under the heading. La
Dor and Party Politics. it has this to
say:
not be made the tail of any political
party kite Partisan politics has no place
i'm the movement Trade unionists indi-
vidually and collectively should endeavor
to enhance the principles for which labor
has been striving, but any subserviency
of those principles to any man or party
will retard the progress of labor.
Trade unionism stanos for the cleaner
and the better things lin civic life. 1t
stands for fair dealing and justice in the
affairs of men, ana 1t has accompllshed
much in it's work for the common good.
But it does not and will not tolerate the
charlatan, the corruptionist or the hypo-
critic.
1T is the duty of the trade unionist
to take deep interest in civic affairs,
more So today perhaps than at any other
time i'm our history. for today. from the
housetops and the soap box, from the
forum and the editorial sanctum, we hear
the cry of the fakir, the sophiSt and the
politician, appealing to labor to follow
them
There are some men in the labor move
ment whose trade unionism is secondary
to their political utilization. and these
men would. if they could, use the move
ment for their own selfish ends. But the
men of labor realize that the principles
of labor are above party politics. Labor
will in its own Way-the ballot Dox-re-
member it's friends and phnish its enc
mics. but it will not stand for the schem-
ing politician or the political editor die
tating what its policy shall be.
Delegates have been seated in the Gem
trail Labor Union as follows:
Heat, Frost and Asbestos WORKERS..
Edwards John Roach, w. Henbach, w.
j. Block. w. Richardson.
Musicians-L. c. Newell.
Soda. Mineral Water and Bottled Beer
Drivers Union-M. 3. Williams. c. Her
zog. A. B. Nodne, ]. l.. Smith, A. J.
Smith.
Describing the decrease of child labor in
Rhode Island. the February Labor Bule-
tin of Massachusetts says:
The chief factory inspector of Rhode
Island. in his annual report. said that in
1894, when the inspection bureau was ere
ated. the percentage of child labor was
as high as 80. while last year ii was but
A.. little more than. one-half
THE figures. compared. with those given
in the last report. show an increase OF
5.tE2 in the number of male adults en-
ployed; an increase of lob IN the num-
Der of female adults employed: de-
crease of J16 in the number of boys en-
ployed; a decrease of 266 In the num-
Der of girls employed: total Increase of
1911 in the number of adults employed,
a total decrease of 1Sc i'm the number of
7,16J in the whole number employed. The
percentage of children employed was 40,
as against 5.3 in 1906 and IS in 1905.
I'm the textile establishments engaged
in the manufacture finishing of cot
ton and wooden cloths aid yarns silk
goods, threads. tapes, braids and twines
the figures compared with those in last
years report show an increase of $50
in the number of adults employed.
decrease of as in the number of children
employed and d net increase of 132 in
the whole number employed in the tex
tile industries. The percentage of child
labor in these industries was Ga. In
1903 the percentage was - and in 1894
it was 9.S.
lone hundred and thirty-one accidents
have been reported during the year. three
of which We're fatal. OF the remaining
accidents but % were serious.
THE chief inspector made the follow
ing recommendations: Authority for fac
tory inspectors to demand proof of age;
educational requirement prohibiting per-
manent employment of children unable
to read and write English: harmony be-
tween factory inspection department and
school officials.
"A free employment bureau was estab-
lished on January ID by the selectmen
of the town of Wellesley. Notices were
sent out to business men and manufac-
turers asking what openings for employ
ment they had All persons out of work
were requested to communicate with the
selectmen. No charge is 10 be made or
finding positions.
The Brotherhood of Carpenters will held
its annual convention in Salt Lake City.
Among the organized women workers in
Germany, 1892 belong TO the metal
trades.
In Italy the membership of trade unions
decreased from 2iO,6S9 in 1902 TO 20i.2I1
in 1907.
A cooperative laundry in San Jose. Cal,
is being operated by the labor organza-
tons Of the country.
In Germany the membership of all
trade unions increased from LOGS 36-J in
1901 to 2215,165 in 1896, or over 100 per
cent.
Statistics published by the committee OF
the first Russian trade unions congress
show that So unions, with 246,2T2 mem
bers existed in Russia in 1907.