United labor bulletin., 1909-10-15

we cut but little figure.
The church always wants to assist
people to get better conditions, relieve
suffering and distress. and wants every
body to find time to visit the church
services. When the printers were max
ing an effort to secure the s-hour day.
the Methodist Book Concern refused to
grant the men what was but their due.
replaced the union man with non-union
men. and are still making up a hard
fight to perpetuate long hours and low
wages.
We will cite one local experience of
comparatively recent date to show why
the breech between the church ana the
working people is kept open. and the
feeling of Indifference or hostility is en-
couraged rather than otherwise.
Some three years ago the Loundry
Workers OF Denver organized. They de-
sired the enforcement of the state law.
under which they were entitled to an
s.hour work day. This class of workers
are made up of women and girls. almost
entirely. and are compelled TO work
long hours. ten as a rule. with frequent
overtime r,tthont extra compensation.
Their wages are so small that IL they
miss one days work they stand good
chance of missing one days meals The
home surroundings and environments OF
many of these workers would be a sur
prise TO a great many OF those who reg
ularly attend church. perhaps in an au-
tomobile. and who never give a second
thought TO the overworked women and
girls who. at practically starvation
wages. clean their linen and assist in
enabling them to present a fine appear
ance at the church services.
II also developed that many of the
proprietors of these sweatshop laundries
were pillars In the various churches.
Their automobiles or carriages were at
the disposal of the ministers for an I'm
vestigation of the sanitary conditions Of
their plants.
An instance of the apparent dollar
worship occurred at this time. The
writer being interested in the success
OF the Laundry Workers. became aware
Of the fact that certain minister had
been invited to accompany one OF the
Of inspection The laundryman was to
call for the minister the next day in
an automobile and escort him through
the plant II was our desire to acquaint
the minister with some of the things he
would see and also give him tip on
some things he would not see unless he
was posted We accordingly called on
ba
telephone rang II proved to be soTlc
rerson on the other end who was IL
terested in the formation of new
church society OF some sort. The min
.ister was being consulted. and :. was
somcwhat of a surprise to us 10 le'.rn
that States" when 1t comes to electirs
set of officers. was not confined 10 po-
li,icai organizations. However. this Hic
not impress us so strongly as tho fur-
ther fact that 1t appeared that the per
son's principal qualification for the va
rious offices TO be filed was his ability
,r get the money"
The churches and the Woman's Club.
whose members are also, almost with
out exception. members of some church
CONGREGATION, were induced to interest
themselves in the matter of securing the
eight-hour day for women. They both
wanted to know how they could assist.
The international organization of the
Laundry Workers. like many other ma
tional or International labor organiza-
tions. have label Several of the local
laundries granted the girls the shorter
hours with no reduction in wages. and
signed an agreement to that effect with
the local union of the girls, which en-
titled the laundry so signing such agree
ment TO the use of this label Those
who desired to assist were asked to in
sist that this label appear on their
laundry slip. II they made this demand
and carried II into effect II would mean
that the other laundries would neces-
sarily have TO make the same agree
ment to get the label; otherwise 1t could
not appear on the laundry slip.
For advertising purposes. the White
Swan laundry made grand-stand play
that they were going to be the Good
Samaritan. and in the name or justice
and humanity. grant the employees an
eight-hour day. However. Mr.. Loesby.
the proprietor. refused to have any
agreement signed with the union TO Sc
cure the label. The girls urged the
church people and the Woman's Club
members not to patronize the plant.
knowing the eight-hour day would be
but temporary. and they would have no
means of knowing when the long hours
were again resumed without some defn-
ite means OF information. So long MS
the label appears on the work II means