The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-02-06
SENSIBLE TALK BY
Z. Mr.. c. |. RAkOWsKY
Before the Brotherhood of Car
penters, at RoWley's Hall,
January 26, 1909.

was the guest of Carpenters. local
Brotherhood at Rowley:s hall on. Tues
day evening, January 26, 1909. In
response to . a call from the. toast
master Mr.: Rakowsky spoke as fol-
lows: ,~>
reconsider it a Special privilege to-
be here as your guest and feel, that
+ am among those who represent that
trade, which Of all trades I love the
best. love it best, because it re-
minds me: Of tine little hammer and
the dull little: saw and the little
wooden square, and the little gimlet,
and the rule-the first set Of tools
I received for a birthday present and
of tine recollections Of the times. I had
trying to make, something.
The carpenters are certainly worthy
Of consideration on account. Of the
fact that. 1 believe they saved the
world. in fact the human race. If
you are versed in the scriptures, like
my friend Mr.. Mcdonald here, you
will remember tine building of the ark
and although the carpenters lost their
lives in the. flood that: covered the
earth, yet they saved the race through
building the ark for Noah. I also
have an idea that one Of his relatives
was carpenter and thus the trade
was kept alive, which otherwise pos
sibly would have persisted.
And this fact is probably also re-
sponsible for its being in its present
flourishing condition Another reason
why I admire the carpenter trade is
because Christ was a carpenter so the
good book tells us, and he is therein
referred to as the carpenters son.
To be a carpenter or tradesman or
merchant or professional man, means
quite a good deal. To be a man
means more than that. 1t means ev-
erything. And what was once the
rule, the common rule, namely to be
a. man, is truly, sad to relate, in
many cases becoming the exception to
the rule. Many men stand out pro-
fessionally, clerically or mechanically
great and eminent, but are lacking,
and woefully so, in the greatest of all
things, character and stability; and
in spite Of their greatness, many a
lowly laboring man, beneath whose
threadbare coat beats an honest loyal
heart will weigh them in the balance
and be found heavier.
But let no man judge his fellow
man. Let him who is without sin
cast the first stone. Let this be our
guide and serve. to check, any desire
to critictse our fellow men. We all
have weaknesses and passions; we all
have our faults and what is not a
temptation to one may be the weak
ness of the other; therefore let us
rather be charitable to all. Talking
about being careful in. judging others
reminds me of an actual fact that
occurred here in Duluth about 20
years, ago. A certainsprominent lawyer
VINO at that time was very fond of
a glass Of liquor, but was not. aware
that very many people knew. about. it,
saw a. young lady whom he. knew
from earliest childhood, standing in a
grocery store, where she was a clerk.
The young lady was engaged in. the
very pleasant, but to him,
| highly disgusting occupation of
chewing gum. She was work.
| ing away with ner beautiful jaws
and every once in a while she would
pull part Of the gum out Of her
mouth and stretch it to it's full length
and then slowly chew it In again, re-
| peating the performance many times
to the lawyers great disgust. He
stepped up to her and said: MARY,
if were you, I would quit chewing
gum; it is so unlady-like." Like the
report of cork from pop gun came
instantly and thoughtlessly the retort:
IF I were you, judge, I would quit
drinking whisky it is so ungentle-
manly" ''Well, if you'll quit chewing
I'll quit drinking said the lawyer
ITS co. she said, and they both
quit So let us not judge, lest we
be judged and that quickly.
| There has been on subject assigned
to me upon which I am to speak a1d
will only say few words about the
betterment Of conditions for the work
| fngman. Some of these condition.
however can not apply to the car
Epenter, who is about the only ma.
that is able to build his own house
without help.
Betterment, or rather making bette,
the conditions, implies that there are
unsatisfactory conditions existing.
will mention a few, of these. The
IASA LAC ONC1 A4C1A, WIN 6Io 50 very
wealthy that they do not know wha,
next to undertake., they've had theil
fill of all that Wealth can buy, they
still want more at any price,. They
have gotten tired of their horses AM
have taken to motor cars. They are
beginning, to tire Of these and soor
will be and some are already, fol
tine excitement of the thing, having
flying machines and aeroplanes etc.
built; and soon not only the streets
but also the air above us will not be
safe. We will have to dodge falling
airships. When we think of the
fabulous sum Of $4,000 being ex.
pended for a single banquet, it makes
us think, and when we consider the
millions are spent for luxuries an;
excitement and fetes and ball and Ella
borate entertainments, it is appalling
This, is one of the conditions.
The extremely poor who must be
fed or die, who gladly would take the
crumbs and offall from the tables Of
the rich, which is thrown away >anG
wasted, also a condition which exists