The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-09-11
LABOR TEMPLES SHOULD BE
BUILT.
lRy NJ. Grant Hamilton

(By NJ Grant Hamlton)
1t should be the aim of union labor
in every city which has population
of union meu exceeding 1000 nom.
| bers 10 build n home. This question
has been agitated In a number of in.
dustrial centers. but, as yet. only a
few have built temples devoted cX-
J clusively to organized labor on the
| other hand, In practically all the cities
| that make any pretense In the com
! mercial field buildings devoted 10 the
uses OF Chambers OF Commerce and
! Boards of Trade have been erected.
| This represents the interests mani,
tested by business men in the com
, mcTce OF their respective cities. and
thore is no reason why organized lab.
| or should moi build for Itself a home
wherever union labor Is sufficiently
strong 10 maintain permanent abode
, Buildings devoted 10 the exclusive use
/ tary effect in bringing closer together
the members of our various organiza-
tions.
In Seattle organized labor built a
temple three stories high and upon its
completion found il to be inadequate
to its needs and Immediately added
another story. This enterprise is pay
ing six per cent interest on the in
vestment and the rents OF the various
organizations making use of this
building have been materially re-
duced.
San Francisco also has Labor
Temple OF its own and | am informed
that it also is a profitable investment
Kansas City is just completing a
Labor Temple. In the latter city they
have been trying for some twelve
years to build up a temple which.
when completed. will be entirely free
of debt, which will be some time in
the near future They will have a
building that Will be credit TO the
movement There is no reason why
the members OF our movement should
not make an effort In every city and
town where unions are in sufficient
number to erect for themselves a
place where all members of the var
ious crafts might find a common
meeting place 1t not only advances
the best interests OF our movement
as a whole but gives the individual
members a stimulus in their efforts
to further build up the movement. In
every city where a home has been
erected for organized labor il is found
that fl IS moro effective than In places
where organizations are scattered
throughout the various parts of the
city. So far as The investment is
concerned, it is indeed a profitable
one to all organizations participating
In the Temples oi Labor which
have been erected We find reading
rooms where are 20 he found practi-
cally all of the labor press, both local
and international. a large number of
our members taking advantage Of the
same. Our efforts have been eXpend-
ed alons the lines OF education and
in the reading rooms of the few tenn
pies which are now being conducted
We find that much attention is being
paid by the members OF the current
literature of our cause. II is also
true that where a common meeting
place is provided you will always find
the active members of cur movement
congregated and it necessarily follows
that discussions are entered into ben
Sutldl W Jul movement, dis Il result
Of the mingling and commingling OF
our affiiates. If il were possible to
erect buildings OF this character in
nifty or sixty of our cities In the com
Ing year. a notable increase In mem
bership and efficiency would be noted
and 1t ought TO bc at once taken up
and discussed wherever there is su(-
t1cient resources TO establish a tenn
pie.
The labor press OF our country has
not very smooth pathway. and is
limited 10 a very small field of opera
tions. not only so far as advertising
patronage is concerned. but also from
news standpoint If. however. It
were possible for the editors OF these
papers 10 receive from a common cen
ter the current news OF the organiza-
tions. 1t will be possible for these
papers to give the live and upto-date
news from their various localities. As
state, II is extremely difficult for an
editor of labor paper TO employ a
sufficient force to gather the news
of the unions where their meeting
places arc scattered over a broad area.
and it can be said of the local labor
editor that he does exercise trc-
mendous influence for the benefit and
uplift OF our movement
II Is not very difficult undertak-
ing for a body of men TO commence