United labor bulletin., 1912-10-03

I The report shows that in 1869 there
were $500 members, with a continuous
decrease in membership until 1877, when
the entire membership only numbered
LOIS. revival took place in 1873
which showed 1850 members. From 1873
to 1881 the membership increased to H.
400 members, and then maintained q
steady increase each year until 1904.
when the membership reached 4I,536
The real progress of the international
union started with the Inauguration Of
the system of high dues and chain OF
benefits in 1879. For June, 1912, the
number of members reported on the
monthly financial reports reaches a to-
tai of 1852. 1t must be remembered in
considering this report that the organ
lied cigarmakers have been compelled
to combat one of the most gigantic cor
porations in the entire world, the To
bacco Trust, which employs in its cigar
factories women and children, which
has tendency to continually force the
price of labor in cigar factories to the
lowest minimum. Notwithstanding this
fact, however. the cigarmakers have
been able to secure accessions to the In
ternational Cigarmakers' union. with q
corresponding increase in wages and
betterment of working conditions
The International Cigarmakers' union
is comprised of 4SS local unions, the
largest number of local unions ever af
hliated in the history of the organfza-
tion- OF the 365 applications for in
crease in wages approved since the last
report. September 1, 1901, involving 49,
III members, 32,14O OF whom were en-
titled to benefits, also 5000 non-union-
lists, fraction over Sc per cent, or 31&
difficulties were successful. OF the total
number of strike applications approved
since September 1. 1901, 1.01O in num-
Der, involving 6o,51O members, a frac-
ton over &c per cent. were successful
In addition to the foregoing may be
added that of the strikes approved, Az
per cent were compromised and in al
most every instance with concessions
that were favorable to the union and
members thereof. which brings the per-
centage of successful strikes to 74h
The total amount of money paid out in
strikes during the period just referred
TO was S6l0.47S.4T, or an average per
year OF S55.49S.O4. The grand total of
benefits. including strike. sick. death and
total disability, out of work. etc,
amounted TO. in the last thirty-two years
and two months, $1O.23S, ,S4271 In 1888
the report shows that the average length
of lives of the members was thirty-one
years four months and twenty days,
while in 1911 the average was fifty years
and one month This shows an increase
in the average length of the lives of
members of eighteen years eight months
and ten days since 1883, or n period OF
twenty-three years. In the financial state
ment for the year ended June 80, 1912, it
| is shown that the average membership
in that period was 50,039, with an ex-
penditure of S5 1-10 cents per member
per year for all expenses in the conduct
of the international union. In conclu-
sion, President Perkins makes this OBJ
seryation: Impatient though we and
others may be for a more rapid advance
ment, the facts seem to be that we can
not, with any degree of permanency. go
beyond the ready comprehension, acqui-
escence, and cooperation of the more
deliberately moving mass. l believe it
would be mistake to supplant trade
autonomy by forced industrialism. A
closer unity Of purpose, with the uiti-
mate unity of action in view. should al
ways be encouraged in each industry
The same principle should be the rule
and policy to be applied in the American
Federation of Labor. The American
Federation of Labor is sometimes flip
PANTY spoken of as a rope of sand when
| its critics seek to point out its alleged
weakness. Because the Federation does
not attempt to dictate to or control the
internal workings of its constituent
bodies by drastic action, supervision.
etc. this is. in the eyes of some. an ele-
ment of weakness This very alleged
element of weakness really constitutes
the unseen binding force, and was large
| ly instrumental in building up and hold
/ ing intact the American Federation of
Labor. the greatest organization OF la
bor's federated forces that the world has
ever produced"