The San Francisco call., 1910-05-19
Edited by o. M. BOYLE

handkerehiefs a year, which are sold in
the open market at 4 cents less a dozen
than it costs firms employing free
labor to make the same article. 1t is
estimated that the output of shirts
made by convicts yearly is 100000, or
70 per cent of the entire industry.
Arthur E. Holden. who, with Thomas
F. Tracy, represented the American
federation of labor at the hearing, gave
the following incident in his experience
as an organizer, showing how convict
labor affects free workers:
In Tidioute, Pa, last summer /
went into large chair factory, among
the employees. I tried to induce these
men to form a local organizat tion, and
they told me, with tears coursing down
their cheeks: Mr.. Holder, it is no use.
We are down and out. We are simply
living upon bread and molasses. We
have to live two families in small
nome, where formerly we used to have
a home of our own. Then our days
earnings came down TO $1.35, from
S1.35 they came down to $1.15, and
from s1.15 they came down to 81, and
last summer We were working for 90
cents a day."
All of which shows that cheap con-
vict labor means poverty and degrade
tion for those who come in competition
with it.
1t was announced at Tuesday nights
meeting of stationary firemen's union
that the Metropolitan company had
signed the wage schedule. The COM
mittee on bylaws reported progress
and promised to bring in a final re-
port shortly. A contribution of $5 per
week will be given to the leather
workers until they secure the s hour
day.
Iron molders' union No. 164 met in
regular session Tuesday night in the
labor council temple, with President
Doorley in the chair. The time was
mostly occupied in routine business.
Five applications were received. A do
nation of $40 was made to the strik-
ing leather workers.
The thfrty-seventh annual picnic and
family reunion will be held June 1s
at Shell Mound park. The following
committee has charge of the affair:
John o. Walsh, A. T. Wynn, j. j. Field,
William p. McCabe. John l. Nolan,
George Schwager, Dominic Viano
James Simensen, Gus Betterlin, Hugo
Blint and Martin Egan.
Word comes from Stockton of de-
mand for laborers. A railroad wants
$50 white men with wages from s1.75
to $3.50 per day. Tie farmers in the
county are clamoring for help to handle
the hay crop, offering S1.50 a day and
board. This is 25 cents a day more
than was received last year for the
same kind of work. Fruit pickers are
wanted at. S1.25 a day and board. In
various other lines laborers are in de-
mand in the county of San joaquin.
There Will ho n tirO Of
of directors of the Labor temple hall
association and the committee of five
appointed by the council to find site
morning at 10 o'clock.
John !. Nolan of iron moIders' union
No. 164 has addressed letter to the
secretary of the International, by in
struction of his local, asking that a
vote be taken Ito raise the salaries of
the international officers. The increases
asked for are: President. from S2160
TO S2,400; first vice president to re-
ceive S1,S00; second, third and four vice
presidents each to receive 81, 500. The
membership is now voting on the In
creaSeS.
One of the outcomes of the late labor
uprising in staid Philadelphia is a
healthy union of employees in the Bald
win locomotive works. Never before
was a labor union represented among
the employees of this mammoth institu-
tion.
William O'Connor has been chosen
candidate of the union labor party of
Alaska as delegate to the United States
congress. The western federation of
miners is a strong supporter of the
new labor party in the far north.