United labor bulletin., 1910-02-25
DANBURY HATTERs
Case Makes Union Decide to Take Poiiti.
cal Action in Future.

The case of the Danbury Hatters, which
has caused such a commotion in the
trades union movement throughout the
United States. is responsible for the in
auguration of a movement that may over
turn the old political parties in the near
future.
At meeting of the Central Federated
Union at Bohemian Hail. East 73rd street,
New York City, resolutions calling for
the formation of an Independent labor
party were unanimously passed.
The cause that led up to the passing of
the resolutions was the decision of Judge
Platt, in the United States Circuit Court,
who declared the United Hatters of
North America responsible for the
amount of expense forced on the bosses
during the recent strike and levied a fine
of many thousands of dollars on the treas
ury of the union.
Enthusiastic speeches were delivered by
Morris Braun, of the Cigarmakers'
Union. and T. Davis of the Decorators
Union The remarks of the unionists
were greeted with thunderous applause.
| Inc TeSOlulloH ds hiol piouShl UP
merely called upon the executive COM
mittee of the American Federation of
Labor to at once adopt such measures
and provisions which will safeguard the
interests and welfare of every affiliated
union and every individual member"
Delegate Braun objected to this. He
said: Il think that to merely place it
before the American Federation of Labor
is not enough What | believe is that
organized labor ought to come to its
senses. We have been getting legislative,
judicial and military jolts long enough,
and it's just about time that we called
halt.
81 am tired of being assessed continu-
ally to try to get legislation passed in the
interests of the working class, and when
we get it we find that it is either trick
or not enforced at all.
Il am tired of bending the cringing
knee before the lawmakers of capital. and
begging them for mercy. Petitioning will
only get us kicks or promises-that and
nothing more"
Delegate Braun pointed out the deep
significance of the Taft-Vale decision in
England-how the courts of that land de-
cided that 1t was a crime to strike or boy
colt
What was its effect?" asked Braun
at simply taught the workers that lobby
ing on the outside of the house of parlia-
ment would avail them nothing. They
stopped lobbying and walked into the
house and passed laws in their own inter
est for themselves.
and the first law they passed was one
declaring it perfectly legal to strike or
boycott. That's what Independent action
gets for you. Don't beg. or you will get
the pauper's kick. We have had enough
tomfoolery in this country. We should
learn to send men OF our class to the
House of Congress. ana make laws for
ourselves. Then you will get what you
want
81 am. therefore in favor Of calling on
the president of the American Federat-
of Labor to urge the holding Of q confer
ence of all the national and international
presidents of the various unions OF this
country affiliated with that body, to take
up the matter of forming an Independent
Labor party
- + +
Reports in the daily press that the
street railway employees of Colorado
Springs were talking of organizing is er-
roneous. Division No. 10. OF the Anal
gamated Association of Street and Elec-
trio Railway Employees, located at the
Springs. has a 100 per cent organization,
an equitable wage scale and for years
has had no serious trouble with the street
car company of that city. George w.
Ross of the Springs union is second vice
president of the Colorado State Fedora
tion of Labor.
The Grand Junction city commission
ers held special meeting recently
and passed an ordinance creating a
board of plumbers, gas filters, steam
pipe filters and drain layers. The
board will consist of the commissioner of
public affairs, commissioner of health and
civic beauty. the commissioner of water
and sewers and two appointive officers,
one a master plumber and the other a
journeyman. The latter two are to re-
ceive 81 each per meeting for every meet
ing held for examination of applicants.
Donehue & Giesler offer label shoes at
great reduction. See ad.