Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1912-06-20

The greatest victory ever won Dy
Labor in the Ohio Valley, and one of
the most complete and striking vic
tories ever won by Labor anywhere,
was completed Thursday afternoon
when the large carpenter contractors
q, Wheeling, who had been fighting
the combined building crafts, and re-
t,sing to recognize the union, signed
on agreement with the representatives
Of the Ohio Valley District Council
If Carpenters and the Ohio Valley
Trades and Labor Assembly, in the
preseuce Of the Harmony Committee.
The victory was made great because
It was secured against the greatest
combination of Big Business Openshop-
pets. ever arrayed against Labor in
the history of the city. Everything
that could be done by them to dis,
credit Labor was done. Day after day
they spread false reports in the daily
DreSS III OIQSI " A44C1OoA lily ROORAN
Of the city The daily papers con-
tinualy minimized the union strength
and falsifed the unions contentious,
and finally embraced the bull doing
tactics of announcing that the Labor
organizations, the city council and
the people of the city would be ignor-
ed and the case taken over the heads
Of all up to soma ceurt,where a deci-
sion would be, given satisfactory to
TIE Big Business interests.
Even the Harmony committee, ex-
hausting its efforts for peace, gave
up in encouragement, and on Tues
day evening, after a final conference
with the employers in the afternoon,
decided to publish both sides OF the
case, the statements of both the en-
poyes and the employers, in Friday
mornings papers, and thus put the
csae up to the people of the city.
Thus the sudden termination of the
case was all the more welcome to La
Dor and the direct employers, as 1t
was unexpected in some quarters. 1t
came as the end OF an appeal to the
city council Monday evening, and con-
unued to Wednesday evening.
The Council Meeting.
Many hundreds of workers crowded
into the city building Monday evenirg
in answer to the call sent out in these
columns. They crowded the available
space on the first floor, the galleries
and the corridors. Wearing plai'f
white badges bearing the single i'll
Scription, Labor" they plainly proved
their atlliation and their sympathlcs.
They were there to see that justice
was done them and their cause. 1t
was an inspiring spectacle, this soil
darity Of Labor manifested in the
presence Of these hundreds or men,
who were proud that they were mem
oers Of the working class. And their
numbers made ridiculous the attempt
OF the Market Auditorium Company
to influence council by the presence OF
their small stockholders, the company
having urged them all to attend.
They came. but they were lost in the
shuttle.
Presents Labor's Side.
When the special council meeting
was convened on Monday evening, and
permission given to representatives OF
both sides to state their position on
The question of reveking the ordin-
snce of the Market Auditorium com
pany, L. J LaFlam, president OF the
ono Valley Trades and Labor Assem-
Oly opened by presenting the side OF
LABOR He demanded the reVoking OF
IN eordinance for the plan violation
0l the clause demanding the employ
meat OF union labor. He was followed
w Attorney W. P. Robinson in be
1af Of the Assembly. The Marke1
Auditorium Company was represented
.! Attorneys Ewing and Somerville
sno they made 1t plain in their state
@ents that followed that they were
depending upon legal technicalities
instead of justice. Mr.. Somervill'
sleaded for the appointment Of spe
,lal committee to sit and sit and ST
IL The case, and delay it as much a
possible. Mr.. LaFlam followed. op
pOslng the appointment of a commit
.ss and demanding immediate cons
sssasiOa by council. "why do yol
NAOt to hear witnesses at all whel
Z" 'Ou nave here the stsnographic II