The wageworker., 1910-01-01
CENTRAL LABOR UNION.
Hears Profitable Report and Prepares
for Good Work in 1910.

for Good Work in 1910.
The Central Labor Union. at its
meeting last Tuesday night. performed
i a service to the trades union interests
of Lincoln and at the same time
served the best interests of large
number Of business men of Lincoln
At the December IA meeting of the
central body a committee was ap-
pointed to confer with committee
from the Retail Grocers' and Butchers
association concerning an amendment
to the peddler's ordinance whereby the
license might be raised from SIS to
800 year. The Grocers and Butchers
| Association heard it rumored that
| the central body was opposing the or
dinance and sought the conference
which was readily granted. The two
committees met at the Temple prior to
the meeting of the central body and
went over the ground thoroughly. The
central body's committee insisted that
reciprocity should be practiced, and
pointed out to the representatives of
the grocers and butchers that they
were not doing for organized labor
what they asked organized labor to do
for them. In other words, while asking
organized labor in Lincoln to help
them in getting rid of unfair competi-
tion they were putting Lincoln work
ers up against the competition of con-
vict labor, foreign labor and tenement
labor. Their attention was called to
the fact that a majority of them han
died only tenement house cigars, or
trust made cigars, thus practically dis
eliminating against Lincoln workers.
Also that they invariably pushed the
penitentiary made brooms instead of
trying to advance the cause of honest
labor. Nor was the matter of Lin
coin made flour, confectionery. ETC.,
overlooked
THE business men ask lis to help
competition" said Mr. Quick, of the
central body, yet, when we carpen-
ters who own our little homes and are
doing our part towards building up
Lincoln. see work growing better. we
are Immediately confronted with the
| competition of carpenters imported in
| to the city. These imported carpen-
ters leave their families in other towns
and when business grows slack they
hike back home, taking with them the
money they have earned, and while
we are thus deprived of work the Lin
coin grocer is deprived of an equal
well for you gentlemen to look at that
side of the case?"
| Rev. Mr.. Zenor, fraternal delegate
and one of the committee from the
ceRtral body, spoke at some length on
the economic aspects OF the confer
ence, and his talk was listened to with
appreciative interest The members of
the visiting committee admitted that
some matters had been put to them in
a new light, and they urged the cen
trail body's committee to appear be-
fore the next meeting of the associa-
| tion and explain their side of the case
as it had been explained at the con-
| ference. The central body jumped at
the invitation, and at the regular meet
ing of the Retail Grocers and Butchers
association, Tuesday evening January
II. the matter will be fully and frank
ly discussed
| The Wageworker is convinced that
out of this friendly conference and dis
cussion great good will come, not only
to the business interests of the city,
but to the wage earners of the city.
Rev. Mr.. Zenor explained that he could
not attend the meeting on January 8,
having an outof-town engagement,
and Rev. Mr.. Batten, another frater-
nal delegate, was asked to act in Rev.
Mr.. Zenor's place.
| The committee that acted when the
late lamented commission charter was
| framed was revived and instructed to
act with the committee now engaged
mittee that recently took a part in OPP
posi.g the profit-sharing proposal be-
tween the Traction Co., and the city
was instructed to prepare and report
on some plan for the better safeguard
ing of the pubiic's interest in the trac-
tion matter.
Rev. Mr.. Batten briefly summarized
a report adopted by recent confer
ence of the churches of America as it
related to labor, and the report was
greeted with applause. This report
will be ready for publication in a short
time, ard when it comes it will be of
great interest to union men and
women, and doubtless the means oi