The Washington times., 1908-09-20

! conditions, and TO draw tighter the lines
of organized labor, a movement is be-
! ing crystallized to organize the wives
and mothers of members Of trades
unions. Only in this way. it is believed.
will organized labor draw on it's full
strength and present e solid front 70
| capital. WOmen's auxiliar!o5 viii be
formed In every local union. and women
viii be brought into the movement on a
: large scale.
Accepting the claims of the working
men, there are $1,000 members Of or
ganized labor in the District Of Column |
bia, directly affiliated with the Central /
Labor Union, and with an average Of
four to a family, one-third OF ths pOpu- |
lation OF the District Is indirectly affiH- |
ated with the Central Labor Union. But |
to marshal this full strength, the wife |
and the mother must be reached.
The wife is the business manager Of I
nearly every family. She usually re-
ceives and spends the husbands wage, 1
according to John II. Brinkman, spon- /
sor for the new movement, and who /
originated the plan. Much Of this /.
money he says. the wife spends Of her 1
own will and volItion, and it has been /
found on close observation that the |
wives Of Union men spend approximate |
~ 50 per cent Of the earnings. Unless !
these women understand and are IA
miliaT with the labor movement, says
Mr.. Brinkman, this money earned
through hard work OF union men is
apt TO be spent IN a l~0n-Union store. or
10 go either directly OF indirectly 10 the
non-uniOn wage-earneT.
Blocks ECycorts.
stances this was the case. and it is be
lieved by Mr.. Brinkman that no sue
cessfUl boycott can * prosecuted with
the aid Of the women II has been the
taunt Of business nIen and local mer-
chants that a boycott was Ineffective.
and out OF these conditions Mr.. Brink
man promulgated his plan. II IS hOpSd
ard expected by him, that through the
cooperation Of the women, IL viii be
possible 10 have every cent earned by
the union man spent so as 10 rebound
l directly TO the benefit Of the union man.
The women will be educated and In
Istructed, they viii be informed Of the
unfair list, and will be impressed
I with the necessity OF demanding the
union label II is hoped and expected,
! through this means, 10 make a boycott
fully effective, aud 70 create a wide de-
mand for the union Iaoai- When the dis
/ bUTser Of the funds becomes a stanch
unionist the cause OF the trades unions
Will be supreme, according 10 the state
ment Of Mr.. Brinkman-
! Women Will not be taken into the
local unions. but instead will form
avxiIia-ies Of their own. ano elect their
own officers II is believed that once
| they are informed Of conditions the
/ women will take an active interest in
| the work
Its Inauguration
| This novel plan was first put forward
/ by Mr. Brinkman at the meeting OF the
/ Central Labor Union three weeks ago.
| and after an hours debate his plan was
| favorabIy acted on and a committee
appointed to carry on the work
| This committee, composed Of John II.
/ Brinkman, chairman; Jere f. Mccarthy,
/ q. T. Beaumont, J. ". Considine, and
| c. L. Allison, held its initial meeting
/ Friday night. Il viii report TO the Cen
/ trail Labor Union Monday, and VIII ask
/ for the necessary funds. Should the re-
/ quest be granted il is the committees
| plan to hire a hall sufficiently large 10
! accommodate all those who viii at
Itend, and inauguraIc the movement i'm
! mediately. Invitations viii be sent 10
/ the families OF every man who IS
member OF a trade organization in the
/ District, and speakers prominent in the
[ labor movement will make addresses,
/ dwelling upon the Importance Of woman
/ IN the trades union movement, citing the
| facts and giving the figures The
womens auxiliary viii be formed i'm
/ mediately-
Rodier Saw Big Parade
J. L. Rodier, general organizer for the
| American Federation Of Labor, mas just
returned from EImira, n. Y, where he
has been doing missionary work for the
| American Federation Of Labor.
| MI ROdier said that or Labor Day
! in EIUira, he witnessed the greatest
labor celebration that he has ever wit
messed He said that the enthusiasm
Of the trades unionists Of that town
meant something, and he had the privi-
Iege Of addressing 1880 OF them, his
! biggest audience.
Il find" said Mr.. Rodier. chat the
wOrkingmen, the rank and file, are fully
| in sympathy with President Gompers
! Irovement, and will give him their I'M
dying support I do noe believe that a
single wage Garner in New York State
Will vote the Republican ticket"
Mr.. ROdter discussed conditions all
along the line, and said that every
! where, even in the Industrial districts
Of Pennsylvania. the democrats would
poll a remarkable vote.