The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-04-06
LABOR NOTES OF
VIDE INTEREST
Steady Progress of the Union Cause
Appeals to Correspondent More
Than All Other Features.

There is one thing in the trade union
movement more than all Others that
strengthens my faith in its power and
usefulness for the work for to-day and
its potency for the solution of the prob
lens of tomorrow That is in the fact
that through its conformity to sound
| principles it has made slow, steady, but
steadfast, progress, producing for the
wage Garner little bit more to-day
than he enjoyed yesterday, and obtain
ing for him wide scope of industrial
| freedom.
! | admit we have not reached that
stage of human perfection even IN such
an organized city rs Barre, where its
forces are so militant and its organiza-
tons stand as IA protest against an es-
| tablished but inqlitous industrial tys-
/ ten, where its advocates in both the eco
nomic and political field must inevitably
/ be the victims of ridicule, -calumny, vii
/ lii'catlon and personal abuse. They can
not escape it. 1t comes from the
enemies of labor and labor's institutions,
and then, as one continues in the strug
gle it gradually but insdiously creeps
/ III among certain of the laborers them
/ otl' Vo' II HVAitllHItS giDNs Vhb VI Huo
! picon and envy, and sometimes over
| differences in questions OF policy. We
are all susceptible to it, and when we
enter the movement we may as well
make up our minds first, as we surely
will later, that the labor movement is
not for men of thin skin. Herein lies
our responsibility.
Those employers OF labor who oppose
the cardinal principles Of trade union
ism are at the same time organizing
then several trade organizations as they
never did before. Their chief purpose
i'll organization is not to foster and en-
courage industry, but to prevent the in
dependence OF labor and destroy its in
stitutions. II you do not believe me,
read this literature which is being cir.
cnlated all over this land from the
country merchant employing a single
clerk to the largest employers in the
city Nothing but a united working
Gloss can hope to cope with the situa-
ton Vermont labor cannot afford to
be behind labor of other states. This,
then, shall be our slogan from now on,
Educate, organize and federate.'
orc who always insists upon the I'M
ion taking care of his own personal
grievances. The best kind Of union
man is one who always considers the
welfare Of the entire membership regard
less OF his own momentary troubles.
Such a man is wise. too, because he
recognizes that his own welfare is best
suteguarded BY working for the interests
OF the whole.
Secretary Treasurer J. w. Hays OF the
international Typographical union has
just forwarded to the A. +. of L. a
document showing the tremendous bene-
fits conferred upon the members Of that
organization by the international UNI
ion. Using the total membership of the
unions reporting increased scales of
wages as basis for calculation, it re-
yeals that during the past year the
wages of affected members have in
creased $50 2s3.S4 per week, or S3,60l.-
7lt.4S for the year. Owing to the fact
that the collection OF the international
union on the old age pension assess
ment is based upon thhe percentage sys-
t,m, the international union is in pos
session of the exact earnings of each OF
il, members. During 1911. the earnings
per member reached the high total of
S074.l3 for the year. This is probably
the highest average maintained by any
labor organization in the world, whose
members are employed in any mechan-
cal industry. The typographical union
is a high-due organization and its pros
perity and effectiveness are largely the
result OF the fact that its members are
not parsimonious in maintaing a
strong financial condition.
San Francisco The officials of the
bricklayers' local union have called
meeting of representatives, appointed by
tls building trades council, the san
Francisco labor council and the Califor-
mia state federation Of labor, together
with representatives of the bricklav-
ers' union, to arrange campaign of
publicity extending throughout the coun-
try. in an effort to create sentiment fla
Norable to the utilization OF the brick !
layers with the American Federation OF |
Labor.
j. Havelock Wilson. noted leader Of |
the successful seamen's strike of Great I
Britain, has communicated to the sad I
ore' union of the Pacific that he has |
been unavoidahly detained in Australia, |
but expects 10 reach San Francisco early /
in April. The sailors union of the Pa I
cifc is preparing to give him hearty /
reception.
The gas and water workers union
has entered into an agreement with the
Pacific Gas and Electric companv for al
npriod of ono wear rho nev oorao,,,ort /