Elmore County Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1910-1915, 1912-08-03
From The Magazine Press.
Excerpts OF Opinion from the Leading Writers of Today
Rev. John A. Peake.

| 1NNNhpC iiofihS DtCl
the crown of the common school,
has become the tail of the univel
sity kite; it fails because havin
been subsidized to solve the compile
educational problems of adolescence
1t has in large aprt, wasted 1t
energies upon examining a few pupil
for the artificial and often outrae
eous demands of college entranc
papers.
The August American contains
number of interesting characte
sketches. Among them is one O
Josephine Casey, the young Chicag,
elevated employee who became a bi,
labor leader. American organize
FOR the International Garment Work
ers, she Is a goddess to hundreds O.
foreign workingmen. Ten years agt
Josephine Casey had charge of {
station on the Chicago Elevated Rail
way. When it's men employees be
gan to organize a union they never
thought to include the girls. SO 10
sephine Casey suggested, "Wel
just organize one of our own" They
did. She was their leader and the
company granted their petition fol
better pay as well as that of the
men.
Then, two years later she estab
llshed the comradeship of workers
between the girls and the men by
persuading the girls to refuse a sec.
ond advance in wages, until the mems
second petition for increased pay
should be granted. Far sighted, she
saw almost at once the spiritual and
economic value of solidarity.
AT last, it was announced in the
Joint meeting of men and women en-
ployees that the company had de-
clded to increase the mems pay but
not the girls. Naturally the girls
protested, but some of the men
We're afraid to refuse this offer lest
a raise might not be granted them
again. Were they going to forget
the personal sacrifice the girls had
made? At the critical mament when
their chance was trembling in the
balance, Josephine saw by some
flash, the company's purpose, to start
in the union. Instantly
she rose from the secretary's chair
and said-'I move that this offer
be not accepted and the meeting ad-
Journ. All in favor rise!"
At the suggestion of her uplifted
arms every man arose. Out in the
street they said, What did we do
that for? She isn't the president"
The next day an official came to
Ter station and said, you've gone
l little too far this time. Do you
hink you own the road?"
The votes are what count. They
Ioted with me, and they'll vote with
lie again. was her reply. She had
'een rash but the crisis justified her
lction. 1t won every girl On the road
IN increase of 10 per cent, and
the comradeship of
The Women's clubs heard of this
Dung labor leader and asked her
0 attend their national convention to
epresent women in industry. Slender
with simplicity of taste
nd feeling for line, there is always
distinction about her even in a
$50 suit.
The clubwomen looked at her,
Why, ou're not typical working
iris" commented one after another
D Josephine Casey and representa-
i've of the glove industry. This ex-
lamation many times repeated was
DO much for an Irish sense of hui
Tor. When some one across the
inner table began, "Why you're not
ypical-," Josephine Casey turned
, the other union girl and said,
stick your knife In your mouth.
hey expect it."
AS organizer of the International
arment Workers Union her real
'ork has been found. Josephine Casey
lands for a living wage and arbi-
alton. She Is no walking delegate
tirring trouble for an occupation.
strike Is inevitable, her advice
!, Don't antagonize the public by
violence"
She is helping thousands of men
nd women to become what Lincoln
teffens calls spiritually organized.
[er first task as organizer is weld
lg together immigrants of many
atoms and conflicting prejudices.
uring the big protracted garment
1,,Iy x,,tx. trs1 t. ~