Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1913-12-18
Why Not Wk!ee...:ng?
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member how tired you dragged your
self home, for few hours rest, only
to get up the next morning again to
resume the same monotonuos work
Long dreary hours, overtime work
with no pay
and consider what Christmas means
to you and what it means to your en-
ployer, them weigh the difference
You are not richer at the end of the
Christmas season, but dragged out
and weary from hard work.
Something can be done, and it
must be done at once, in order to
prevent another such hard Christmas
shopping. There is ony one way
out of the difficulty and that is by
joining the union. If you have a
voice in the number of hours
you have to work; you will decide
your overwork time and your~pay en-
have Merry Christmas and a Happy
New Year.
The union demands the following:
Fifty-fOur hours week, double pay
for evening work, paid vacation for
two weeks, SO per week minimum for
all adult workers, committee repre-
sentation to present grivances to firms
etc.
Not Afraid to Listen
And the effect of this silent cam
paign was described in the New York
Call Of December g..
An attempt was made to hold curb
stone meetings at the entrance of the
big store, at O'Clock, as the thous-
ands of girls poured out from work.
Previous attempts had been made
by organizers, but they had always
failed because the tired girls didn't
understand or were afraid to be seen
listening.
But this time it was different.
Here are a few paragraphs from the
Call story:
''The spirit Of the clerks was re-
markable. Where previously they
had shown fear of being seen they
stayed and cheeTed despite the ap-
pearance of several officials.
$50 eager were the clerks that when
one of the two meetings was closed
at five minutes to seven the entire
crowd gathered on the outskirts of
another meeting that had not been ad-
journed.
i ut was striking seven and about 500
persons still present when the last
speaker ended, the clerks having lis
tened for nearly an hour.
"Fhe majority of the clerks who left
on the S4th St. side were girls and the
earlier ones to leave the store soon
were crowded around the automobile.
About 200 were in attendance when
it was seen that another meeting
would be necessary.
/ Helen Schloss, another Socialist
who has been active in the work of
| organizing, opened another meeting
Immediately in 'front.' of the en-
ployes' entrance, from which a steady
stream of men and girls was now
pouring.
Miss Schloss, who spoke for about
Ten minutes. drew an audience of
about 300 clerks. She showed the
possibilities Of a union. She was
followed by Miss Jane Olcott, suf-
ffrage and Socialfsf worker, the crowd
increasing constantly. When Miss
Mary Chamberlain, the. suffragist,
mounted the stand the sidewalk was
filed right back to The entrance with
great throng Of girls and men,
Equally grew the automobile meet
| ing. Miss Sanford who has been
With Miss butcher throughout the
agitation, succeeded hgr and told of
he Necessity Of an Organization that
would do something 40 improve the
conditions Of the clerks. Another
ipeech was made by Miss Rose Pore,
Rand School student, and then Miss
Anna A. Maley, the well known So
lallst organizer. addressed the clerks
Miss Svenson, the organizer, con-
tinued distributing literature to the
clerks, assisted by Maurice Simmons.
OF the Bookkeepers' Union. until
about twenty-five minutes after six.
Wien most of the employees had left
the building.
In spite of silent intimidation by
officials who stood near, the clerks
kept their places around the speakers
and heard-what they gave every evil
dence Of wanting to hear-how the
wages of the little cash girls and the
young salesWoman, who have to dress
pleasingly on six and seven dollars
week, could be raised and their hours
cut.
The union. spirit has penetrated
Macy's!" was the way one delighted
woman expressed it. 1.-THE clerks are
hearing US at last. They are awaken
ing and are now craving for more
and more information as to how
great union can be built up,''