Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-21

D
X Cigarmakers' Journal compre-
~ hensive statement of the fra
ternal features of that organization.
This discloses the amounts paid to the
members of the union in sick, out-of-
work and strike benefits yearly since
1880. The cigarmakers have perhaps
the most complete and wn-to-date
method of caring for the membership of
any union in the world, and the
amounts paid out to members aggre-
gate an enormous sum.
In 1908 loans to travelling members a
feature which enables those out of en-
ployment to receive sufficient funds to
take them to other localities where
work may be obtained, amounted to
$46,613,44. In sick benefits to members
was paid out $184, 1853 during the same
period, while the total disability and
death benefit was $220,97971.
Assistance rendered to members I'M
able to procure employment in 1908 ag-
gregated SOL, 1880 The average dues
paid by members to entitle them to
these benefits was 81 g. month and the
total benefits paid during the year was
$5S625573. Since the union has been
paying benefits there has been given
to the members a grand total of $S,312,-
1880, about one-tenth of this sum
being for strike benefits.
There are at the present time about
$4,000 members in the union, the strike
and sick benefits are So week, and
there now is in the treasury Of the
union sos, 960.75.
A. j. McKelway, secretary OF the ma
tional child labor committee, delivered
a powerful arraignment Of the practice
of compelling little children to work
in an address before the national con-
ference of charities and corrections
this week at Buffalo, N Y. Mr.. NC
KelWay demonstrated beyond doubt
that the claims of manufacturers that
child labor was on the decrease were
false and proved his point by photo
graphs and stereopticon views of actual
conditions Maryland has child labor
law with a special exemption in re-
gard to the canning industry, and In
this and oyster shocking thousands of
children from to IL years of age are
employed.
The cigar Industry is another field
in which the child is rapidly taking
the place of the adult. In Tampa, tla.'
the number of children under IA years
at work in the factories has increased
In two years from few score to more
than a thousand the greater part OF
them being children of white parents
What in the past was a remuneratlVe
trade is fast becoming one OF the most
poorly paid due to the influx OF chll-
dren. In closing his address Mr.. NC
Kelway said
students of the child-labor problem
know that the Gotten mill has always
been cursed with child labor and It's ma
tural accompaniment Of long hours and
low wages. On account of non-entorce-
ment of laws, themselves directive
southern cotton mills are conspicuous
for the employment of children hun
dTeds of them have been photographed
at work within the last year and they
are but typical of tens of thousands OF
them working from ten to twelve hours
a day or night. The evil Is too great
to be concealed and the children TOO
numerous to be hidden. There is no
possible excuse for such wholesale
abuse of children"
At the recent meeting of the Carpen-
ters' union, No. 1853, six members were
given sick benefits, and 1t was de-
cided to purchase a motorcycle Tor the
use of the business agent, d. $. Haag.
The ministers of Portland will not
hold their regular meeting Labor DAY,
September 6, having postponed II until
the following day in order that thelr
meeting might not interfere IN any
way with the celebration to be held by
organized labor, and to give the minis
ters a chance to attend the celebra-
ton.
Three thousand men, including
nainters. plasterers, plumbers, carpen-
Tors and all others connected with the
building trades, even to the teamsters
who hauI the material, were thrown
ont of work Monday when a LOCKOUT
of all the union men and members OF
the building trades council OF san Jose
took place.
The lockout is the result of the an
nouncement made by the builders eX-
change of that city that the existing
scale of wages would be reduced 20 per
cent after June IA. This notice was
sent to the unions several weeks ago,
but the men returned def and the
controversy went to a lockout 1t is
probable other unions will come 70 the
aid of the building mechanics and a
stubborn fight is expected.
Organizer Hugh Murrin of Oakland,
representing the Pacific district council
of electrical workers, arrived from the
northern city Wednesday and will re-
main for several weeks looking atter
the interests of that body.
New officers were elected Wednes-
dav by the Amalgamated Sheet Metal
workers at a meeting at which several
members were admitted to the organi-
zation. The officers chosen are: Presi-
dent, f. M. Thornton; recording secre-
tary. Alexander Emmons; financial
secretary, A. Crouch: conductor, b.
Mussey; warden, A. Hallett. j. G. Nc
Inturff was reelected business agent.
Resolutions were passed by the Cen
traf Labor council at its last meeting
calling for an investigation of the Pat
ton asylum for the insane and asking
the San Bernardino council to have
representatives present at the investi-
cation. This action was brought about
because of the death of Henry Grass
NEE in that institution a short time
ago. Mr.. Grassmee was formerly Il
member of the bookbinders' union in
this city.
r. ]. McNulty, president of the Inter
national Electrical Workers union,
with headquarters at Springfield, Ill, IS
in the city in the interest of the cleo
tricians in this vicinity. after having
made a tour of the cities of thelwest.
He was a guest of the Central Labor
council Friday and delivered an address
to the members.
At the meeting Of the Central Labor
council Friday night 1t was announced
that the labor committee would meet
Monday night and appoint subcommit-
tees to take charge of the labor day
l..