The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-11-27

Not fair play, but fair pay, is tho
most insistcnt need of The laborinS
man to-day" declared Rev. Morris
Eagle, pastor OF Christ Church, In
an address before Il mass-mceting of
Eichmond's workingmen AT the CO.
lonial Theatre yesterday evening.
Fair nay Will produce IL better type
OF citizen and Il better worsrnSmar
than all the soup kitchens which are
| being established in the East and West
| Ends said the minister. Working
| men want work. not CHARITY
Tho strained relations now existing
between the united boilerinakers and
the American Locomotive Company; la
Dor conditions which exact LONG hours
of work from women and children
and tho lack of sympathy that exists
| between the laburcr and the ballot
box and tho laborcr and the church
all camo in for discussion by speakers
who addressed an audience OF 1900
| men and women.
Lending Problems Discussed.
Intended by tho labor leaders who
hud the meeting in charge, to be pri-
| Inarily I'm the interest of producing II
closer relationship between organized
/ labor and the church. the meeting
| kindred problems confronting the
\ working world at this time. Tho
speeches, however. were FREQ from bit.
! tcrncss. and while In their totally
they painted u somewhat discoura ging
| condition Of affairs existing to-day,
| all OF them carried n decided note OF
! hone for the future and for All early
adjustment of differences through tho
medium of Intelligent discussion and
Legislation.
The meeting was opened al 3:l5
o'clock by PHI lip Metz, temporary
| chairman. who introduced Colonel
| John :. lIarwood. the presiding officer
Colonel IInrwood explained that tho
present meeting was the first of q
series to be held from time to Tins
for tho purpose OF bringing the work
inEmcn OF the city into closer relations
with tho church. and to give express
sion TO the aims and principles of or
| Eunizcd labor in Richmond. with thu
obtec; in view of cnectlng better
understanding than now exists be-
| tween the general public and that
large part of the population which
earns It's bread by tho sweat OF thu
brow.
! Better WnEcn Needed. -.
Tho speaking program opened with
an address by Mr.. Eagle. on the sub.
ieCt. The Home. the State and tho
| Church" In the correct Relationship
the solution of the labor problem OF
/ to-d day. In his short residence oi
| eighteen months in Richmond. in
! stances have come within his knowl-
| edge In which men were not paiG
! enough wages to insure bare exist
| cncc. As long as such condition OF
| affairs exists home life Ia impossible
| Better wages. he said. are needed tC
| enable workingmcn to MAINTAIN thcil
f,-x.x Il
their children for useful citizenship.
"ln order to obtain these bcnetits.'
! he said. you must first become vot-
| crs. You must be az careful In cast.
| Ing your ballot as you are in caring
| for your child" with Intelligent ex.
ercisc of the suffrage. and closer com.
munion with his fellow-citizens. vii
dawn q brighter day for the work
| ingman.
Recourse to tho ballot box is tho
only remedy for tho abuses that ar,
of 100000 women In this country
according TO Miss Mary Johnston, VIII,
was the next speaker. Her word pie,
ture of their plight was at once drearS
| and dramatic. In the words Of Mist
Johpston, this army is "overworke ed
underfed and beset with dangers boil
moral and physical. Ten hours OF
work aallS--in many cases even moro
than ten housekeeping over speed
ing machines. confined In unsanitarS
sweatshops unprovidcd with fire cs
capes. stunts their growth. main.
them and units them to become til,
mothers of a great nation
The Ballot Only Solution. :.
Miss Johnston quoted Mrs. Browntngs
"Cry Of the Children" with good cnccr
and exclaimed dramatically. eve are
pruning the family tree OF the future
very close, and giving it a cold north
crn exposure" In intelligent work al
the polls. and tho exercise of the fran.
chlse. sho said. will DO found the only
solution. and through 1T alone Will b,
brought about better living conditions
Il. C. Dawson, secretary OF the Wiz,
glnia Federation of Labor, to whose
Initiative the mass-meetins owod Il.
being. declared that for some rcaso;
or other which he could not fnthom
some people in the city had sought
to discredit tho objects of the moet
Ing, and to reflect on It's character
He reiterated Its object, already statet
by earlier speakers, and said that Il
WIS his plan to inauguratc similar
meetings in Norfolk, Roanoke, Ports
mouth, Newport News and other elite,
in the State.
MANY people In the city" he said