The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1912-03-30
BOY SLAVES ENGAGED
IN STETS0N FACTORY
Organizer for Hatters' Union Wis
it's In notwithstanding the
Label.

me local trade unions are this
week receiving a visit from organizer
A. Gansler Of the United Hatters of
North America. Mr.. Gansler is
visiting Duluth in the interest of
union label hats. During the day his
time Is spent among the merchants
and at night it, is occupied among
the working people.
He says that the merchants of. Du-
luth, as a rule, carry a first class line
of union hats. While such non-union
hats, as the ''Stetson" and the "Im-
perial,' are carried by some mer-
chants, they have in addition large
the union label.
"Stetson'' Hats Not Union.
Many railroad men who wear
"stetson" hats do. not know that
these are made under decidedly I'M
fair conditions. While organizer
Gansler does not single out any nom
union hat concern he does try to i'm
press upon all workingmen and their
friends the good that can be done
the whole cause of labor by purchns-
ing only hats that bear the union
label.
The visit of organizer Gansler in
Duluth and his campaign for the pur-
chase Of union label hats is most OBJ
perfume. The editor of the Labor
World, this week, received from a
friend in Philadelphia a copy of a
contract or indenture the J. B. Stet-
son Company requires it's apprentices
to sign before giving them employ
ment. 1t is a relic of the old DAYS
of masters and servants in industries.
Slavery Terms in Contract.
The indenture binds the young
man for period of three years. The
following is the exact wording of the
body of the contract:
/ The said Masters reserve the right
to terminate this agreement, if said
Apprentice shall refuse to obey their
proper commands, or shall be found
physically unable to attend To- mis-
work. During all which time tho
said Apprentice doth covenant and
promise that he will serve his
Masters faithfully, keep their secrets
and obey their lawful commands;
that he will do them no damage him.
self, nor see it done by others with
out giving them notice thereof; that
ne will not waste their goods, nor
lend them uniaWfully; that he will
not contract matrimony within the
said term; that he will not play at
cards, dice or any other unlawful
game, whereby his Masters may be
injured; that he will neither buy or
SELL. with his own goods nor the
ROnd0 nf
his Masters; and that he will not
absent himself day or night from mis-
Masters service without their leave,
| nor haunt ale houses, taverns, or play
| houses, but in all things behave him.
self as a faithful Apprentice ought to
do during the said term.
He shall conform to and abide by
| all rules and regulations now in
| force. and hereafter adopted by his
| Masters for the government of their
! Apprentices. And the said Masters OH
their part do covenant and promise,
that they will use the utmost Of their
endeavors to teach, or cause TO be
taught or instructed, the said Ap-
prentice in the art, trade or mystery
| of Felt Hat Sizing and Blocking, and
|
when working, two dollars $4,000
! per week.
| BY the above it will be seen that
the moment a. young man afffxes his
name to the John b. Stetson Com
pany contract of apprenticeship he
! relinquishes all rights and becomes
that company's serf. He cannot
marry. His pleasures are limited
and even when his days work is over
he is subject to the will and power Of
his employers For binding himself
thus the young man receives a salary
during the period of his apprentice
ship of $500 per week, just for the
privilege OF earning ten or twelve
dollars per week when he becomes Il
| journeyn1an.
! And this is America?
N0ppv NENVVyEAD