United labor bulletin., 1913-03-13
JOHN MITCHELL ADDRESSES
PUBLIC ON COMPENSATION
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ing about an increase of wages for the
iaDorlng man. Legislation can help the
women and child IaDorers, he said, but
the men must adjust their own difer-
ences with the capitalistic class by sound
reasoning.
The industrial conditions are far bet
ter than they were twenty-five years
ago." he SAID. The Improvement in the
conditions for the laboring man is not
due to the measures passed by any legls-
lative body of the country, but the credit
must be given to the labor unions The
labor leaders of today are required to be
diplomatic and any act of violence does
not meet with the approval of organized
labor.
Il consider women and children who
have to labor for their daily bread too
| weak to go to the kings of industry and
tell them that their wages are too small
and that they demand a living wage
These women and children will have to
depend to a certain extent on the legis-
latures of the different states to protect
them. They will also get the protection
of the labor unions insofar as these Or
ganizations are able to look after their
interests. If compelled to work for
wages on which they can barely exist, 1t
is then the duty of society to step in and
say, Pay these women and children
living wage"
Mr.. Mitchell declared that he believed
that every state in the union should
make an investigation into the vice con-
ditions existing in the various localities
the same as is now being done in Chi
cago.
1T is time that the people consider
seriously" he continued, the relation
that small wages paid to women en-
ployes bears to vice of any character
and especially the white slave traffic. In
order for a woman to live virtuous life,
| it is necessary that she receive enough
money for her work to afford a comfort
able living if it happens that she is de-
pendent upon herself for her support.
THE great problem that confronts the
laboring people is the distribution OF
wealth. 1t is the question of living
wage for all laborers. But these condi-
tions today are a hundred times better
than the intolerable conditions that ex-
listed when l was boy. 1 attribute the
improvement to the work of the labor or
ganiZations.
I'm my travels about the country l
have found but few instances where the
employers have attempted to influence
their employees by making threats that
unless they voted a certain ticket or
gave certain measures in the legislatures
their support, that they would lose their
jobs. The practice of few corporations
to try to influence their men is not gem
eral by any means and never in the his
tory of the country has more friendly
feeling existed between the capitalists
and the laboring men. The present
membership list of the American FEEDER
alton of Labor contains 100000 names,
which is an increase of about 100000 in
the last year"
When asked if he thought the convic-
ton of the forty-eight defendants in the
recent dynamiting trial at indianapolis
would have any evil effect on organized
labor; he said that he did not believe the
public would hold the labor unions re
sponsible for the acts of few of its
members. The prediction that the con-
Iession of the Mcnamara brothers would
injure the labor organizations, he assert
ed. was nothing more than hope" OF
those opposed to organized labor.
Mr. Mitchell is 43 years old. Twenty
years ago he was, digging coal in the
southern Colorado fields, and twenty
eight years back found him working at
the same trade at the old Baker mine,
near the town of Erie, in the northern
part of the state.
He was born in Braidwood, ILL.,, and at
tended the public schools of that place
until 10 years of age. He worked on a
farm until IL years old, when he entered
the coal mines in Illinois and Cleaned
what learning he was able to get by at
tending night school after working
hours.
He has been vice president of the
American Federation of Labor for fifteen
years, and before being elected to that
Office he was president of the United
Mine Workers of America for several
years 1t was he who had charge OF the
negotiations between the national com
mittee appointed by Theodore Roosevelt
in 1902 and the labor organizations TO
effect a settlement of the strike in the
anthracite coal fields of Pennsylvania
Seven years ago he was sent to Europe
as a representative of the mine workers
to investigate labor disturbances that
we're brewing in Great Britain and Ire
land. At the time that w. j. Bryan
made his last race for the presidency
Mitchell was mentioned by some as the
logical candidate for vice president. He
is the author of a number of labor pub
lications and has written new pook,
The Wage Farmers: Their Problems,
which will be on the market next month.
Mr.. Mitchell left Denver at 1880 Tues
day afternoon for Boone, Iowa, where ne
delivered lecture Wednesday evening.
The Trades Unions Benefit associa-
ton is home for every man with
card The association has line cluD
rooms at 2O3 Quincy building.
sTEREoTYPERs CHOOSE MALCOLM.