Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-22

The local world of organized labor at
this time is almost wholly given over TO
the discussion of politics and the prooa-
BILE action of the American Federation OF
Labor officials in regard to the oncoming
presidential campaign. 1t Is expected
that ]. j. Purcell and Sam De Nedrey.
the two local labor delegates to the Den
yer convention. will take an active part
In the campaign for Mr.. Bryan. Mr..
Purcell, who is still in the west. has
been comforting with members OF the
democratic national committee regarding
the feasibility Of establishing labor bu-
reau in the middle west His PROPOSE
ton has met with much favor. it is said.
by many of the friends of the democratic
candidate Sam De Nedrey has already
received from Mr.. Bryan an invitation
to stump the industrial centers Of the
west for the ticket.
The new central national body COM
posed of unions Of ironworkers and other
metal trade craft recently formed in GIN
cinnati is to be known as the Metal WORK
ers' League. 1t will be an affiliate branch
of the American Federation of Labor Ihe
preliminary steps in the formation OF TINS
organization were taken In March last.
The officers of the new body are:
James O'Connell of Washington. vice
president of the federation and president
of the Machinists International Union.
was elected president of the new body;
Joseph w. Valentine. president of the Iron
holders National Union: A. B. Grout,
president of the Brass Workers and Pol
ishers' National Union. both of Cincin-
natl: j. w. Kline of Chicago. vice presi-
and George F. Dunn of Indianapolis.
president Of the Boilermakers' Union,
were elected vice presidents. and James
L. Gernon Secretary-treaSurer. These OIL
Gals will also constitute the national ex-
ecutive board of the league. and the
headquarters will be at Washington.
In numerical strength the league will be
powerful and influential body. with an
aggregate membership of over 100000
molders, machinists, metal polishers. pat
ternmakers, foundry workers. black
smiths. boilermakers. stove mounters,
coremakers sheet metal workers, electri-
cal workers and possibly steam and cleo
trical engineers engaged in metal working
plants.
An effort Is to be made to bring in the
structural iron and steel workers and the
architectural ironwOrkers and later to Sc
cure the active cooperation and afhlia-
ton Of all the Canadian unions in the
metal trades.
Prior to 1886, according to President
Perkins Of the International Cigarmak-
ers' Union. 81 per week was paid as a
strike benefit during the tendency of the
strike Of that period. Contrasting this
with the SO. So and $15 benefits paid by
some other unions within the past couple
of years shows to what extremities the
necessities of the strikers had grown on
the one hand and the increasing liberality
of the unions in dispensing funds on the
other.
In 1907 the general fund Of the Inter-
national Cigarmakerss Union showed an
increase during the year Of SEQ. 799. 10. a
little more than $1,000 per week. The
sum expended for sick dement's during the
amount of death claims was $22.O44:70
more than for the previous year. Owing
to the absence of prolonged strikes $22,-
tn}o75 less was expended for strike bene-
fits than in 1906. and notwithstanding the
trade depression throughout the jurisdic-
ton $4,4l3.5O represents the favorable
difference in expenditure over the year
previous
!, The financial transactions Of the union